National vinyl record day

By Staff, 08/12/17 7:43 AM

NATIONAL VINYL RECORD DAY

The Beatles, Elvis Presley, The Monkees.  Does the mention of these musicians make you picture a round black record?  A vinyl record? The vintage vinyl is almost as much of a classic as the bands themselves.

These vinyl records are commemorated annually on August 12.  Vinyl records are also known as a gramophone record, phonograph record or a record.  It is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc which has an inscribed, modulated spiral groove.

Juke Box at Wax Trax Records in Las Vegas loaded with 45s.

Vinyl records are referred to based on rotational speed  The RPM’s, or revolutions per minute of the more popular vinyls are:

• 45s
• 33 1/3
• 78s

Other features of vinyl records included reproductive accuracy or “fidelity” (High Fidelity or Hi-Fi, Orthophonic and Full-Range), their time capacity (long playing or single), and the number of channels of audio provided (mono, stereo or quadraphonic).

Vinyl records were also sold in different sizes such as:

• 12 inch
• 10 inch
• 7 inch

Vinyl records left the mainstream in 1991.  They continued to be manufactured and have started to become increasingly popular with collectors and audiophiles.

Rich Rosen, owner of Wax Trax Records in Las Vegas, has 45 years experience in the vinyl record industry.

HOW TO OBSERVE

National Vinyl Record Day is a good time to reminisce about the “Good Ole Days”.  Stop by a vinyl record store in your town.   Use #VinylRecordDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

Gary Freiberg of Los Osos, California founded National Vinyl Record Day (commemorating the day Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877) as a reminder of fond memories and the good things in life, especially vinyl records.