So where do the terms "Tails In" and "Tails Out" come from?

[TomR]

Listening right now to "Saxophone Colossus" - but while I was threading the second reel I realized that "Tails Out" is a nonsensical term, by itself, so it must have an interesting history.

[steveidosound]

Listening right now to "Saxophone Colossus" - but while I was threading the second reel I realized that "Tails Out" is a nonsensical term, by itself, so it must have an interesting history.

Why would you say it is nonsensical? The "tail" end of the program is on the outside of the reel. It is on the "takeup reel". You must rewind it to hear it. I guess it originated in studios because of print through and because you have a smoother tape pack after playing than after fast winding back to the supply reel so it is ready to listen to. It is meaningless for tapes with material both directions as in side 1 & 2. Side, of course referring to the width of the tape and track orientation rather than "inside' and "outside" as in the oxide and non oxide side.

[TomR]

Steve, I have always heard the term "tails out" applied to a single tape as well as multiple tapes - so a single tape should really be noted as being "tail out" if it is because the end of the program is on the outside. Of course, programs have beginnings and ends, not heads and tails, so perhaps even better would be "end out". Even better for the layman who buys these things would be to describe them as as "played", which for a two track ought to be clear that it has to be rewound first before playing,  although that might cause concerns about new vs used......

OK, I am having a pedantic morning - just couldn't figure out the origin of tails out. Clearly you don't want to store a tape in a rewound mode.

[steveidosound]

Steve, I have always heard the term "tails out" applied to a single tape as well as multiple tapes - so a single tape should really be noted as being "tail out" if it is because the end of the program is on the outside. Of course, programs have beginnings and ends, not heads and tails, so perhaps even better would be "end out". Even better for the layman who buys these things would be to describe them as as "played", which for a two track ought to be clear that it has to be rewound first before playing,  although that might cause concerns about new vs used......

OK, I am having a pedantic morning - just couldn't figure out the origin of tails out. Clearly you don't want to store a tape in a rewound mode.

We could really be cryptic and call it non-rewound 1 of 2 and 2 of 2 for the "2 reeler" TP tapes.
I guess it is only "tails" plural if you let the tape end flap and flail around a while on a deck with no auto stop after playing it.  ;-)
Ah! - Perhaps "heads or tails" for part of the origin?