Need help with classification/organization of collection

[discopsycho]

I recently bought a shelving system from Ikea that I am pretty pleased with and all my records fit in it, at least so far. I need advise from the knowledgeable collectors here on how they organize their records. I was going to do "disco", "hi-nrg", "soul", etc, but so many artists overlap. I also thought about "70's", "80's", etc, but again, some artists have recordings from the 70's to recently. So, how have others classified/organized their collections?

Thanks in advance.

[The Boogie Doctor]

i'd do it by genre mate; if you means you have to make some abritrary calls on some tracks then so be it! it's an act inherent in any act of classification in social reality, in that one has to impose coherent boundaries on an inconsistent and fuzzy reality

[eddie]

I organize 100% alphabetical order by group name or last name. Then if there are multiple releases for an artist, they go in chronological order starting with the oldest first. The only time I would put a separate genre in a different area is if I didn't have enough space in one room and genre wasn't one of my favorites.

This method is almost fool-proof except when you have Diana Ross and the Supremes, Diana Ross solo, Diana Ross/Marvin Gaye duet album, and the Supremes Solo. Now I file by DOMINANT ARTIST which is highly subjective but you'll always know where you filed it. Diana solo, Diana with the Supremes, and the Supremes (minus Diana) are all filed under R. I like and have much more by Marvin Gaye. So the duet duet album is filed under Gaye.

[Disco Funk]

Out of all of the vinyl, CDs, DVDs and cassettes I have in my collection, the only thing I've been able to organize and keep organized are my 45s. And they're in alphabetical order, in two groupings: Ones I've already recorded onto CDR and ones that are still pending.

Everything else, I think organizing is an exercise in futility, unless you're not planning on buying any more, or you're just storing them as is for a long period of time, i.e. you don't plan on pulling them out to play. Anytime I've tried to get my stuff organized in one form or another, they end up getting out of order because I'll grab handfuls of CDs or vinyl at a time.

Anyway, if you want my opinion, I'd say alphabetical if you have a lot of records. I've you've only got a 100 or so, then grouping by genre (disco/funk/rock/etc...) shouldn't be a problem. Even if the same artist might have one disco album and one rock album, if you don't have much vinyl, you can flip through and find it no problem.

Disco Funk

[discopsycho]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Any others would be welcome. I got obsessed with this last night and couldn't get to sleep due to thinking about it (yeah, I know, a little ott).

BTW: Boogie Doctor, I wasn't expecting such a philosophical approach! But you're right, of course.

Eddie: Do you alphabatize everything? That is, LP's and 12's? I thought about this too, but then got hung up on that point. You're suggestion about the dominant artist was a good one.

Again, thanks so far and to any others.

[discopsycho]

Disco Funk,

I know what you mean, but one of my New Year's resolutions was to be more organized. I have thousands of records, so alphabetical may be the way to go. I just felt wierd about putting The Commodores next to Communards. Or even more jarring juxtapositions.

[BrunoRepublic]

I do everything alphabetically without dividing anything into genres. It's too subjective and there would undoubtedly be times when I couldn't remember what genre I'd deemed a given record. With multi-artist releases, it goes under dominant artist or if there is none, in a separate section for compilations. Soundtracks are filed under the dominant artist if there is one, under the movie name if there isn't.

If I didn't sort my stuff, I would never be able to find much of it.

[markydefad]

My collection is organized alphabetically also. LPs are organized separately from 12-inch singles. Show/cast LPs are in their own separate section as well as various artists collections--organized alphabetically by title.

Same with the cds, alphabetically by artist's last name or group name...except I do have separate sections for dance cd compilations, various artists compilations, show tunes, soundtracks & classical cds.

See? :icon_eek:

[shives]

mine are organized by bpm, low to high.

[originalbigm]

I recently bought a shelving system from Ikea that I am pretty pleased with and all my records fit in it, at least so far. I need advise from the knowledgeable collectors here on how they organize their records. I was going to do "disco", "hi-nrg", "soul", etc, but so many artists overlap. I also thought about "70's", "80's", etc, but again, some artists have recordings from the 70's to recently. So, how have others classified/organized their collections?

Thanks in advance.

Lot of good suggestions.There are numerous good software database programs available that can help you organize and reference your collection.I use a program called Music Collector.I simply label numerically all my records from 1-?.Make sure you use a removable label that does not have a permanent adhesive type backing on it.Then I input all the information regarding the record into my program.The program will allow you to view and organize your collection in multiple ways. By Year, Artist, Title, Genre, LP, 45,CD,CD-R,Tape etc. When you need to find a record just reference your index number and pull it out.

[Cdnbob]

I organize everything in alphabetical order by last name or group name and then each artists records are in release order (oldest to newest). So I organize A-Z and then if say I'm sorting Melba Moore, and if I have 10 of her albums they are in order of oldest release, say 1978, then 79, 80, 81, 83, 84, 85 etc. to newest that I have. This way I always know where everything is. Albums and 12" singles are mixed in together, cd's separately and casette tapes separately etc.

Out of curiousity Discopsycho, which shelving unit from IKEA did you get?

[discopsycho]

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I decided alphabetical order was the way to go. I was up until six this morning doing it, and am only up to the G's. But it was actually a good time.

Bigm: Thanks for the heads up about the Music Collector program. I checked out the web site and think I will invest in it.

Cdnbob: The unit is Expedit and is made of 13"x13" openings. I bought the one that has five across and five down. So far, it is pretty sturdy, with no sagging. It does take two people to put it together, though. I think it cost about $200.

[eddie]

I would obviously keep records, cassettes, and vinyls apart but throw 12 inch singles and cd singles in with album releases.

I do have separate section for soundtracks and various artists. However, I often find the name of the various artists album may be hard to determine in many circumstances. I organize the soundtracks by year which I only 50 or so.

Now for various artists, lets roll up our sleeves because I have over 600 of these. I file anything that's a multi volume compilation first with the most popular going first (usually the ballad cds like Smooth Grooves and Slowjams: a Timeless Collection). Then I file all of the compilations that are associated with one original record label and arrange these by era and geography. Then I arrange the rest of the miscellaneous cds by style and era of the music contained.

This works well and I can find almost anything within one minute.

[PierreConstantin]

My system is the same as Cdnbob: each artist in alphabetical order and then each record in chronological order. The difference is that I have three groups: Motown (1/5 of my collection), major artists and other artists.

The difference between major and other artists would be the number of records. France Joli is a major one because I have many of her records when Dennis Parker is an « other artist » because I only have two records of him. Generally major artists live beyond disco and have a longer career.

When it comes to Motown it's all in alphabetical order and then chronological except that the Supremes with Ross are before Ross solo career -that separates the 1961/1969 Supremes from the 1970/1976 Supremes. The duets album with Gaye is considered a Ross album between «Touch me in the morning» and «Last time I saw him» (all 1973 releases). Every artist who recorded once for Motown is considered a Motown artist and his other releases are put in the Motown group (like for instance Ross' RCA/Capitol years or Thelma Houston after 1979).

Compilations or soundtracks are separated except when they are related exclusively to one artist («Mahogany» is a Ross album). Records in other languages (French, Spanish, German...) are obviously in their own group, such as other types of music (operas, concertos, symphonies...). In this latter case the order is strictly chronological : for instance Rossini is placed before Donizetti because Rossini first opera I own has his premiere in 1813 and Donizetti's in 1830.

I think that the chronological order is one of the best systems. Of course we've got to have an idea of the artist's career before. But even if we don't the simple fact of applying it helps us to know the order of the artist's releases. It makes everything more logical.

[Cdnbob]

The unit is Expedit and is made of 13"x13" openings. I bought the one that has five across and five down. So far, it is pretty sturdy, with no sagging. It does take two people to put it together, though. I think it cost about $200.

Hmmm... I'll have to see if IKEA in Canada carries this. Thanks for the heads up.

[BrunoRepublic]

Hmmm... I'll have to see if IKEA in Canada carries this. Thanks for the heads up.

They do, in a variety of sizes.

I preferred the Lack line which is much stronger, but they no longer make the ones that are 5 units high... they max out at 4 now.

[eddie]

Hey Pierre:

How would you file Jean Carn(e) and Wilson Pickett? With Motown or not?

[Disco Funk]

Pickett was mainly Atlantic, wasn't he? I don't recall any big records of his being Motown. Jean Carne also had a philly period, which is the only period I would buy stuff from her. Did she do motown in her earlier years?

Disco Funk

[discokicks]

For my own personal interest and comfort, my 12" singles are filed by the year they were released and also low to high bpms. I regard it as my own personal musical diary. Some years have a higher quantity than others...1979, 1986, 1990 and 1996 specifically...these years seem to stand out as times when I was most excited with looking for and buying new releases.

My disco/ dance vinyl albums are grouped by year as well although my dance cds are alphabetical. Buying vinyl holds more memories for me.:icon_cool:

Oh...and my mp3s automatically go in alphabetical order thanks to computer software. They're on blank cds marked "A - M" or "L - S". Kinda shows that they don't hold much meaning for me.

[eddie]

Both Pickett and Carn(e) went to Motown in the 80's after their commercial peak but I wouldn't consider them Motown artists. Other artists Motown released just a couple on towards the end of their careers included Jerry Butler, Emotions, and Chuck Jackson. There's no perfect system for filing though but I think if I had 45's, I might go by label.