VINYL MASTERING THAT MAKES THE CUT

2x Grammy-nominated, Multi-platinum & Billboard/Aria charting Mastering Engineer - Nicholas Di Lorenzo

Logos of the Grammys, Billboard, and ARIA Charts, indicating music chart and award organizations.
DISCUSS YOUR PROJECT
DISCUSS YOUR PROJECT
 

What Is Vinyl Mastering?

 

Vinyl mastering is the art of preparing your music specifically for vinyl cutting engineers.
Unlike digital platforms, vinyl playback is constrained by real-world physics:

  • Low frequencies push the groove sideways

  • High frequencies demand speed (velocity) from the cutter head.

  • Phase and stereo content affect consistency in the groove width

That means a standard digital master won’t always cut it (literally)

 
 

Vinyl vs Digital Mastering: What’s the Difference?

Digital Mastering Vinyl Mastering
Target Streaming services, downloads Cutting engineer to the vinyl press
Loudness High RMS / LUFS Format-safe gain and consistency across a side.
Low-End Handling Sub-heavy 808s welcomed Controlled excursion to avoid stylus jumps
Stereo Field Wide field okay Phase-checked for groove width & stability
Delivery Format WAVs, DDP Side A/B WAVs with track timings & labels for cutting engineer.
 
 

My process in detail (A Blend of Art and Physics)

 
 

The Levers That Actually Matter

Parameter Target Why It Matters
Excursion ≤ 40–45 µm Prevents groove collisions from bass content
Width ≤ 100 µm (ideal: 80–85) Controls side length & stereo safety
Velocity ≦ 35 cm/s Avoids cutter distortion from HF transients

12" Vinyl

33⅓ RPM Notes 45 RPM Notes
10:00 Minutes 45 RPM Recommended 8:00 Minutes Very Loud
12:00 Minutes Very Loud 10:00 Minutes Nice, Loud Record
14:00 Minutes Nice, Loud Record 12:00 Minutes Suitable for Various Genres
18:00 Minutes Suitable for Various Genres 14:00 Minutes Moderate Volume
20:00 Minutes Moderate Volume 16:00 Minutes 33⅓ RPM Recommended

7" Vinyl

33⅓ RPM Notes 45 RPM Notes
4:00 Minutes 45 RPM Recommended 3:00 Minutes Very Loud
4:30 Minutes Very Loud 3:30 Minutes Nice, Loud Record
5:00 Minutes Nice, Loud Record 4:00 Minutes Suitable for Various Genres
6:00 Minutes Moderate Volume 5:00 Minutes Moderate Volume
 

Discuss your project