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LP record A typical LP, showing its center label |
| Media type | Audio playback |
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| Encoding | Analog grooves |
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| Capacity | Typical 22-26 minutes per side;
2 sides |
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| Read mechanism | Stylus |
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| Dimensions | 12 in (30 cm); 10 in (25 cm) |
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| Weight | 90-200 grams |
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| Usage | Audio storage |
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| Extended from | 1948 |
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An LP record (or long-play record) is a type of gramophone record. It is a 33⅓ rpm vinyl disc with little lines called grooves that go around the center. It is generally either 10- or 12-inches in diameter. They are played by a turntable. A turntable spins the record while a lever with a small needle on the bottom. The needle goes in between the little grooves. When this happens, music is played.
The LP record was introduced by Colombia Records in 1948. It then became the new way the music industry released recordings. In the 1960s, cassettes were introduced. This was a cheaper way to record music and not hear the noise that came from the LP record. However, the LP record continued to be more popular until the 1970s when the compact disc was introduced.
The long-playing record is an analog recording format. The digital recording of sound was only made practical by the technical advances in microprocessors and computing which occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. LP's sound quality, it contains more distortion than many other modern music formats.
