My method of organizing 3,000 jazz records, but can I actually find anything?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 28 чер 2024
- Everyone has their own method to the madness of organizing a large vinyl collection. I'll be the first to admit my strategy doesn't make sense, but here it is. My collection consists of 44 IKEA Kallax & Expedit cubes of 12" and 10" records, plus stuff that is piling up on the floor, plus around 300-400 45rpm singles. Check it out for how I decide what goes where.
My audio equipment video: • Vinyl Collectors vs. A...
00:00 - Introduction
04:17 - the Impulse section
07:07 - the Blue Note section
13:03 - the Prestige / New Jazz section
17:41 - the Columbia section plus a mess
20:18 - the Tone Poets and other modern pressings
22:57 - the books and ephemera
24:14 - the 10" section
26:29 - Japanese Jazz, CTI, Black Jazz
28:52 - Atlantic, a mess, and Argo & Cadet Records, Savoy, United Artists, Pacific Jazz, Transition, Vee Jay, Candid, EmArcy
30:25 - Contemporary Records, Riverside, Christmas music & a tiny bit of non jazz
32:23 - Mainstream, Verve, Bethlehem, Muse
33:33 - Strata East
34:13 - the 45rpm stuff
35:15 - Closing Thoughts
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you're new to my channel, what you can expect from me is a vinyl collector's approach to the jazz genre. For years, I've only collected vintage pressings and prioritized originals of Blue Note, Prestige, Savoy, Bethlehem, Riverside, New Jazz, and more classic labels. Lately, with the resurgence of the medium and more collectors coming to the space, the music industry has taken notice and prioritized putting out high quality reissues of some of the best albums ever recorded. Subscribe to my channel to watch me navigate how to rationalize how I used to buy vs. how I buy vinyl records today.
#jazz #jazzmusic #jazzvinyl #jazzcollector #jazzcollection #vinylcommunity #vinylcollector #vinylcollection #recordcollection #recordstorage #vinylstorage #audioroom #audiophile #listeningroom #hifi #hifiroom
On the wall above my main turntable (a Music Hall Classic with a Hana EL MC cartridge, playing through a Cambridge Audio phono amp via various vintage '60s and '70s amps and receivers, including a McIntosh C28/MC 2505 combo similar to yours) I have a framed New Yorker cartoon with a guy showing off his collection to a guest: "The two things that really drew me to vinyl were the expense and the inconvenience."
Thanks for the tour! I thoroughly enjoyed this. My CDs are less organized than your (or my) LPs. I have what look like the same kinds of LP shelves that you have, 40+ "cubes" in which records are organized by artist (last name, first name) and year of release -- except for classical, which is by composer and alphabetically by format (concertos, quartets, symphonies, trios...). In most but not all cases, a musician's label affiliations are also roughly chronological -- though until he signed with Atlantic, Sonny Rollins was recording simultaneously for a bunch of labels. So, I would file the Ella & Louis Verve records like yours under Fitzgerald -- only because they list her name first on the label/spine -- but sometimes I have to make arbitrary calls based on my own guess of how I will best remember where I put them. So Bags & Trane goes under Coltrane and Jimmy & Wes goes under Montgomery. I can't defend it, that's just my own hunch-based "system." (BTW, down in your Columbia section you forgot to mention Mingus!) Thanks again...
Not sure if this was an overview or a cry for help. I am in the same boat and the “messy desk” analogy went through my mind through the whole video. Some great info and appreciate you taking us through the collection!
Haha probably both of those
As someone staring down the barrel of a collection re-sort due to lack of space, I found this video rather comforting. Floor piles here we come!!
Yea it makes small listening spaces even smaller unfortunately
I like your setup. It doesn’t matter how you organize as long as you can find the record you want. When you do that you can sit back and let it play. Enjoyed the video. Merry Christmas
WCBD - don’t worry you are not alone!
Large labels - I really think alpha by label for larger labels makes sense (Blue Note, Impulse, Verve, Riverside, Bethlehem, Argo/Cadet, etc)
same for midsized (say 15 or more - Xanadu, Cobblestone, Pablo, etc)
Also for sister labels I organize as one (Emarcy/Mercury, Argo/Cadet, etc.) and don’t differentiate
For miscellaneous (Time, Intro, Charlie Parker, United Artists, etc) I organize by decade (1950s, 1960s and the 1970s after)
I also organize live reissues in its own section (Resonance, Elemental, Reel to Real, MPS live, Gearbox, etc.)
I also create signage for each label and imprint using the logo cut into a word doc, then printed out and put into a plastic shelf label I bought off of Amazon [2 x 3 inches]
My last comment is don’t be afraid to mix Blue Notes - it’s ok to put an OG by a newbie reissue
Love your show and I am proudly subscribed - thanks for sharing and keep it up!
It was great to hear your method and your thoughts on organization.
I organize by artist and then chronologically because I feel I am a music lover first and a collector second. When I'm looking for music to listen to, I think of artists and albums - so it makes sense to me to organize records in the same way.
However, the downsides of organizing by artist are 1) You do a lot of cognitive work when you add new titles in to correctly alphabetize and chronologically organize them, 2) When you get a record out to play and then need to put it back, you are doing that cognitive work again as you try to remember the chronological order of albums in an artist's section, and 3) You run into issues with duos and trios (e.g. Does "Bags & Trane" go under Coltrane or Jackson?).
A collector I know recently pointed out: "They already have a built-in organization system: Label and Catalog Number". So there is certainly a beauty and simplicity in that method. I'd recommend you trust yourself and organize them however it instinctively makes sense to you.
Hi Chris. You know John Peel used to classify his records by year. Which makes a lot of sense to me. Cheers. Enjoy your videos.
My rule is that once I get to own over ten titles on a label, I put them in sequence order and have an alphabetised section for the remainder. So far that's just Blue Note and Impulse but I believe I have just added my tenth Prestige so that will soon change.
Have you ever seen "High Fidelity" ?? - "How are you organizing your records???...... AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL - I can go from Deep Purple to Howlin' Wolf in just 25 moves....." Seriously though - I fell off my chair when you showed that Blue Note section - LOVE your collection!
Love that movie, but I could never organize my collection in that way lol!
I watched this with the hope of coming up with a better way to shelf my collection but you let me down (haha) . Crazy video!
Haha my apologies, there really isn’t a good way to go about it I guess
Just subscribed to your channel,love jazz music!
This video was rather most enjoyable, in the most nerdy record collector way ever! And yes your organization /system makes perfect sense to me… label and cat # always! Except for major artists like Miles and Trane that deserve their own artist sections. Awesome Chris ! TP
Haha thanks, so I’m not crazy then
I can that you original plan would work on a small scale but collections out grow the plan. I can also appreciate that a redo of your filing system is now a huge mountain to climb. My listening space is smaller than yours but as long as my chaos doesn't overflow into the rest of the house my wife turns a blind eye.
Yea same here. I started taking over a hall closet records I intended to sell (but instead they just sat there. Well, up until earlier this year when I sold all of them - about 350 or so - to a single buyer after getting pressure to clean the closet out
Incredible. I could see it being organized alphabetically by label and then by catalog number.
Wow, great collection! Would be great to hang out sometime and grab something at random off the shelf - I would definitely discover something new! Maybe that could be a new video series for you. Grab the camera, grab a random record, play it, talk about it, etc. I know you'd probably get dinged but maybe a quick clip or link to the official youtube video.
That’s a good idea, I like it!
You should get some polypropylene sleeves. They are crystal clear. They will make any album look beautiful. They also slide in and out of your shelf with ease.
That’s a wonderful collection, well done. I have similar challenges and ongoing conundrums. I’d say you are very organised given the number of records involved. Thanks for sharing.
This was quite an adventure to watch. I sort everything alphabetically by artist then chronologically within that catalog. I was collecting records for years before I got heavy into jazz so I carried over the same organization method I was used to. Given how many originals you have it does make sense to have them all in order like that by label & catalog number. But for me it gets overwhelming to decide if Tone Poets, etc get mixed in and then where do the "found" sessions go since they were released decades after recording? Plus it drives me nuts to not have all of one artist together because their catalog is spread across several record labels. I tend to alphabetize everything, even outside of records, so that's what works best for me.
That’s the hardest part for sure. Having Mingus in Columbia, Atlantic, impulse plus random Mingus in the miscellaneous area
Great video! I think your organization method is aesthetically pleasing for display and the historical walk down each label is really cool. For listening I'm sure it's a pain to find things by memory, but with discogs or whatever cataloging database you use a quick search would give you an idea of where it will be on the shelves. You sir have an immaculate collection.. I know I can't be the only one drooling lol. Keep up the great content!
Thank you!
Great video! Subscribed!
incredible.
I have a similar organization. I separate audiophile records by label (acoustic sounds prestige, impulse, music matters, Sam records, and tone poets by alphabetical order) from older used records (also by alphabetical order). I randomly throw in classic blue note series into the second batch of used records. I then separate out all expensive, more collectible records and sort those alphabetically). Obviously, I know where all my stuff is but ultimately using alphabetical order allows me to find things fairly quickly. Also, if there is a fire in my home, I know which 4 bins to grab on my way out haha. I was thinking about organizing solely by label but I think after watching this video, alphabetical order may make the most sense. Thanks for sharing.
I actually also separate out some of the more collectible but only a dozen or so. Neglected to cover that but I just have them in a separate container in case I need to grab it quick and run!
Great channel! You have a new sub from Spain.
Organising by catalogue number makes PERFECT sense.
I also organize by catalog number. Depending on the labels in the collection, this makes a lot of sense. For me personally, this method began to shape the collection, influencing what records I buy as the number of albums began to get larger, i basically needed some criteria to limit the scope. One can't (or shouldn't) try to have everything, a good collection has a focus, for me that's certain labels.
Yea I agree and I like the label focus. I tend to gravitate toward a particular type of sound too, so the personality of engineers and producers starts to come through in the music a bit
I had my blue note records by catalog, when i moved to a new house this summer I switched to sorting the blue note alphabetically It was just more of a pain to find them in chronological order, the tone poets i have separate from originals as well. I have some other labels sorted out from the rest, have a couple cubes of CTI records and half a cube or so of ECM, would still like to figure out a good organization for the rest of my jazz section of collection, always an ongoing thing lol.
Great video. Lots of us are struggling with organization or finding room for new stuff. My floor should not be a long term storage solution, but it somehow is. Also, it would be cool to learn more about collecting Blue Note 45s. Maybe a future video?
I, for one, could not survive like this! Especially, if I had 3000 LPs!! I have about a third of that and I keep everything alphabetized by artist (first name, BTW, like the music industry and Discogs does), though, I do have my Jazz separated from everything else. If I had your collection I could see separating the new releases/re-issues from the originals because that's the nature of your collection. But I think I would still need to organize alphabetically. I started using Discogs a while back so the effort to get everything I own in there hasn't been major. But it's a lifesaver for me because I can't always remember what I have/don't have when I'm out digging. Great collection! Thanks for sharing!
I sort of do it that way. All my Columbia, Capitol, Reprise, Verve, MGM, Electra, Warner Brothers records are together. Also do some of them by genre'. Jazz and country. All my imports are together. Also my double albums are linked together. It works for me, I know where everything is!!! 😊
Just found out the channel as recommended and love it! Very informative and entertaining. Keep up the great work, as I catch up with all the rest of the videos.
Ah, yes! My OCD doesn't allow me to skip mentioning that your first kallax (2x2, with Impulse titles) is upside down. It should be positioned as the last one in the same row. 😅
How do you mean? The top piece of the 2x2 is the exact same as the bottom
I think the middle piece/shelf that stands vertically in your case should be positioned to be horizontal, as it evens out the wight pressure from records better. Your other 2x2 is positioned that way…
Anyway, as I said it’s just my OCD and fear that kallax might collapse (as seen on many photos on the internet). Probably never happens with 2x2 ones
Ha! Great video. I’m in a similar boat although you’re probably in better shape than me! Great collection btw. If you haven’t already you check out the Cross Cross label. About 40 LPs in their catalog until they transitioned to CD. Great under-the-rador, accessible and economical stuff to collect. The covers will grow on you! Really enjoy your take on things! Thx for the vids!
I’ll check that label out, thanks for the tip!
This is great it shows the struggle I have with record organization
Your collection is absolutely incredible!!! Mine is even more difficult to organize because of all of the genre of music. I have rock, reggie, r&b, hip hop jazz, progressive rock and yes, I'm a completest as well. For an example, I have all of John and Alice Coltrane's albums. I have all of their son Ravi Coltrane's CDs', Ravi is amazing by the way. My cd collection OH MY, have thousands, literally thousands because as you know everything on cd, never made it to vinyl and everything on vinyl never made it to cd.
So, I can't talk about you at all, I'm still trying to figure out my way. I have a question for you, there is an artist from the 70's and he was Sunra's drummer, Larry Bright, and he has an album called Solar Visions, he died in 2003. This album from start to finish is an amazing collection of jazz fusion. If you don't have this, please listen to it on UA-cam.
I'm currently on the hunt for this super, super, super rare album, it is captivating from start to finish. I'm more entertained by your record stuff than the audiophile stuff, but I like them both. Thank you for the record store day tips as I got them all and I read through the comments about the Enrique Saracho-En El Medino, and I will be picking that up tomorrow. You have an incredible channel, keep it up!!!
Do a video showing all of your Contemporary records.
Love this idea! Keep an eye out after the holidays and I’ll try and put a video together
Thanks for your lovely videos.
The method I use is according to different jazz genres ( avantgarde, blues, fusion etc) and then instrumentally ( if the lead artist is a pianist, under piano) and then alphabetically 😂😂😂
It’s a mess though, but it works for me
As long as it works. The more I’ve heard from others, the more I think we are all dealing with messes and it isn’t just me
Fantastic collection. I think if you have a small collection (like I have currently) then filing by artist in alphabetical order is probably a good way to file. Once you get to about 1500+ I would have thought by label and groups of labels would be the best way and I would be mirroring this in my file set-up on Discogs which becomes an easy reference point and gives you a pretty good idea what cube/shelf space you can allocate to each category.
I listen to different genres and they're all in alphabetic order with dividers be they records, CD's or 45's. So I will have all the Browns, the Jacksons, the Smiths are together in their respective sections. If I have and artist with the last name Hutch, they will go next to the artist named Hutcherson. The Three Sounds, The Three Souls, The Three Degrees are all next to each other. This works best for me, I'm getting old and ain't got time looking for shyt!! Oh and someone with a messy next is either a pack rat or a hoarder DON'T BE FOOLED!
I was thinking of changing to the "organize by label" system, except alphabetically by artist. It's just such a big task to re-organize when you have a lot of albums. I guess I'll have to do it over the course of several days to make it easier. But if this is the only current problem in our lives, we're doing pretty good!
haha yes! I love having this problem honestly. Wait, I have to spend more time with my vinyl? Such a shame.
I developed my system as a kid. I had a few hundred albums in my teens and I have about 4000 now. I find that I often pick out a type of music I'm in the mood for and then I go to that section and choose a specific artist and narrow it down to an album. If I start with a song or album in mind I just go right to that artist and grab the record. Here's how it works. I order them by type of music and in chronological order. I have a Jazz section and I go by type of instrument,. Artist catalogs are shelved to together and the albums are displayed in order of release. Miles is in the Trumpet section naturally. I also have Sax, Drums, Keys, Bass etc. With Rock I go by types of Rock, Metal, Punk, Prog. Etc. and artists are in order of appearance and albums in order of release once again. Jazz has a session leader but most music does not, so with other types if music I fo by genre not instrument. Works fantastically and I can quickly find any record. Works for guests as well because I can direct them to the section of interest to them and they can see it all laid out in the historic order of their favorite music. I highly recommend this system. It has worked very well even with a ton of records
I love this method. It's both personal as well as practical.
well, it makes sense to you. We all probably have unique way of organizing that prob doesn't match up to a library. Thanks for the tour. I do not alphabatize all my records. I have them in categories based on my faves, and then some is just a jumble
The strategy worked for so long until the volume of records just became too much. Having one cube of random label stuff makes more sense than 6 of them. But yea, whatever works for the individual is what makes the most sense
Once Ikea restocks the kallax in my area, I plan on adding another and reorganizing my vinyl as well. Thinking of grouping by series mainly so the spines are consistent (Tone Poet, AP Verve, MFSL etc). Box Sets will group nicely and then the rest alphabetically by artist. Also thinking of ditching the baggie outer plastic sleeves from AP and MFSL..They just get in the way and look messy.
Hey… I really appreciate all of your videos. I find them very interesting and fun to watch. My dad was a tenor player, so I have a small collection of original jazz records (400 or so) that I have inherited and built up around his. I also tend to arrange by label and catalog number, but I guess thats the archivist in me. Anyway, looking at your amazing collection I was wonder your thoughts on the question of mono vs stereo when deciding on editions of Blue Note (etc..)?
Thanks! As far as mono vs stereo, I find Blue Note to be more enjoyable in stereo starting from the early 60s onward (like 1962 or so). For Prestige, the stereo quality of the physical vinyl was quite poor so I don’t buy that label in stereo until the blue trident label era. It really depends overall though. If it’s a piano trio, I may seek out mono regardless. I don’t always have the luxury or patience for seeking out one vs the other however so my collection includes plenty of both
Beautiful jazz collection!! It was a bit confusing to me, cause I alphabetically go by name. As long as it makes to you, that’s all that matters!
BTW, love your cubes. May I ask, where did you purchase? Thanks for the tour & sharing!!
Thanks. The cubes are just IKEA Kallax / Expedit units. I should just sort alphabetically, it would make things much easier
very cool,bethlehem 10 inch albums, i hardly ever find anything on Bethlehem in central wyoming.
Nice video! I have a mixed approach to my collection. For my jazz records I have them by lable and by catalog number. Originals and reissues are mixed because I like seeing how the music evolves across the various labels and series (i.e. 1500, 4000, etc.). Then my fusion, funk, blues, soul, R&B, and classic rock are by artist. Then my general prog/psych/punk/new wave etc. is by year (1965-to current stuff). Again, I like seeing how music evloves across the decades. John Peel's collection was by year, by release date across all generes! It's all crazy, but whatever works for us, right!?
I agree about tracking the progression of music, both because it gives you a window into a specific year, but also you get the sense of musical influence from one album to the next across musicians - because you know they were listening to each other's stuff.
Great collection I have similar quantities. A few observations shelves are a bit tight. Two fingers for safe avoiding too much pressure. I would recommend back support across each unit 1/4 inch Oak plywood. You have a great collection as long as you understand your system that's all that counts
fair point on how tight the shelves are. I really need to sell a few hundred albums to free up some space as I can't really fit any more shelves in here. Regarding back support, I do have large sheets of plywood screwed into the back of the upright units to provide some extra stability, but i like the idea of the 1/4" strips to provide a more uniform appearance from the front
@@jazzvinylcollector
I use plywood across the back glued and nailed. Also use pipe foam (Lowe's) cut to each cube protects when you insert the album. You have a very rare collection of first pressing the foam insert protects the lp cover.
I have everything alphabetically by genre, kind of - jazz, soul/blues, soundtracks, Christmas music, and then rock/country/ambient is together. With box sets mostly separate. I do have my Pablo Records separated because I ran out of space in my jazz section. And it’s not all together because I don’t have a listening room. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Wow, do like watching your videos, but not normally so slapstick lol, I think you were talking to yourself at some points ☺️ I would have a field day sorting that amazing collection out. I have my collection in cubes that I have made bespoke and in different colours. I want mine to be accessible for playing quickly so I file by artiste. But hey ho were all different
I do the exact same thing!!
Have you re-enforced your shelves. There’s only short dowels holding the horizontal shelves, you have the load bearing ones set vertically. There’s a lot of weight there, would hate for that lot to give way!!!
For the 2x4 units standing vertically, I have reinforced the backs with mdf. For the ones laid horizontally with equipment and such on top, I have not added any reinforcement. I'm worried about it all, but I also haven't seen many examples where they have given way. There is one example that people keep sending around as a horror story, but I've seen people stack records even in the 5x5 box format without reinforcement and it hasn't been an issue.
Just watched this video and now I’m curious. Did you make any changes to your organization system yet?
i haven't, but i'm really close to just redoing it all and sticking to alphabetical.... except for Blue Note...
I originally had all my Jazz reissues in alphabetical order then I did them by label. My vocal reissues were done in the same way. I will probably go back to reorganizing alphabetically so I can find them.🤔 I will place my originals at the back of each section🤔
My system is a mess. They are in two rooms which makes it worse. I'm slowly improving. I have some of every genre which makes it harder.
Why do they put the record besides the cover and not IN IT?
It puts less wear and stress on the jacket.@@leonardoiglesias2394
Three thousand! I don't know how many LPs I have. I'd say roughly 700. Mine are alphabetized by artist. I never thought of organizing any other way. My DVDs and Blu-rays aren't organized at all, except the Blu-rays are separate. I'm almost afraid to try organizing them. I would think your organization method requires more work than simple alphabetizing; but then there may be other advantages I'm not aware of.
Jazz critic Gary Giddins once told the story of how Gerry Mulligan used to organise his large collection. It was alphabetical but not by what it said on the LP‘s label. He would sort by whoever he thought made the strongest impression on the album. That means an album could be sorted by any of its sidemen, if Mulligan felt that he did a better job than the leader. 😂
that would require quite the encyclopedic knowledge of sessions to know where to find what. Very impressive
Do you collect any other genre other than Jazz? I love collecting jazz vinyl and CD and have some other genres but I am thinking of collecting mostly jazz. It's a stunning collection you have.
Thank you! So I really don’t collect other genres, but I do listen to all kinds of music. I think I have 46 or so “cubes” of vinyl and just one of them is non jazz
@@jazzvinylcollector Great. What made you so interested in Jazz, just to collect it exclusively?
@@cameronleehorace I played jazz starting in early high school, played throughout college, was in a Latin jazz band after college - so that’s part of it. My uncle collects jazz on vinyl as well, and he introduced me to the medium. Otherwise I personally think instrumental music is particularly conducive to sounding great on vinyl. Lastly, I just have a collecting mentality. I’ve always had a passion and gone deep with it since I was a little kid with baseball cards.
Not to sound critical, but I’m surprised that you don’t have a better sound system. If you heard those same recordings through my Martin Logan’s driven by tube amps you’d truly think you’d were listening to a live event. You truly should invest to a better system rather than bookshelf speakers.
Why dont they use the original sleeves? Why dont they put a good sleeve IN the cover and not besides?
❤well at least you do not have piles and piles of records sitting on the floor like I do😢
If you did have a flood, you'd get about 4-5 inches of water and then things would start floating and emptying out. Not fun!
If it makes sense to you it makes sense e
I have absolutely no organization. Not by artist or label or anything. Titles from the same artist in different cubes even😂.
I love/hate it. Hate when I want to find something specific, but love that it makes me pull stuff I probably wouldn’t otherwise.
What did I just watch? Why would you do this to me?🤣
Haha
this comment has nothing to with jazz but it is a music related comment,i collect 45 records that made the billboard hot 100 from the late 50's and early 60s and instead of alphabetical order by artist,i put them in chronological order from what date they hit the top 40. don't know why i did that but did it that way,LOL.
I actually love that, and fits the billboard list well i think. The idea of tracking the top music over a period of time and seeing how it progresses
If all those blue notes are original you must be a millionaire 🤣
Word of WARNING: Friend has same kimd of set-up as you stand wise: It's to close to the floor{ Friend had a Flood while @ work,when he got home botton of albums where ruined,I'm talking close to 500 or more album cover soaked & buckled he has over 6000 albums and helped put foot shim under shelving,not a fun job I would recommend same thing to you raise bottom at least 1 ft. SHIT HAPPENS then it;s to late
Got to be honest that was rough to watch.
#Alpha.By.Artist
watch? try living with this mess!
Great video Chris and lovely to see you go through your collection. I haven’t got any problems organizing cause I just don’t have the amount of records you have, yet anyway. 😊 I tend to organize my records by label, but I know I need to go through them cause I know some are not where they are supposed to be.