• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

I don't get "vinyls"

beatcomber said:
"Vinyls" is an expression pretty much exclusively used by newcomers to the medium, ie: folks too young to remember the pre-digital era.

A lot of us older folks make fun of those who use it because it is a sure sign of newbieness.

Here in Massachusetts, we call them 'rekkids."
Click to expand...

The word "Vinyl" is new to me. As I've been buying records since 1970 I've always called them "records' or "albums" I don't lose any sleep over what anybody wants to call them.
Back in the early 90's while my records were in storage, my 2 year old daughter got in to them. My 5 year old son comes running and yelling, "dad, Brittany is getting in to your big CD's". I laughed but didn't correct him as I never thought I'd get them back out of storage so that he'd have to learn what they really are.
 
Back in my time in music stores they were called Records then categorized as 45's, 78's or LP's terms I still use today. Of course if you go into a music store today the categories are Download, CD, or Vinyl. That is where the new terminology comes from, and it is sure better than no term being needed at all!!
Regards,
Jim
 
Kind of funny though.. I hear new young upstart bands or "singer-songwriter" types being interviewed, and they will say "we're" (I'm) making a new record..."
 
I say that because of what it stands for. Vinyl singular or plural, and vinyls is just bad grammar, but everyone understands what they are, even if they cringe at the thought of using that term. However, to my generation, when I say LP's (I refer to 33 1/3rpm records as LP's, vinyl, or licorice pizza; 45rpm records as 45's, and ~78rpm records as 78"s or shellac), I have to explain what LP means and how the name came about.

I guess it's all in the societal context.
 
vinyldavid said:
I say that because of what it stands for. Vinyl singular or plural, and vinyls is just bad grammar, but everyone understands what they are, even if they cringe at the thought of using that term. However, to my generation, when I say LP's (I refer to 33 1/3rpm records as LP's, vinyl, or licorice pizza; 45rpm records as 45's, and ~78rpm records as 78"s or shellac), I have to explain what LP means and how the name came about.

I guess it's all in the societal context.
Click to expand...

That makes sense:thmbsp: Younger generation would have no ID what Long PLay meant, let alone LP. But, to most of us Old Farts, LP's is acceptable:yes:
 
I would just give them the explanation so that they know, and understand :)

Though I think I understand where you are coming from.
 
Well ...

Is it short and to the point - yes. Does it get the message across w/o explanation - yes.

In a world of two thumb'd texters, it covers the gamut from 12"-45's to Long Play 33 1/3's and most folks get it in one word. Sounds odd to me, but I'm curmudgeonly and getting along in decades. And I do call multiple cassettes or reels - Tapes :scratch2:
 
Vinyls is like scroes. Some fool misspelled it and it's propagated for one reason or another. The plural of vinyl is vinyl like the words fish or sheep. Oddly there is no word that describes this.

As for the word vinyl... I picked up this "slang" here at AK. I used to say albums and records before the introduction of CDs. Now it's just records when I speak about them, but vinyl when I write about them. Weird.
 
kermit z said:
That makes sense:thmbsp: Younger generation would have no ID what Long PLay meant, let alone LP. But, to most of us Old Farts, LP's is acceptable:yes:
Click to expand...
Just tell them that LP means Long Play. What I admire about the "Younger generation" is... they'll just whip out their iphone and GoogleIt.
 
onepixel said:
Vinyls is like scroes. Some fool misspelled it and it's propagated for one reason or another. The plural of vinyl is vinyl like the words fish or sheep. Oddly there is no word that describes this.

As for the word vinyl... I picked up this "slang" here at AK. I used to say albums and records before the introduction of CDs. Now it's just records when I speak about them, but vinyl when I write about them. Weird.
Click to expand...
Well that does make sense, in that it must have been used to differentiate the medium from the then popular and new CD format.
 
So, in reality, Cd's could be called "RLP's" for Really long play :) I'm just saying...
 
I suspect the term "record" was applied to the vinyl and shellac discs with information-containing grooves cut in them, not because it was inherent in the medium but what the medium was carrying. To quote Ani DiFranco (young guy alert!), "People used to make records. As in a record of an event. The event of people making music in a room." So, when one says, "I'm going to play a record," you could respond, "What kind of record? A vinyl record, CD record, 8-track tape record?" Of course, the ubiquity of the vinyl and shellac discs with information-containing grooves cut in them made it a convenient shorthand and has developed its own definition over the decades. As a result, the question above seems pretty silly.

But it's not uncommon for me to talk about something being "a great record." I am not usually talking about the medium, but the information on the medium. So I have to get more specific when I am differentiating between my various media. For example, I have Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow on CD and vinyl. It's a great record, and I have it on two different media. So there is some ambiguity in the term which leaves open the possibility of new terminology to fill the void.

But for the record [pun intended], I agree, calling them "vinyls" just sounds dumb!
 
I believe album and record became the common nomenclature for CD's during those dark years. I believe this is just a shortcut to differenciate between CD's and vinyl records. I find myself saying "I've got the vinyl" is someone asks if I have a certain recording, but the plural just sounds wrong to my ears...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom