How much music can I put on a single LP?
This is a great question and there is no simple answer, but ideally speaking we prefer to have a maximum of 16-18 minutes per side at 33 rpm. We can cut more, but at a certain point level-to-disc will decrease. Volume-to-disc has a direct correlation with running time. In other words, the shorter your side, the louder it can be cut to disc. On the flip side, the longer your side is, the lower the volume might end up to disc. There is only so much real estate on a 12” record. A louder cut record takes up more space, but if your running time isn’t too long, it will all fit just fine. When you ask us to cut a 24-minute side, however, sometimes our only option is to lower the volume in order to physically make all of those grooves fit on the disc. As a result, your 24-minute side is closer to the noise floor of the medium, and pops and clicks that are inherent to the format become much more noticeable. Some of the benefits of a louder cut include masking the noise floor and other ticks and pops, and with that we suggest 18-20 minute 33 rpm maximum sides whenever possible. Remember, you can always put out a double-LP!
Do I need a specific master if I intend to release my music on vinyl?
Generally, the answer to this question is NO. Masters that are mixed and digitally mastered following several basic guidelines typically yield good quality master cuts.
1. Center bass frequencies such as bass guitar, kick drum. Stereo synths used as a bass element should be centered as much as possible.
2. High frequency information can cause distortion and possibly damage the cutter-head. Pay special attention to”SSS” sounds on vocals, hi-hats, tambourines and extended or prolonged high frequency content from synths.
3. Avoid “brickwall” limiting and other extreme forms of compression. If heavily limited master are required for digital distribution then this would be a case where a separate “vinyl” master might be appropriate.
4. We prefer the highest bit-depth and highest sample rate available in an uncompressed format (.WAV/.AIFF, etc.). 24-bit masters are preferred over 16-bit.
5. Phase is another aspect unique to vinyl. Be sure to make sure your bass/low-end is in phase and/or panned mono. Most modern mixes tend to have bass instruments (ie: kick drums, bass guitars) panned in the middle anyhow. This eliminates most phase discrepancies by default. Consider using hi-pass filters.
Well Made Music offers a master review service and well as digital mastering services to help guide you through this sometimes confusing process. Click here for more info.
Should I have my record be 33 RPM or 45 RPM?
Those who are familiar with tape machines/sample rates might understand this question a bit better. The same general concept applies here. Most professional level tape machines have the option of either 15 ips or 30 ips. The general conclusion is that 30 ips sounds better because it is physically using more tape to capture the same source in the same timeframe, like a snare hit for example. On the other side, however, you have just used twice as much tape to recreate that snare hit, so your overall running time on the tape is shorter at 30 ips. You burn through the tape faster. The same idea applies to 45 rpm. You are able to get better frequency response/less distortion at 45 rpm simply because you are using up more real estate to recreate the same sound as compared to 33 rpm. The downside is that you have less running time to work with. With a 45 rpm 12”, we recommend a running time of 15 minutes max. Any longer and you start getting into the same volume issues presented in the last section. Also notice that 45 rpm 7”s almost always sound better than a 33 rpm 7”. Ultimately, it comes down to running time. If you are opting for longer sides, you probably want 33 rpm.
I’ve always heard to put quieter songs at the end of a side. Why is that?
12” vinyl records are susceptible to a phenomenon known as “inner groove distortion”. Essentially, given our aforementioned tape analogy, there is less real estate towards the inner groove for our “snare hit” to take up. Remember, the turntable is at a fixed speed, so that “snare hit” at the beginning of the side has a lot more real estate to work with as opposed to something towards the end of a side, where revolutions take up less space. As a result, a lot of styluses have a difficult time playing louder grooves towards the end of a side, resulting in distortion. All this being said, most records I cut have a loud song as the last song, so I sometimes will avoid cutting towards the center if possible. This, once again, explains why a 45 rpm 7” sounds better than a 33 rpm 7”. A 7” has the same physical limitations and is essentially in the same area of a disc. My turntable always seems to be distorting. Why? Make sure that your stylus/needle is counter-weighted properly. A lot of distortion can come from a needle that is not counter-weighted properly. Most cartridges have specs you can find online to determine the right amount of weight.
Is there a benefit to black versus colored vinyl?
This is a very subjective question, but ultimately black vinyl tends to have a lower noise floor. That being said, certain colored vinyl sounds great too. If you are opting for a longer side/quieter cut however, black or transparent vinyl is probably the way to go, mostly with noise floor in mind. For shorter/louder cuts though, color might be a great option. If you’re looking for something exceptional color-wise, check out out good friend Heath Gmucs at Wax Mage Records for some inspiration!
Should I release a single LP or double LP?
Once again, running time is your main factor here. If you have a 40+ minute release, a double album might be the best option (who knows, maybe it could even be cut at 45 rpm!) As mentioned earlier, cramming a 40+ minute album onto one LP is physically possible, but your level-to-disc will likely go down as a result. If finances demand it be a single LP, we recommend black vinyl for fidelity purposes.