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
| 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 |
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