Those Mysterious Matrix Numbers

[NashTwin8]

Hi All,

At the risk of asking a dumb question, what, exactly, does "Matrix" mean in regard to phonograph records? I mean, why do they use the word "matrix" instead of something perhaps more obvious to the lay person? Is it just the ID # for a particular recording, or is there more to it than that?

Thanks for any explanations.

Take care,

Jerry K

[gramophoneshane]

Most records will have two sets of numbers.
The most obvious (usually) is the record catalogue number, which is generally on the label, and was used by dealers & buyers when ordering a particular disc.
The other set of numbers is the matrix number, which is usually found in the smooth run-out area (or dead wax) between the label & end of the grooves.

The matrix number was put on the disc by the recording engineers, and each take was given a different matrix.
So, Billy Murray might have recorded the same song 4 times in one day, and each record would be given a number- 1230, 1231, 1232, & 1233.

The powers that be would then select which take they thought was best & they wanted to release, so might say to use 1232.
Larger companies would also add a letter or two, to the matrix number which told them who the recording engineer was that made the recording, what series the artist or song belonged to, or in which city or country the recording was made.
So the matrix on the Billy Murray disc that was pressed might have Bb1232, and indicates that Joe Blow recorded the disc in New York & that take 3 was pressed.
Every record company had their own system or code for the matrix numbers.
Some discs have the matrix & catalogue numbers on the label &/or the run-out area, and sometimes one or both numbers are underneath the label & hard to read. This normally only happens on fairly early discs though.

In short, I guess you could say the matrix number was used by the company for "internal" identification of a recording, and the catalogue number as an "external" identification.
I have no idea though, why a matrix number was called a matrix number, instead of say an "ID" number or a "babbazoozoo" number

Hope I haven't confused you too much

[NashTwin8]

Thanks Shane, for a great reply. This is at least somewhat what I thought they meant, but you've filled in a lot more details than I would have thought of on my own. I'm glad to know that use of the word 'matrix', as opposed to any other word, isn't obvious to everyone besides me!

Take care,

Jerry K

[bart1927]

Actually, the reason they called it a "matrix number" is pretty simple. The master recording (from which the other discs were pressed) is called a "matrix".

[NashTwin8]

Bart,

Your comment is very straightforward, and makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

Of course, this just begs the question, "why was the master recording called a matrix?" Any further insight?

Take care,

Jerry K

[gramophoneshane]

Maybe they thought recording sound was like doing MAgic TRIX

[Michael Biel]

The term matrix is used in manufacturing copies of any items from a mould. The mould is called a matrix. It is a term that is not confined to records. The cylinder part of the industry actually preferred to use the term mould instead of matrix, hence Edison Gold Mould Cylinders.

There is some confusing and partially incorrect info in an earlier answer regarding letters in the matrix numbers. The European companies often used letters at the end of the number to indicate the recording engineer, and each engineer had his own personal numerical series, so those letters MUST be included because without them the numbers are meaningless. But the poster showed them as a prefix to a Billy Murray record, like Bb. Since Murray recorded in the U.S., the letters that are prefixes in American matrix numbers never mean recording engineers, but mean something else, depending on the company. Victor used a letter that showed the size. A=7inch, B=10inch, C=12inch, D=14inch, and E=8inch. When they started recording electrically they added VE for the Western Electric system. Later they used R for a system using RCA equipment, and S or SHQ for an improved Western Electric system. L was used to indicate the long playing Program Transcription system, and P was for Pacific coast recordings. LBVE would be a 10-inch long play recorded on the original Western Electric system. Later on, the system became much more complicated, with the first two places indicating decade and year (D7 would be 1947) and the third and forth places indicating client, size, grooving, speed, and many other things. Another confusing thing in the earlier answer indicated that takes would be indicated with a new number in the series. This was done by Brunswick for a while, but most companies used a suffix number or letter after a dash. Gennett had the first take with no letter but -a was the second take and -b was the third and so on. Victor rarely used the matrix number on the records (except in 1928) but almost always put the take number in the 9 o'clock position in a small number. Each company used a different system.