Roots Archives Forum

This question prompted by Lion, who is struggling to find a record to answer another thread I started earlier.
here:

http://www.roots-archives.com/forum/read.php?2,34306

I wondered how do you catalogue you vinyl collection?

I have my 12 inch 45s all arranged by label, and then I try to have them in number order, ie: VOL 001, VOL002 etc. This helps me to find stuff reasonably quickly -- but only as long as I can remember what label the song is on!

So far I have kept my LPs filed alphabetically under the artists name. This order has started to break down a bit lately as sometimes it is hard to know who to attribute a certain LP to. Especially dub LPs. How to order these? By Producer? By Band? By label?

I'm about to embark on a major re-jigging of the way I keep these LPs so any suggestions are most welcome.

Oke Leggo here we go.

1 producers = coxsone/Duke/Perry/Gibbs etc.
2 mento/ska/ abc
3 dub = producers/abc
4 artist = abc
5 v/a = abc

the same way 7"/10"/12"/cd's/etc


the same thing with african music/latin/jazz.

Lion

(I think a friend of my have the album Cornell Campbell)

Lion wrote:Oke Leggo here we go.

1 producers = coxsone/Duke/Perry/Gibbs etc.
2 mento/ska/ abc
3 dub = producers/abc
4 artist = abc
5 v/a = abc

the same way 7"/10"/12"/cd's/etc

the same thing with african music/latin/jazz.

Lion

Thanks, good suggestions. I already have the various artists box for compilation LPs. And I've split off 'old skool reggae' and ska / rocksteady from the reggae.

But I am now thinking of going a step further and dividing the artists section into DJ / Vocal / Deep Roots ect as it is also getting out of hand.

I have already sub divided out the Wackies LPs, and well represented artists (20 or more LPs by one artists like Minott or Isaacs etc) into separate boxes.

I agree with the suggestion for dividing DUB by producer, it seems the only way. Although I did start to do this division by who mixed down the LP but this ran aground when more than one man was at the controls.

Lion wrote: (I think a friend of my have the album Cornell Campbell)

OUCH!!

1. Studio One crate(all studio one LP/12"
2. 7 inch crate ( strictly killer 7''s)
3. 80s & 90s crate ( all LP/12 )
4. 70s roots crate ( LP/12 )

probably will change one day, but thats how it is now...

Good topic. I just bought an external hard drive last night for the purpose of backing up all of my LPs/CDs/MP3s. I was thinking about the different ways I can keep it all in order, the different folders, etc. I will stayed tuned to this thread for more ideas... it may be quite challenging to create the perfect system.

BC

I forget to mention on abc and YEAR.

Lion

DJ/Toaster = abc
DJ Compilations = chronological
Dub/Instrumental = abc (artists/producers)
Vocals (Rockers & Lovers) = abc
Augustus Pablo compilations/various = chronologically
Lee Perry (all produced by including compilations) = chronologically
Various/Compilations = chronological
Wackies 12"/10" = abc
other 12" = abc
other 10" = abc
Studio One 7" = abc
other 7" = abc

I have my records in this order for over 25 years now and i must admit that I have got used to it. I find a record/a track within seconds
I have tried to change in the past, like labels (Studio One, Wackies) and/or producers, or special artists of which I have large amounts but I always came back to the order above.

Yes Lion, I use ABC / Year / Catalogue Number

For 12s I use ABC by label / Catalogue number

I also mainly use crates, rather than shelving, as I don't like to have to slide a record out to check it (shelved vinyl should be packed fairly tight to stop warping). Flipping through them like in a record store is so much easier. But now the crates have eaten up every inch of floor space so I am trying to work out how to combine the convenience of flipping through stuff in crates with teh need to get them up off the floor to make space. SO maybe big shelves that can hold the crates. But that's another topic!

@ Ranking BC - keeping them organised as MP3 is a bit easier as you can do searches. With a few thousand vinyls searches can take some time if things are not all sweetly organised!

This is great...love to see true collectors at work.

LP's/12"s = abc by artist, then chronological if I have multiple by same artist.

7"s = abc by label. (This tends to be tuff when trying to pull a certain artist/really need to know your wax.)

CD's = abc by artist, then chronological if I have multiple by same artist.

Cassettes = abc by artist, then chronological if I have multiple by same artist.

MP3's/LP's = abc by artist.
MP3's/singles = abc by label and/or artist.
(I try and date everything and also add cover art/label scans to all my folders)