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Do Records Have One Song? How Much Can They Hold?

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If you are getting into record collecting or have heard about records but don’t know a lot about them, then this article is for you. 

Records were the most popular music storage medium of the last century. In recent years they have been becoming popular again so people are trying to learn more about them. 

Do records have more than one song? Records can hold up to 40 minutes of music. The number of songs that a record can hold depends on the length of those songs. Records can definitely hold more than one song per record. 

For starters, a 12 inch record at 33 RPM can hold about 40 minutes of music, just like a CD. Which will be about 2400 seconds there about at 16bits*44000 samples per second * 2 channels will be about 420 megabytes. Considering the fact that vinyl records are analog and not built like CDs. 

When put at 33 rpm, a record holds around 22 minutes of music on each side. For those records that are designed to play at 45 rpm, they hold approximately 15 minutes of music per side.

Tentatively, a vinyl record can hold about 45 minutes of music but just know that what you’d get would have poor sound quality. So for most people the max that they would put on a record is around 40 minutes. 

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Why Are Records Different in RPM And Sizes?

Vinyl records come in various sizes and this is due to the music that’s put on it. A 7 inch single contains less songs and is less expensive, compared to a full length album that’s more expensive and contains more songs. 

However, putting less songs on a larger size record will maximize the sound quality and this is why most singles designed for DJ’s are pressed on a 10-12 inch record to allow for extended mixes and also allow for better sound quality.

How do I Decide The Length Of Each Side of The Record?

There are some steps as to how many songs a record can hold. However, it’s quite important that you take note of the length of each side of the record. 

Is your music limited or compressed?

Compression and limiting maximizes the average level and minimizes the peak level. There are several reasons to do this and that’s mainly because of trying to get the proper mixing. Extra limiting maximizes the average which means the cutting level should be minimized.

Do the sides have good materials?

If there are soft sections whereby you can protect space on the disk, then you can make the sounds very loud. Which means the more dynamic your range is, the better and louder the sound, and the quieter the soft sounds.

Consider the overall bass impression of the record side

In a full bass recording, the record grooves would be deeper and wider. Although, there is good and bad bass that the record could have. Take note of the bass each side of the record mix has.

Why should I buy a record?

Records hold their value much better than CDs and they also have better sound quality.  Records allow you to not only listen to modern music but they also let you listen to the oldies and the classics that will bring back memories from years gone by.

There is nothing quite like taking a record out of its sleeve and placing it on a record player. When you hear the record player crackle to life and see the arm move towards the record it truly is a unique experience. 

Is buying records really worth it?

Buying records is currently the only form of media that provides a decent return on investment. Many people even buy and sell records to make a profit! Try doing that with CDs or music that you are streaming. 

Vinyl records, whether new or old, hold some value and provided that your collection is in good condition, there will almost always be a demand for them. If you have an emergency and you have to sell them you can often get a decent return on the amount you spent assuming that you didn’t buy everything new or at collector’s pricing. 

Buying vinyls shouldn’t necessarily be done with the mindset of reselling (unless you want to do that as a business)  but it is good to know that you can resell them in the future if the need arises for at least a good chunk of what you spent on them. 

If you are interested in buying records and then reselling them for a profit you should definitely watch the video below. 

Why do People Appreciate the Sound of Vinyl?

Vinyl records are the music medium of choice for many people because of the sound quality. Of course the sounds that come from a record (such as the pop or crackling) have a lot of memories tied to them but most experts agree that the sound quality that records produce is far better than the digital records of today. 

That is mainly because records are analog music while CDs and other newer technology is digital. The digital music just doesn’t have as fresh of sounds and the warmth that analog music has.

What do I need to know about Stylus and Cartridges?

More often than not, most turntables come with the stylus and cartridges sold together. Some of the more expensive record players will sell those things separately so be sure and know what you are buying before you make the purchase. 

Unless you are a DJ or an audiophile then you shouldn’t worry about which type of stylus or cartridge you have as for most people the sound quality will be “good enough”. If you want to get the best sound quality possible from your player then upgrading the stylus and cartridge is a good place to start.  

The stylus (needle) and cartridge will usually get damaged over time and you will have to replace them at some point. Many people use that as an opportunity to upgrade to a better quality part. 

What is a tonearm?

A tonearm is a rod that holds the cartridge and stylus over the record. It is important to playback because it is responsible for controlling the tracking pressure on the stylus as it reads the record’s grooves. Some turntables come with adjustable counterweight so you can control this pressure and adjust it to get the sound quality as good as possible. 

Is thickness important in vinyl records?

Records released by independent labels are usually properly made and produce great sounds even on a cheap stereo system. A 180 gram vinyl is great for any vinyl enthusiast. A thicker and heavier vinyl will depreciate slower than a thinner record and a thicker record will have a longer life span. The truth is, every record slightly degrades each time you play it.

What’s the best way to store a vinyl record?

The best way to store a record should be by putting it in a cool place and standing it up vertically. Placing records on top of one another will cause warping which damages the records. 

A warped record will never produce a good sound. A record is said to be warped if it flexes or becomes out of shape. A little warped record can still be played but if severely warped, it can’t be played until it is properly repaired and even then it still might not play. 

If you want a thorough explanation of how to best store records then watch the video below. 

Conclusion

Almost every record that you come across will have more than one song on it. All traditional records that were produced would normally have an entire album of songs on it. 

Since most records hold approximately 40 minutes of songs it would take an incredibly long song to fill up an entire record! 

Some record companies put one song on each record to make that song as high quality as possible but that happens very rarely.