Sequential access

The opposite of random access. Sequential access is the property of a group of elements, that they must be accessed one after the other in a specific sequence. For example, a reel-to-reel tape must be wound to the right position, whereas a pickup needle can be immediately put down on any point of a long-playing vinyl record.----Sequential access is also an access type assigned to a computer file, for accessing records on a computer. This is opposed to, say, indexed access, used for table look-up, and certain types of databases.