Lets not forget the 8-track. You had to be a math major with a stopwatch to find a song if it wasn't the first one of each set. I'm not sure I could even describe the process to the younger crowd.
I had many a self made 8 track Beatles tapes. Recorded directly off the Vinyl LP. Plugged em into the orange 1970 Maverick aftermarket stereo connected to the Triax speakers in the holes I cut into the back deck behind the rear seat. I was the schiznit. As far as 'splainin to the younger crowd:
The master was a Disc - just like today except bigger and it held less "data". Did I mention that instead of plastic it was vinyl? Instead of a laser there was a "tone arm" with a needle/cartridge. OH....and you had to have a "Discwasher" cleaner to remove the dust from the disc. Then you had to make sure that when were done with the "data" transfer, you put the big disc carefully back into its paper or plastic sleeve which, in turn, went back into its cardboard sleeve aka "album cover". Additionally the double album sets had a secondary function know as "seed separator" whereby seeds were meticulously removed from organic materials with the use of a Drivers liscense.
But wait - maybe you are right - we'll never be able to describe it.
