Ddistributing Songs

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losthighway
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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by losthighway » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:47 pm

winky dinglehoffer wrote:
Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:05 pm
But it's interesting that certain terms transfer more readily even as others seem arbitrarily to get attached to a particular medium--why is "album," which may date back to the 78 era, more transferable than "record?" Why has "EP" transferred more readily than "LP?" And yeah, it doesn't matter, but I try not to let that stop me.
Without having noticed it, many of my friends and I have tended to say 'full length'. But we also say record a lot.

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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by Scodiddly » Tue Mar 16, 2021 6:29 pm

An "album" generally refers to a collection of things stuck together, so it makes sense that it's still the best way to describe a set of songs meant to be heard together and in order.

I do still generally listen to albums, though much like the vinyl days I might only listen to one "side" instead of the whole thing.

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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by winky dinglehoffer » Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:22 pm

Scodiddly wrote:
Tue Mar 16, 2021 6:29 pm
An "album" generally refers to a collection of things stuck together,
Samuel Johnson defined it as "a book in which foreigners have long been accustomed to insert autographs of celebrated people," which expanded to include souvenirs (& eventually photographs.)
In Latin "album" means "white color" or "whiteness;" thus, the Beatles' White Album could be called the White Whiteness. Or something.

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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by vvv » Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:33 pm

On my bandcamp, I list 5 song collections as "e.p." to facilitate counting how many songs.

A "mini e.p." is 3 songs.

Unlabeled is about 10 songs.
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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by markjazzbassist » Wed Mar 17, 2021 5:40 am

i didn't realize record wasn't medium specific. i thought it was a "vinyl record". being specific to that. if it isn't, i will continue to use record and album for what i listen to (vinyl, cassette).

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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Wed Mar 17, 2021 8:43 am

winky dinglehoffer wrote:
Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:05 pm
And yeah, it doesn't matter, but I try not to let that stop me.
:D

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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by floid » Fri Mar 19, 2021 8:48 am

The other day I had a conversation about the new batch of songs Danny Elfman has been releasing, and my friend said it was pretty smart to do them one at a time to maximize listens/views/interaction.
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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by losthighway » Fri Mar 19, 2021 6:35 pm

floid wrote:
Fri Mar 19, 2021 8:48 am
The other day I had a conversation about the new batch of songs Danny Elfman has been releasing, and my friend said it was pretty smart to do them one at a time to maximize listens/views/interaction.
Yeah, and even for album artists it seems like one to three singles are gradually digitally released before the whole thing drops as a promotional tactic.

As a matter of fact my label wanted to do the same with my covid solo album. https://snappylittlenumbers.bandcamp.co ... TyVEPs_aLg

:oops: I'll see myself out.

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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by Mark » Tue Aug 22, 2023 1:00 pm

winky dinglehoffer wrote:
Tue Mar 16, 2021 1:47 pm
So I was thinking about MJB's preference for albums, and reflecting on the fact that 78s, which run 3 or 4 minutes a side, were dominant until the 1950s, and then it occurred to me that maybe the term "album" originally referred to those "books" of 78s people would buy. It would make sense--there's a physical resemblance to a photo album, for instance. It makes a lot more sense that the term would be transferred to the LP from something that was, in a much more concrete sense, an album. I haven't bothered to figure out where I might discover if this conjecture is correct or not.
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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by Jitters » Wed Aug 23, 2023 2:14 am

So what is the single's fate, if it's not hyping an upcoming collection? Are we hoping that people like it enough to add it to a playlist? You might come across a single and like it, but you don't put on a single to drive into town, do chores, or unwind after work, do you?

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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by vvv » Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:20 pm

I think yer correct, and also for samplers ("here's a artist on our label!") and mebbe compilations.

Was a time singles were good for impromptu games of frisbee, but that was many years ago and besides , the wench is dead.
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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by floid » Wed Aug 23, 2023 7:14 pm

vvv wrote:
Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:20 pm
I think yer correct, and also for samplers ("here's a artist on our label!") and mebbe compilations.

Was a time singles were good for impromptu games of frisbee, but that was many years ago and besides , the wench is dead.
Just realized samplers and comps were once such an important way of my discovering new artists, and now they're just, nowhere.
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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by vvv » Wed Aug 23, 2023 10:56 pm

I still get 'em, but then, I buy CD's.

I've been especially enamored of tribute compilations lately, Shaver, Dylan, I just picked up 3 VU's ...
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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by drumsound » Thu Aug 24, 2023 6:58 am

winky dinglehoffer wrote:
Tue Mar 16, 2021 1:47 pm
So I was thinking about MJB's preference for albums, and reflecting on the fact that 78s, which run 3 or 4 minutes a side, were dominant until the 1950s, and then it occurred to me that maybe the term "album" originally referred to those "books" of 78s people would buy. It would make sense--there's a physical resemblance to a photo album, for instance. It makes a lot more sense that the term would be transferred to the LP from something that was, in a much more concrete sense, an album. I haven't bothered to figure out where I might discover if this conjecture is correct or not.
That is where the term comes from.
markjazzbassist wrote:
Tue Mar 16, 2021 1:57 pm
yeah i can't say record, because that denotes vinyl. whereas i mentioned i'm still collecting cassettes. logically i said to myself, i need to call them an album because that isn't medium specific. the origins of the word i don't know either, i'll go with what you put if it makes you feel better :)
As others have said 'record' is a generic term. vinyl is an LP (long player) developed for both better fidelity and less manufacturing costs. Much less packaging and physical pieces then the 78 albums.
floid wrote:
Wed Aug 23, 2023 7:14 pm
vvv wrote:
Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:20 pm
I think yer correct, and also for samplers ("here's a artist on our label!") and mebbe compilations.

Was a time singles were good for impromptu games of frisbee, but that was many years ago and besides , the wench is dead.
Just realized samplers and comps were once such an important way of my discovering new artists, and now they're just, nowhere.
Aren't curated playlists the modern comp?

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Re: Ddistributing Songs

Post by vvv » Thu Aug 24, 2023 6:11 pm

"Aren't curated playlists the modern comp?"

For me the difference is, if it's a CD, then the compiler likely has an idear beyond just what they like as the basis for the compilation - and there are usually informative liner notes - all of which I value, as well as the CD format for when I'm on the train.

Now again, and for the most part, I'm not referring to "Best of"s - which I only buy if there's rare recorded stuff onnit, or it's a band I'm just wanting a cuppla tunes from. I'll note the "extended play" series is good, the Lou Reed one especially (basically the follow up to RnR Animal) but "Best of" the Zombies, or TJ and the Shondells, is fine for me. The J. Macis/DinoJr. Best of is excellent, tho', as is NY's Decades. But mostly I like the original albums. I do also like the John Peel compilations of the stuff done on his show, etc.
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