I've often wondered this, but how many of us who buy records for our own collection, regardless of value or rarity, actually PLAY them on a regular basis. I find it much easier these days to click a few buttons on my PC and listen to just about anything I want. I still buy records for myself of course, but I often just record them and play the mp3's.

DJ's obviously play them out, but when the party's over, and the lights go out, what do we do at home.

For me, it's the enjoyment of collecting that keeps it going, but it's the convenience of technology that gives me 90% of my lisening pleasure.

Cheers
Mick

 

Same here Mick , I buy and sell records for my Habit lol but I mostly play stuff on my PC at home as it's quicker and easier , I DJ occasionally and it's great to spin actual 45's but at home not very often .

 

Cheers

Swifty

Always  mick. .. home use is what they are for... 

Play some everyday.

Yes but probably not enough,mostly put on MP3 player for relaxing on beach and listening to.

Every Friday nite (If nothing else is happening!) with some Rum&Coke - really loud.... Looking forward to this each day of the week!

Think you're right. They are built for playing, not just looking at, and maybe I should have more "Sessions" myself.

But, one has to be on his or her guard to make sure his tone arm is balanced perfectly, or the grooves can wear, even if it is only very slightly off.  So, it is "safer" to just play them to record them to files, and not play them on a turntable, over and over.  Rare records of which only a handful are known, are too rare to risk ruining the original source.

Yes ,Yes, Mick ,play the that funky music,! We are not "Dinky Toy Collectors" As James may ( the hairy one ,not ginge on Top Gear ,said he a paid a fortune for a fully wrapped untouched DinkyTractor at Sothebey's then in front of the weeping nerds , Ripped of the packaging and played with it! LOL  Johnny.

55 minutes ago, Mick Holdsworth said:

Think you're right. They are built for playing, not just looking at, and maybe I should have more "Sessions" myself.

You know deep down you should.

Sometimes, but not often enough. Am often asked this question but can't answer it precisely. When you have several thousand records, it is not easy to play them. When you acquire several per week on average, it is tricky to keep up with cleaning, playing, filing, storing retrieving etc. When you travel to the States and buy them in box loads, it becomes a challenge just to sort the sales records from the keepers. I tend to have record playing sessions when dozens are spun. Every now and again, I will make a compilation tape. I have played most of what is in the collection but there are some boxes that have records only sampled in a USA store and not yet played through - this is shaping up to be a retirement job-to-do. Like many of us, I tend to play the latest acquisitions as they arrive to test them, then repeatedly whilst to hand. Once boxed and shelved away, they don't receive the attention they used to. It is always a joy to stumble across a record in the collection you had forgotten about and play it to realise that it is way better than you recall it from twenty years ago.

15 minutes ago, FRANKIE CROCKER said:

Sometimes, but not often enough. Am often asked this question but can't answer it precisely. When you have several thousand records, it is not easy to play them. When you acquire several per week on average, it is tricky to keep up with cleaning, playing, filing, storing retrieving etc. When you travel to the States and buy them in box loads, it becomes a challenge just to sort the sales records from the keepers. I tend to have record playing sessions when dozens are spun. Every now and again, I will make a compilation tape. I have played most of what is in the collection but there are some boxes that have records only sampled in a USA store and not yet played through - this is shaping up to be a retirement job-to-do. Like many of us, I tend to play the latest acquisitions as they arrive to test them, then repeatedly whilst to hand. Once boxed and shelved away, they don't receive the attention they used to. It is always a joy to stumble across a record in the collection you had forgotten about and play it to realise that it is way better than you recall it from twenty years ago.

Ha! Ha!  Sometimes I find a record in my collection I haven't played for 60 years!!!  20 years ago is a RECENT play (even 40 years ago would have been "relatively recent" - probably when I was re-recording a song whose cassette tape had dried and started having dropouts)!

Still get the goosebumps playing a new purchase, especially if its after years of searching. Computer held music is fine but for me has so much less meaning than watching your hard earned collection spinning on your turntable.

I keep meaning to get around to buying a deck for the front room so I can bring down a small box of records to play instead of watching tv, otherwise its a trip up to the record room but with kids thats not as easy as it used to be unless I use headphones. I use the PC and tablet more for listening to stuff I don't own or don't know.

I must admit I've got out of the habit of playing records at home, when I stepped back for the DJ'ing and Radio show I played music less, having said that every now and again I'll play a few tunes and upset the neighbours lol, despite moving on all the big stuff I still dabble and collect that's a habit none of us will ever break, plus this Secret Stash dream gig has come my way and certainly got the juices flowing again.

Record room in the dark,double decks with bottle of vino for company bliss.Neigbour is deaf so no worries about volume even more bliss.This is the time when you find things you havent heard for yonks whilst looking for something else on the shelves.Dont want to look at stamps or paintings.Records are meant to be played!!!!!!!

I love my ipod and that has taken the place of records on an everyday basis, however I have a strict policy of never downloading or copying tunes I already have on vinyl, which means I have to get the record deck on if I want to hear them.

Reminds me of pre-internet days when you had to go actually go out to a club to hear particular records. It keeps them special and makes them all the more enjoyable when you do play them. Couple of drinks, good quality sound system, tunes into the early hours - nothing like it 

A timely thread for me, having not played anything for more than 20yrs I now listen as most have said on the pc, over those 20 yrs I've sold or given away probably anything of any worth from my collecting days, still have a few nice things, nothing of any great value mostly sentimental stuff from my early days learning about this great music of ours. That was until last week when in conversation with a mate we talked of looking over one another's records plus other collecting interests so I thought I better dig out the old record deck. To rediscover the joy of that little piece of plastic going round and round and flicking  through the boxes rekindled a lost youth but what surprised me was the records I chose to play. I 've never been more active on the scene than I am now but in the early days I tried every genre of soul going from sweet soul to funk and everything in between.

    Most of the Northern has been cherry picked by trusted friends as I always let them take what they want without looking as I never played the records anyway I just trust them to give me a fair price which makes me happy to know they are being played rather than sitting under my stairs lying silent so looking through the boxes I don't know what I've got and what's gone half of which I don't remember.

    A few plays from last night , Erma Franklin Never Again, Soul Makossa Manu Dibango, Fabulous Counts Lunar Funk, a left fielder Al Martino Spanish Eyes, Latimore Let's Straighten it Out, one from my days before the soul bug bit deep Jim Capaldi Eve, as I said surprised me no end what I chose to play but then again I hear enough Northern out and on the pc. Sorry for the ramble, back to the deck..    

2 hours ago, TRICKY said:

Record room in the dark,double decks with bottle of vino for company bliss.Neigbour is deaf so no worries about volume even more bliss.This is the time when you find things you havent heard for yonks whilst looking for something else on the shelves.Dont want to look at stamps or paintings.Records are meant to be played!!!!!!!

Blimey Trev you must have been reading my mind, dont have neighbours to worry, just as well really when the sound is up. The wife has a catch phrase "You dont know what you have got" usually when I pull a tune off the shelves and go all wide eyed.

Gouch

Yep,

I've got a full rig set up in my conservatory - 4' Peaveys and twin decks,  Been convalescing since surgery in April and planned on spending my time playing lots of vinyl .

Bummer! Acquired a copy of Ray & the Blue Satins 2 days before my surgery, and the Amp blew half way through it's first play. Still unable to lift anything that heavy, and to top it all Pam has broken her wrist and has her arm in plaster so she can't lift it out for repair either.

CD's and Mp3's have been a godsend....but it's just not the same.

- Kev

 

Got to be played - that's what they were made for.  Even occasionally find my children sifting through through the shelves and playing things they like - after the initial raised pulse of worry I have now decided that they can get on with it - they are 24 / 21 and 18 to be fair and generally have great taste but not always!  Guess they must get that from me.

Adam

Play new purchases several times on the decks, usually on a Saturday and Sunday morning. I then file them in the 'ready to burn' pile.

Personal CD compilations are a great way to listen to them, I've made so many now that when I get an earlier made one, I hear a track that I'd completely forgotten I had! 

I do have a box of special favourites that get a spin on the decks when the mood takes me, usually when I'm at home alone.

 

Edited July 9, 20168 yr by Soul-Slider

Vinyl is for playing, not just for looking at, and whilst taking pride in a fairly decent collection, I make sure I air a section of them on a weekly basis for probably a 3 hour session depending on my shiftwork! I don't get out on a regular basis anymore, but love the music with a passion that will never be surpassed, and without my regular soulful fix, would probably age way beyond my years!......Always on the lookout to refresh the playlist, and will always do so until my number is called....

I listen to my records almost every night & always through headphones.  Tend to keep them in small cases of fifty or so & once I get fed up with one case will swap it for another randomly seleced.  Any new purchases are kept around my hi fi and played repeatedly until they get boxed up.

At the moment i would say that the record players on the record player are slightly ahead.

However as sensible as it should be headphones have always been an anathema to me.Black and proud,Loud and proud.

1 hour ago, TRICKY said:

 

However as sensible as it should be headphones have always been an anathema to me.Black and proud,Loud and proud.

Unfortunately they are a necessity as the rest of the household do not share my passion for playing records into the small hours.

ive got loads of cd,s, two ipods, another three mp3 players and an external hard drive full of tunes, i play music in the car, whilst out walking the dog and whilst Jane is watching CSI or similar, ive got every tune i want and certainly loads i dont really need,

however nothing to me is better than hearing my modest vinyl played on my potable deck (through a modern speaker), just rescued an isleys this old heart album from a charity shop, album is about 50 years old and i,m playing it in 2016, sounds amazing and looks amazing, might think twice about playing some big ticket items though, also this is weird, i dont like mint records, any ive had ive sold ,

just played my al kent acting lately which is cracked, and has been for 15 years !  

couldn't live without playing them, I can go one or two nights but after that I'm chomping at the bit. I alternate between a variety of styles of music, soul, disco, funk. I  usually play an album every, relaxing and reading when work is done, rock, pop, jazz blues. them a session later on the evening with 7's 12's and albums. feel like id be letting the side down if I didn't, its like I have to get a quota in! I also use mixcloud quite a lot nowadays, usually breaks mixes and people like scruff and Muro.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having not had any vinyl for years, having got by with tapes and for the past while t'internet, I've started throwing a few cheapies I didn't know and a few memories together. So rediscovering the pleasure of listening to records is something I'm looking forward to with anticipation. Waiting till I get a few more then I'll be on here searching for advice about decks and connecting to my pc. 

don't have a record player so vinyl out, digital at home, on the phone, in the car, on the pc at work, mp3 player with speaker in bathroom, home made mp3 Cds in the kitchen, in fact anywhere I can't use a record player (if i had one)!!!!!........ simples

heres my last years Xmas present, add an external speaker, sorted

There is something about taking the record out of its sleeve , wiping it over and getting the record on the deck and listening to the opening bars of the track as it kicks in through the head phones (got neighbours)  thats so uplifting for me.  Also playing the other side of the record just to see if the tune is in vogue and getting to play with the Gain /speed sometimes works too. I deliberately do not keep them in any order in their boxes so that when i'm trawling through them its always a surprise as to what record comes next.

I  Guess the whole event is a form of therapy and i find it very satisfying.

For me ,CDs / ipod are for the car.    

My wife prods me to play my soul 45s at home (so we can dance in our socks). Bless her heart, she is not a massive soul fan (more electronica), but she said if i'm going to spend all of our extra money on rare soul records, she better get some enjoyment from them! 

Attached: scene of the crime (those long black boxes are all 45s - the ones with silver edges next to the turntable are for DJ-ing)...and our dog (who insists on getting picked up and held if anyone is dancing).

Edited July 10, 20168 yr by ljblanken

I've only been collecting rare soul in its original 45 format for just over two years... I'm from the CD generation and started collecting as I began to find the whole MP3/digital experience somewhat "empty an soulless". I enjoy the whole concept of placing the vinyl on the platter, placing the needle and listening to the record with its pops and imperfections included. Digital music is great for convenience, and like many I use it on a regular basis, but it's just not the same. A few days ago I had a friend in a panic on the phone as he had lost all his musical because a hard drive decided to stop working... He had sold his entire CD collection.....

During my golden era (wonder years), we ONLY had record turntables (grammofonplatten) (grammophones 78 players), and the early form of reel-to-reel tape recorders, that only wealthy people could afford.  So, playing records on a turntable is very nostalgic for me.  Nevertheless, I take advantage of the convenience of playing digital files (not-to-mention that I am hard-of-hearing in my old age, and can't tell the bloody difference, anyway)! 

Edited July 11, 20168 yr by RobbK

I was wondering if I'm alone in this.  If I want to play 2 particular 45's I will possibly have to play a couple of others in between in order to make them 'fit'.

I know there are some dj's who wont have a clue what I am on about as they only own about a dozen records and still can't put a set together. But, I'm talking about playing at home with no audience. It could be that I'm generally using a mixer and twin decks, so the transition from one track to another is instant and therefore more noticeable. Something tells me though that I'm just being a bit OCD there just has to be a more pleasing sequence than randomness.

Anyone else?

- Kev

I play vinyl at home most days.....

I generally only have enough patience to get maybe 1 minute through any track before wanting to hear another one

....it always starts out as spinning one or two but always ends up as dragging big piles out to play.....

I normally (ha) end up making a set fit in style and content....

:-)

1 hour ago, KevinKent said:

I was wondering if I'm alone in this.  If I want to play 2 particular 45's I will possibly have to play a couple of others in between in order to make them 'fit'.

I know there are some dj's who wont have a clue what I am on about as they only own about a dozen records and still can't put a set together. But, I'm talking about playing at home with no audience. It could be that I'm generally using a mixer and twin decks, so the transition from one track to another is instant and therefore more noticeable. Something tells me though that I'm just being a bit OCD there just has to be a more pleasing sequence than randomness.

Anyone else?

- Kev

You know Kev I do find myself doing something like this even tho I"m just playing them for myself and have absolutely no desire to DJ/ put a spot together.

And to answer the thread question, yes as much as possible  

Cheers Paul

Play them every Saturday night 7.00 till 8.30ish right across the board mainly northern,some crossover,seventies,& a few beat ballads as only me and the wife to please nobody coming up to the decks saying call yourself a dj,lol,?

18 hours ago, KevinKent said:

I was wondering if I'm alone in this.  If I want to play 2 particular 45's I will possibly have to play a couple of others in between in order to make them 'fit'.

I know there are some dj's who wont have a clue what I am on about as they only own about a dozen records and still can't put a set together. But, I'm talking about playing at home with no audience. It could be that I'm generally using a mixer and twin decks, so the transition from one track to another is instant and therefore more noticeable. Something tells me though that I'm just being a bit OCD there just has to be a more pleasing sequence than randomness.

Anyone else?

- Kev

Yes definately, it makes sense for the 'set' to flow for me just as much as when out.  I am mindful that I dont want to risk wear on the rarer/bigger ticket records so I only play them when I am home alone and can play them loud and totally immerse myself in them. Also i have records that i ration myself because i  just dont want to hear them too often - that way they remain a special special treat. also i get the chance to play records that probably wouldn't work where i get asked to dj...

Not one for watching telly, my evenings at home are spent playing records or listening to mixcloud to hear other people's collections.

No dining room is complete without twin decks & a 600W system :-)

 

Edited July 12, 20168 yr by ady of newark

I definitely like playing the 45s. It usually starts with wanting to listen to a single side, but then turns into an hour or more of semi-random plays. I use two turntables with a mixer, which runs out through a recorder... and one thing I always do is hit record before playing the first record. Sometimes it is fun to listen to the set a few weeks later and remember what the thought (or lack of) was behind the various selections. 

Also, it is fun to mix digital copies of the various tunes sometimes, from both a convenience and avoidance of record wear perspective. I have found that many of tracks on the earlier CD compilations were mixed, re-mastered, and/or re-channeled... and sound quite different than the original 45. A lot of times it seems that a low pass filter was used to remove static and hiss, and unfortunately filters also remove key elements of the sound... especially the treble in cymbals and snares. (not to discount the tremendous effort that was put into making some of those amazing earlier compilations!) When I get new (old) records, I have a gentle multi-step process for cleaning, then I record the first play of the A and B sides. With non destructive editing (manual removal of clicks, pre/post track space, and NO FILTERS), I create a digital copy of the 45, so in cases where I want to play or mix, or just have a random selection in the background, the records can remain safely sleeved.

Ultimately, I feel like when I put a record on, I am hearing the actual analog magic that was recorded in the studio many decades ago. Digital certainly has it's advantages, but with the internet much of the music is ubiquitous, and makes playing that obscure or unknown 45 that much more special.

Edited July 12, 20168 yr by WakefieldArchive

just played half a dozen records in a row while poaching eggs  , Always play vinyl at home, do not want to listen to a cleaned up version .life has scratch's  

9 minutes ago, redditchcrew said:

just played half a dozen records in a row while poaching eggs  , Always play vinyl at home, do not want to listen to a cleaned up version .life has scratch's  

I agree w/ the "life has scratches" comment, as sometimes it is the imperfections that make something perfect.  I listen to the raw and cleaned up versions of tracks depending on the mood or situation, or type of speakers used. (the studio monitors are not very forgiving with anything nasty in the high range, but imperfections are much more settled on home speakers) At the end of the day, it's all music to our ears . Enjoying this thread! 

 

Hiya, always playing records at home but more concerned with redditchcrew overcooking his poached eggs. Cheers

22 hours ago, KevinKent said:

I was wondering if I'm alone in this.  If I want to play 2 particular 45's I will possibly have to play a couple of others in between in order to make them 'fit'.

I know there are some dj's who wont have a clue what I am on about as they only own about a dozen records and still can't put a set together. But, I'm talking about playing at home with no audience. It could be that I'm generally using a mixer and twin decks, so the transition from one track to another is instant and therefore more noticeable. Something tells me though that I'm just being a bit OCD there just has to be a more pleasing sequence than randomness.

Anyone else?

- Kev

I do the same Kev lol

1 hour ago, redditchcrew said:

just played half a dozen records in a row while poaching eggs  , Always play vinyl at home, do not want to listen to a cleaned up version .life has scratch's  

If you're playing something of lesser quality do you fry your eggs and pretend all the noise is from the frying pan?

- Kev

2 hours ago, redditchcrew said:

just played half a dozen records in a row while poaching eggs  , Always play vinyl at home, do not want to listen to a cleaned up version .life has scratch's  

Half a dozen in a row ... those eggs must have come out like cannonballs ...

On ‎11‎/‎07‎/‎2016 at 18:29, KevinKent said:

I was wondering if I'm alone in this.  If I want to play 2 particular 45's I will possibly have to play a couple of others in between in order to make them 'fit'.

I know there are some dj's who wont have a clue what I am on about as they only own about a dozen records and still can't put a set together. But, I'm talking about playing at home with no audience. It could be that I'm generally using a mixer and twin decks, so the transition from one track to another is instant and therefore more noticeable. Something tells me though that I'm just being a bit OCD there just has to be a more pleasing sequence than randomness.

Anyone else?

- Kev

I read Frankie knuckles say that its all in the sequence, whatever the musical style, heard so many northern jocks get this wrong over the years, and i'm anal enough to apply it at home too.

One of the joys of playing your records at home with no audience is that the correct sequence is whatever feels right in your own head at that exact moment.

I play records at home regularly. When I'm lazy I'll play them on the small stereo, or I'll pick up a box and walk over to the other room and play them loudly on the big speakers.

Playing them is what I buy them for. I play them for an easily pleased audience of one, two if I include some Aretha for the Mrs. I have a turntable in my living room and a nice set up in my loft / music room which is extra insulated to keep the noise in. I'm never happier than when listening to vinyl up there. I can't understand anyone buying stuff and not playing it.