Minus-One recordings

Record production genre#

As a genre of record production in the Philippines, the inclusion of a ‘minus-one’ Side-B reduced the production cost of a 45 RPM 7-inch “single” by foregoing the need for yet another song to occupy the 7-inch record’s flip side. It also encouraged buyers to “sing along” with the bonus accompaniment of the “hit single”. A “minus-one mix” would not necessarily be wholly instrumental, as backing vocals of the song’s original mix may be retained. The concept of instrumental B-sides to complement their full versions became a production trend of the Philippine record industry of the 1980s, which was replicated overseas. In the ensuing years, tracks from minus-one flip sides were assembled by production houses for their inclusion in compilations.

Examples of minus-one sides#

The following table illustrates early B-sides of Zsa Zsa Padilla’s 45-RPM 7" Vinyl singles released by Blackgold Records. Many such vinyl sides have since been ported to other platforms, including VCD, videoke and free video sharing websites.

Other examples#

• In 1987, the song “Enveloped Ideas” by Filipino band the Dawn was released as a 7-inch 45 RPM single (with minus-one) by their record label, OctoArts.
• In the 2000s, Filipino band Narda featured an album page in AllMusic with dedicated minus-one content.

Minus-one is content, not equipment#

The wave of “Minus-One” vinyl B-sides brought about a genre in the Philippine record industry, harvested by the cousins Vic del Rosario and Orly Ilacad, co-owners and executive producers of Vicor Music Corporation and its offshoot record labels. They released the seminal 7-inch B-sides of minus-one recordings, later grouped together as minus-one compilations on cassette tape format, compact disc and later as online material. As sheer musical content, the instrumentals were a precursor to widespread recreational crooning at home and outside, its provenance effectively traced to the Music Minus One products of the mid-1950s. In 1975, Filipino executive Roberto del Rosario patented his sing-along invention as Minus-One, popularly known as the karaoke machine, an interactive entertainment system without vocals. for festivity, the allure for minus-one recordings crossed cultural barriers in the Philippines.

External links#

• B-side
• What are Minus-one tracks and why they are used
• Minus-One OPM Alternative Love Songs
• Why are instrumental tracks also called “minus-one tracks”?
• Backing Tracks Minus Vocals