I have at least that many albums, and all are stored with spines facing out, like books. In fact, they are all stored in a large book case that I designed and had built into my wall.
The cost of a bookcase is low compared to hi fi furniture, and provides floor to ceiling space for mixing LP's, CD's and books.
As for organizing music, I do not believe in a computer database system. Unless you are inclined to access it all the time it is pretty useless. I would especially hate referring to it to find a title for a guest who had come to listen.
I arrange all my music first by type, ( Jazz, Rock, Blues, Classical, Pop. ) Then by label or pressing type: ECM label, Fantasy label, 4AD label, Verve label, Electra label, Concord label, etc. Artists that are on more than one label such as Dave Brubeck, would be in Fantasy (earliest pressing) then to the right, the CBS labels. In every case, the earliest work is on the left and latest on the right. Just like the pages in a book.
This may sound confusing at first, but if you think about the style of music that a given label produces, and then think about the artists that label represents, it is easier to remember than by alphabet. For instance, with a Jazz album by "Ella and Louis, " do you put it in with the "A" for Armstrong, or the "F" for Fitzgerald (both are equally important artists). Instead, just look at the Jazz shelf, where the Verve labels are stored, and pick it out.
As for the importance of computer for inventory, listing all of these albums is terribly time consuming. Instead, use a camera and photograph a small group of album splines up close. Go down the shelf and cover them all, overlapping if necessary.
This will allow you to see the albums artist, title and number, and the images may then be stored in a safe deposit box. This is inexpensive, fast and better proof for insurance claims than just a list on paper or hard drive.
It is almost a joke around here on music night, where a visitor names a specific song, and I locate the group, the album, and the specific cut, in a single move over to the bookcase. I cannot do it that fast every time, but certainly faster than looking it up on a computer and then looking in the stacks.
Good luck and good listening to all that great vinyl!
The cost of a bookcase is low compared to hi fi furniture, and provides floor to ceiling space for mixing LP's, CD's and books.
As for organizing music, I do not believe in a computer database system. Unless you are inclined to access it all the time it is pretty useless. I would especially hate referring to it to find a title for a guest who had come to listen.
I arrange all my music first by type, ( Jazz, Rock, Blues, Classical, Pop. ) Then by label or pressing type: ECM label, Fantasy label, 4AD label, Verve label, Electra label, Concord label, etc. Artists that are on more than one label such as Dave Brubeck, would be in Fantasy (earliest pressing) then to the right, the CBS labels. In every case, the earliest work is on the left and latest on the right. Just like the pages in a book.
This may sound confusing at first, but if you think about the style of music that a given label produces, and then think about the artists that label represents, it is easier to remember than by alphabet. For instance, with a Jazz album by "Ella and Louis, " do you put it in with the "A" for Armstrong, or the "F" for Fitzgerald (both are equally important artists). Instead, just look at the Jazz shelf, where the Verve labels are stored, and pick it out.
As for the importance of computer for inventory, listing all of these albums is terribly time consuming. Instead, use a camera and photograph a small group of album splines up close. Go down the shelf and cover them all, overlapping if necessary.
This will allow you to see the albums artist, title and number, and the images may then be stored in a safe deposit box. This is inexpensive, fast and better proof for insurance claims than just a list on paper or hard drive.
It is almost a joke around here on music night, where a visitor names a specific song, and I locate the group, the album, and the specific cut, in a single move over to the bookcase. I cannot do it that fast every time, but certainly faster than looking it up on a computer and then looking in the stacks.
Good luck and good listening to all that great vinyl!