The LP (from "long playing"[1] or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of 33 1⁄3 rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a vinyl composition disk. Introduced by Columbia in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry. The rotational speed of the disc was not new and has been used since the late 1920s for various special purposes in sound recording industry, for example in the first system of sound cinema "Vitaphone". The main difference from the previous formats was the ability to increase the density of the recording by several times by reducing the width of the groove from 140 to 55 microns on the new material of discs made of polyvinyl chloride instead of outdated shellac. [1]
The attempted transition to microgroove records was slow for a variety of reasons. One was the "record wars" that erupted between the Columbia and RCA. Columbia had hoped that their 33 1⁄3 rpm would be the standard, but RCA, believing that they had invented the first LP, introduced their own 45-rpm microgroove disc to compete with Columbia. This "battle of the speeds" confused many consumers and caused them to delay their purchases. By 1950, there were four speeds for consumers to choose from; 78, 33 1/3, 45, and 16. The different speeds and the different sizes of the hole in the middle of the records made playing 78s, 45s, and 33 1/3s tricky. The first LPs were not perfect by any means and met some resistance. They were not uniform, often had a dull sound, contained sustained notes that tended to waver slightly, and sometimes contained pre-echo, which occurred when parts of the music made a faint and untimely appearance ahead of the beat.[2]
The first Soviet serial LP record D-01 Suite No.1. Pyotr Tchaikovsky performed by the Symphony Orchestra of the All-Union Radio Committee under conductor Alexander Gauck was released on November 2, 1951 at the April Factory of Gramophones. The recording was made by sound engineer Barskov and sound engineer A.I. Arshinov. From that moment a new separate numbering for monophonic LP records came to exist, which lasted until 1991 and ended with the number M10-49728 (which is known at the moment). Where D stood for long-playing (Dolgoigrayushchaya), and in front of the number of the matrix on the mirror there was written the capital letter "D." Soviet scientists have developed for LP records a special material called vinylite (co-polymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate), its color could change depending on the dyes introduced. The LP’s made of vinylite were not as fragile as shellac discs, but they could no longer be played with steel needles, as the material was soft and could not withstand such a pressure. LP records had to be played with a corundum needle and using a light electric tonearm. Then the industry faced another problem. Factories producing gramophones could not in a short period of time switch to the production of 33 1⁄3 rpm players and necessary electric pickups. This process has taken much longer. And the producers of records had to press LP records with 78 rpm speed for some time. In 1952-1953 LP records with 33 1⁄3 and 78 rpm were pressed t alternately. The last 78 rpm LP record was D-2116, after that number, LP records were pressed only with 33 1⁄3 rpm. Reissues of LP records with 78 rpm were made until 1957 at Aprelevka and Leningrad production plants.
The first records were produced under the Technical Conditions, and in 1956 GOST 5289-56 was adopted, where standards for the production of LP records were developed, and from 01.07.1956 it came into force and these inscriptions appeared on the records. The Leningrad gramophone factory mastered the production of LP records only in August 1956, producing 9,540 copies and sending 2 pieces to the trading organizations. The Riga and Tashkent plants have mastered the production of LP records around the same time (more accurate data is not yet available). The transition was carried out by converting the presses and replacing the equipment. It is documented that the number of presses at the Leningrad plant did not increase, but the production of gramophone records began to decrease, and the production was re-equipped to manufacture LP records without expanding the production area. Already in 1958, the production of LP records by all major plants reached a large number, and factories producing players began to produce affordable products for the population. Since then, the era of gramophone records has steadily faded out and the production of 78 rpm records has steadily decreased.
Prior to the start of mass production, long experiments were conducted with the disc composition and equipment for the production of LP’s. The first experimental LP’s were released by the Recording House and were called "Long-sounding".
Андрей Кулаков, English translation by Elena Beliankina