LP & EP ??

[LinoJennings]

What Is The Difference Between An LP & EP ??

[sammylane]

I think they stand for long play and extended play (i.e. LP is an album and EP is single with a few extra racks) ?? It's a guess mind!

[mr gary]

lp stands for 'long player' ie a full album ep stands for 'extended play' ie a single with a couple of extra tracks

[andy hughes]

Ah, I'm going misty eyed for the days of vinyl! As advised, an LP is a long player - played at 33 1/3 r,p.m. (revs. per minute), 12" in diameter, usually six to eight tracks per side. An EP is an extended player, usually, thoughnot always, played at 45 r.p.m. and containing two tracks per side, which sometimes were additional, and not included on the LP, thus making them good value.

[Hellion]

And then there was the '78'!!!!

[mcmikeymike]

"Aaaaahhh" Vinyl, I miss it, I loved it. I'm gettin all nostalgic now. LP = Long Player, usually approx 20 minutes on each side which is why most cd albums by acts last around 40 minutes. Some lps, usually compilations may have more tracks, but with the grooves having to be forced closer together the sound was not as good. That is one thing where cd beats vinyl. EP + Extended Play which was quite often 2 or sometimes 3 tracks per side. Sometimes the sound on eps was not as good as a normal single as the grooves had to pushed together as on extended lps. That is why some EPs played at 331/3 RPM.

[OBonio]

In the CD era, EPs were still about though. The same ethos as vinyl EPs, they were releases that had 3 or 4 tracks on them. Very much a 'single' release for bands that couldn't afford an album and not well known enough to release a single. A very nice go between for the smaller artists.

[bobbobley]

"which is why most cd albums by acts last around 40 minutes". Really, mcmikeymike ? dunno what albums you buy but hardly any of mine are less than an hour long.

[207kpr]

LP stands for "Long Play" record, and EP stands for "Extended Play" record. LPs were originally pressed in 10" format in their very earliest days, then went to 12" and almost always span at 33.3rpm. EPs came in mostly 7" format although some rare early ones were 10", and were really a 7" single with 2 tracks per side. Most span at 45rpm, but I have several which spin at 33.3 and a couple which spin at 16rpm! EPs were originally issued as promo material for forthcoming album (LP) releases, but graduated into becoming fully-fledged 3 or 4 track singles in their own right.