How To Press Vinyl Records: The Complete Guide

[@Jools-ne3hw]

Got my first e.p. pressed just last week! nothing beats vinyl.

[@gobi_dqbt]

how many did you press? know a place where you can press around 30 ones affordably?

[@k.skraatch]

I only wanted to figure out how much music fits on each side but this dude has such amazing energy I watched the rest of the video anyway. Great job man. I wish i needed to press vinyl records so i could get the most help from this video LOL

[@nicollebee]

Nothing about the special mastering for Vinyl?

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

I had a look, Qrates offers vinyl mastering as a value-added option. There are mastering suites you can get that will do it as well. support.qrates.com/article/o4gnusckci-mastering-option

[@FunkSamurai]

It's here - How To Mix & Master For Vinyl by Doctor Mix kzbin.info/www/bejne/laPIeXaOja-Bh5Y

[@ciddax754]

@@drstupid1 No, it will not. Sure can you press a normal wav onto vinyl, but it will sound like shit if it can be played at all. First, you have to know, the frequency spectrum on a vinyl is not linear by any means.This is needed, as the vinyl groove is not good at reproducing bass. It's called RIAA equalization and is a +20 and -20db bass increase or decrease. The tracks are recorded with -20 db on the bass and are played with +20 db, so you get a linear frequence spectrum again. If you just take a normal wav as drstupid1 recommend, your grove will be wide as the grand canyon and the needle will skip around like a squirrel on a tripple espresso. Furthermore almost all old vinyl records have a low cut around 40hz as you get otherwise problems with skipping and you get less music on the record. This is the part, were a good mastering engineer is worth his or her weight in gold. They have the experience, how hard you can drive the equipment to get the best results. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization

[@mammothgreenstudiodiscosde2635]

@@ciddax754 Sorry but you're wrong in the RIAA thing: -YES, the invert EQ are used on vinyl to use less space on grooves and give the rich highs. -and NO, ou're not sent the files using a IRIAA filter to the pressing plant/mastering engeneer, because this filter are use INSIDE the cutting lathe. The source is played at normal EQ (the centered bass on 120hz to 350hz if needed), and the highs worked in the best way possible to avoid sibilants and high attack cymbals get distorted on vinyl.. -So yeah, you sent a "normal" wav file to the engeneer, and NO, you're not sent the file for the cutter engeneer and let him/her decide what it's best as said @drstupid1 , because: --The engeneer going to put sown the abusive highs AND the machine itself going to work on a high limiter, and whats gonna hapens is: too much compression in highs and everything can turn a bit dull or even with "up and down" volume on highs because of the limiter/deesser effect; --Not gonna work send a wav file with a maximizer/limiter/brick wall to the pressing plant/cutting engeneer, because the professional lathe machines use a automatic pitch control (groove separation) and if you sent loudness war music, first it's gonna not sound as you wish (vinyl itself have that "free" sound different from cd, so let it free) AND the pitch control nto going to work as ir needed, and or it's not going to work and need to resent the right music, or going to be recorded in lower volume as you need/want to make pitch control work... Hope this help!

[@Theasworld1984]

I like how you explain things so easily every other video I ever watched on the subject was way too long and boring and by the end of it I still learned nada but you have been very helpful and I actually finish your videos feeling that I've learned something new and interesting for once thank you so much for that

[@paulgrooveside2803]

Claudio, this is one of your best videos - straightforward, eloquent, entertaining and very very informative. I've always loved vinyl records, and now thanks to you, everyone can understand how they're produced and how they can do it for themselves. Qrates sounds like an excellent service! Thank you for telling us about it!

[@davidhawkes01]

Love this! So inspired, happy and positive. We just bought our first vinyl press so we are nervous and excited. Your video here helps us feel good about the decision to go all in!

[@mistaish]

Yes Yes Y'all. Thanks for the video bro. Always great and helpful information.

[@BLBlackDragon]

This is cool. I knew the basics of pressing records (yeah, showing my age), but knowing details like how much audio you can fit in, and rough costs is very cool.

[@rossmeistergeneral9614]

There ain't no sunshine now that Bill Withers has recently gone at the age of 81. Terribly sad news R.I.P

[@umdesch4]

Just one point that is debatable. I've read in a lot of places that coloured vinyl is not as durable, scratches more easily, and picks up surface noise after fewer replays than standard black vinyl. In my experience with a few dozen pieces of coloured vinyl in my collection, from the 80s and 90s, this does seem to be the case. Maybe I've just been consistently unlucky though. Otherwise, I'm hanging on to this video to keep it in my back pocket for any questions about vinyl that come my way, 'cuz this is a great intro to the whole topic. Cheers!

[@NoPonyZone]

That guitar intro of "figli delle stelle"... superb

[@MisterQuasar]

I’d love if you did more preset sound videos on old/classic synths, it’s very stress relieving for me hearing you make up something random yet so smooth

[@leon9021]

Color makes no difference to the sound, but colored is typically more noisy and non colored less durable since color addatives increase durability on a microscale.

[@aleksandari.7834]

Great topic for a video! Vinyl is always cool.

[@jiltedgenerator]

Really great, informative video. Thanks as always

[@louzdonmanagemant]

really nice video Doctor Mix. greetings from Indonesia...

[@scogee5549]

You make it easy to understand that's why I watch.... Please doc mix do magnum p.i

[@gcoudert]

I love 'Figli Delle Stelle' by Alan Sorrenti! It was a hit in my native France back in '78! I was listening to it only yesterday!

[@MTWODZU]

I love vinyls and CDs. This is physical medium, it's mine and I'm not dependent on streaming services :)

[@mx.benzedrine]

Had to see how these were made. My dad just taught me how to use his record player with a clear vinyl of Scaled and Icy by Twenty One Pilots that we bought a few days ago. It's really cool!

[@patatlantian4614]

That was a true true gem man...thank you for that. Much respect doc

[@AM-ui9mc]

This is the kind of video one presses like before having seen it. Must be good

[@markwrightrf]

Claudio, this is too much for a late April Fools Day video up to 4:00.. you're a funny and supremely talented man! Ciao x

[@kewe5306]

I was just thinking about this the other day, good timing from you to talk about it. _05/04/2020 1:58am_

[@repairitdontreplaceit]

jackson sisters one of my fave tracks

[@KeithWorswick]

Just Tried to watch the 400K subscribers video but it is blocked for copyright... WTF!

[@Doctormix]

I'm livid! I've trimmed out so many "claimed bits" because they block the video from being seen... but it still doesn't seem to work 😩

[@AdeReeves]

@@Doctormix dam you tube spoil all the best moments !

[@denisverkhovsky8602]

@@Doctormix This is terrible, KZbin begs for rudeness)) In any case, yesterday's stream was excellent and sincere! Claudio you are a cool dude!

[@jakuberemus714]

@@denisverkhovsky8602 yeeeah was fun to watch Master Claudio :)

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

@@Doctormix Awww. I'm glad I watched the whole thing live, then. It was a really special moment, some genuine fun spending my evening with you!

[@dangermace11]

Which stage is the acetate made? Is that the same stage as lacquer?

[@mr.techjedi1507]

Great video and fantastic energy! There's not a great deal of information out there on the business end about pressing vinyl.

[@JeffIrok]

This video was awesome. Thanks!

[@ozymanfree]

I like this presentation! It's very interesting!

[@willwillwill333]

awesome video!

[@fredconte]

Excelent video! Thank you

[@dykodesigns]

It would also be cool if it where possible to create just a one off record for your own personal enjoyment. Like how to can burn a cd or create a tape with your own music, but then on vinyl.

[@paulgrooveside2803]

You probably can!! Maybe Qrates will press as few or as many as you wish!

[@punkgift]

Way back, you used to be able to press acetates in record stores. Brian Epstein pressed a Beatles recording of Hello Little Girl and Till There Was You in HMV's store in Oxford Street, London in 1962.

[@enricosanchez894]

@@punkgift Ralph Kramden made a record of his apology to Alice on the Honeymooners ("She's a blabbermouth!").

[@ciddax754]

While I'm old enough that my first records were radio plays on vinyl (fairytales, the three investigators , enid blyton and many more) nowadays there are really only two types folks around using vinyl: Lots of DJs still work with vinyl and then there are the High-End audiophiles. For the DJs this is the stuff they work with and they know it will wear out over the years. A lighter record is nice for them, because they have to carry the stuff. Colorful labels with high contrast are good, as you have to grab the record even under bad light conditions. Sleeves, where you can get easily get the record in and out are great too.The High-End audiophiles are the other side of the spectrum. You need at least three grand to join the club (good record player, decent amp and speakers). They are the connoisseurs of vinyl. They prefer high quality over a light weight. Those guys don't carry their "set" around in a bag or rucksack as DJs do. They sit at home and listen to their music in a very nice enviroment, marveling over the art of your sleeve and maybe even the song book. So you have two side of the spectrum. DJs want it lightweight, practical and cheap while the High-End audiophiles want the best quality, great art and don't really bother much about the price.

[@corezone4250]

Sounds bout right.

[@vladimirlem1104]

Hello I was wondering wondering what does second pressing mean ? - Does it mean that its the second batch to be pressed from the original master ? - Or its means that its copied from the 1st pressing ?

[@sndrcve]

Is there much of a price difference between black or coloured vinyl?

[@enricosanchez894]

Can Qrates make 3" flexi discs?

[@igotyourback209]

Nice info ty

[@francoisprotopapa]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 Great video! Thank you for the useful information! I will do a Vinyl for my tracks, finally a great way to record and have something to collect! I love vinyls

[@ManCalledMif]

great video explanation. very inspiring 😎👍🏼

[@HuntersMoon78]

What about the price of picture discs or flexi-discs?

[@brandonlim7186]

You are the Gem.

[@ComradeShootyPOG]

Where would be a good place to look for a cutting lathe to cut records as well as lacquer discs? I'm looking into purchasing a cutting lathe as well as a few lacquer records to hopefully start pressing vinyl, but I have no clue where to look. How did you get your cutting lathe and lacquer records? Thanks and have a wonderful day!

[@Doctormix]

Ebay? Reverb.com?

[@ComradeShootyPOG]

@@Doctormix Thanks! I found the lacquer discs I needed, how did you get your cutting lathe?

[@grimlins9553]

Your studio is a museum 😂Vinyl Cowbells caps great collection

[@michaelwight9851]

I can remember adverts for a Vestax turntable that you could cut wax on, never could afford it, so I bought 2 vesta pdx 2000 pro mk2 and a Allen and heath mixer instead lol.

[@mammothgreenstudiodiscosde2635]

nice and priety machine, but impossibe to cut right, impossible to make one complete vinyl. have a toooooo muuuuuch project errors.. you to it right about got a pdx and allen heath instead.. heh

[@newtronix]

That blue break beats is a great album. Lou Donaldson!

[@brianwilson2904]

@Doctor Mix there is one thing you forgot to mention and that is that the Mastering for Vinal is different for that of CD and MP3.

[@muzikman2008]

Great video doc... Now I just need someone to buy my music 🎶😂🎶

[@terrymacklin5935]

Hi Claudio, hope you are keeping well. If you were going to mix kick and bass for vinyl with CUBASE how would apply the plugin EQ Frequency?

[@eancurtis9333]

Awesome thanks

[@AmandaJayne46]

Nice one, brings back some great 👍 memories 💋. Stay safe & healthy

[@horowizard]

So how do they actually get the music? Can you send them a tape? A DAT? Flash Drive with a Digital .wav file?

[@Doctormix]

Just wav! The lathe cutting engineer does the rest

[@bjarkeistruppedersen8213]

Don't they create a metal "positive" from the metal negative, to be able to create new negative stampers? Sorry if I'm not explaining well, it is a bit difficult to describe. My point is that they need multiple negatives to mass produce

[@The_Sonic_Ally]

excellent vidy !

[@BurkenProductions]

So how would the metal work sound if you accually tried playing it? Got any samples for us? :)

[@andrewverran3498]

Anyone had any success flattening a warped 12" record?

[@marcotibaldi2073]

Hi Claudio great show yesterday night ! .... kraftwer, hancock, Pink Floyd (my fovourite)... but do you know Nova from 1982? i think "terra" would be nice to do remake again

[@mammothgreenstudiodiscosde2635]

Dear just one thing: -The needle (stylus) use for lacquer is ruby or saphire, not diamond, diamont have statics prop's with lacquer and cut deep proprieties that make the work hard, and as the static goes, you can have a spark.. and... yeah, it's going to blow the jar and the suction tube goes to work like a flametower and going to destroy the super expensive stylus and going to ruin the cutterhead (the thing that record everything) and of course going to ruin the engeneer's life. (btw, people starting to make diamond stylus for lacquer works, but it's really expensive even it can run sooo many hours as the saphire stylus). BUT, in general, diamonts are used to cut direct vinyl record materials. -The process called "cutting", as it remove chip (the groove itself) from the lacquer. The "embossing" are named the art of not remove shipping, only "pressing" groove. but the sound is mono, not have too much life time and sound is really more "lofi" mode.. And, of corse, dont think i try to say "oh, you're wrong, it's useless, blablabla", really love your work, and love you meeting with "mom no computer". One day i really want give a vinyl for both of you! -Vice: Cutter engeneer from MGS-vinyl records by hand.

[@SadhanaKhawas]

Can I have a record pressed for personal use and not commercial publishing?

[@ciddax754]

Sure. The problem is making the cut and the metal work is the process, that costs the money. If you make 1 or 100 prints is not that huge difference.

[@SadhanaKhawas]

@@ciddax754 so I can like press 1 copy of my personal track for home use right?

[@ciddax754]

@@SadhanaKhawas the interface is aimed for mass production. But I bet you can talk with the sales department you only want one or two presses. The problem are the fix costs for cutting and metalworks. Your in for at least one grand before any pressing takes place. Vinyl is really a medium for mass production.

[@xfolkanx]

I admire you a lot

[@teeboww386]

Mr doctor mix, thanks for your videos! I see you've gathered some of the best vintage gear availabe! how about remaking some of the best classicals? I challenge you to reproduce aquarium from saint saens! That would be awesome! cheers ! keep it real!

[@Ishkur23]

But what about dubplates?

[@newtronix]

I would love to release a vinyl album but I think it's more of a case I believe in miracles at the moment!

[@BOBTRICK]

Grande disco Figli delle stelle!

[@patkelly3966]

Very interesting. What about pressing to acetate, like old skool dub plates? (# Nice DJ Spinna LP!!!)

[@ErikGomez]

Hey Dr Mix, will you do a recreation of Tenebrae by Goblin??

[@ToastedMusic00]

MASTERING FOR VINYL!!!!!!!!!!!! SOUNDS INTERESING COMPARES THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DIGITAL AUIDO.

[@giovannicarpineti4555]

My Mine - Hypnotic Tango please

[@paulgowler5181]

I've heard that multi-coloured vinyl typically can have problems, because the different dyes and additives makes the different colours have different melting points, so the pressing can have audio inconcistencies. I guess a talented engineer will factor this in, and high quality equipment can minimise that, but I tend to avoid it. Paper sleeves generate a lot of static, so if you sell records in them, they will arrive needing a clean. Casual buyers probably won't know this, and even if they do probably don't have any equipment that will properly clean them (like a vacuum machine) and something to deal with the static, like a zerostat gun. In this case, they might think your records are just poor quality, that the pops and crackles have arisen from the cutting or stamping process. I have never, nor do I ever intend to, cut or sell vinyl, but I am an enthusiast, and that's simply my suspicion. If you actually cut and sell vinyl, obviously you're going to have a better insight here. I just wonder if it's something to consider. It would just suck to go through all the trouble of pressing a high quality record only to develop a bad reputation from customers who aren't aware of how to properly care for their records. Although, if you're a small or niche company, probably casual vinyl fans aren't that likely to be buying from you. Just my unsolicited thoughts!

[@ciolamorta]

The ear looks like a turtle listening to Doctor Mix deconstructions.

[@youbecha64]

Cool!

[@tenlittleindians]

When the Beatles released the White album there were a limited number released in white vinyl.

[@charlesfichter68]

I'm just wondering : can your listen to the metal one ? Like with a special needle or smth ? Otherwise super great vid, clear and precise !

[@MTWODZU]

Yes. If you would have a needle which will trace inverted grooves, it would be possible.

[@jakuberemus714]

yeah i'm wondering it to :)

[@ciddax754]

Nope! It has bumbs where it needed groves. But you could listen to the original cut. Not that often, because it's too soft. But you could.

[@charlesfichter68]

@@ciddax754 thanks, very intresting !

[@MTWODZU]

@@ciddax754 Try to open audio file in audio editor, invert the phase of the wave and you still will be able to listen the sound. You can also change polarity connecting speaker wire. Same situation.

[@marcomaureira]

damn that man machine vinyl

[@mimoochodom2684]

Love how he explains how vinyl works. Forgot about the "download" generation watching.

[@helloperson6431]

Cool.

[@classicgamer2007]

If you need a Graphic Designer, please get in touch with me, I love creating music album artworks.

[@Mig77PL]

Hello there, how about recreating "Son Of My Father" by Chicory Tip? It would be great to see and hear this one by Doctor Mix♥️

[@djsonvinylcollection]

Nice 👍

[@wallmenis]

might consider them if i get successful enough

[@nexuzeb79]

No comments on sound quality compared to cd's and all other media??? WTF???

[@iqi616]

The words "sound quality" and "vinyl" have no correlation. Apart from audiophile classical and jazz labels, with a few exceptions such as RCA Victor, the quality of pressings for popular music varied between shite and utter shite. As soon as the CD was featured on Tomorrow's World I stopped wasting my money on vinyl and just kept a wishlist (some of which I had to wait for iTunes to fulfill). Can't understand the people who get teary-eyed over vinyl (though I do miss the cover art). The only practical use is for old-school DJ-ing.

[@iqi616]

@@drstupid1 LOL! You listened to any seventies Polydor pressings? It's as if they came pre-scratched and popped from the factory. It was a revelation to listen to the CD versions of Oxygene and Equinoxe and hear what those synths actually sounded like.

[@corezone4250]

Every medium’s good, I like the texture they all have. Tape has a thin noise and vinyls have grain in my opinion it adds to the music.

[@snoopdoggdankkush9285]

BRO I LOVE CUBAN FURY FLAT FANTA (:

[@jesseoutlawww1]

hey Dr Mix i was on Yoruba records to ...Awesome

[@Doctormix]

Really?!! Name of the record pls?

[@jesseoutlawww1]

Sambas

[@jesseoutlawww1]

@@Doctormix its called 'Sambas' Obatala Y Oduduwa but Osunlade put his name on it it was me and santos

[@jesseoutlawww1]

houseofvinyl.london/vinyl/electronic/house/deep-house/sambas-que-vive-el-canto-yoruba-records.html

[@jesseoutlawww1]

released in 2001

[@Lanwarder]

My main question would be, why put on sunglasses just to take them off 15 seconds into the video? I love the content, good job ;).

[@filtafacta]

Thought you had a lathe delivered :D

[@aurelionasvw]

Fantastico

[@debrebeuf8959]

3:49

[@harthenry]

I guess using Qrates you can only perform ADD and not AAD?

[@iqi616]

For vinyl the final D would be an A. Just saying.

[@kingblendz9547]

I'm a DJ and want to press my own vinyl

[@alexandrstudio6963]

THNKS U!)

[@CoolDudeClem]

I would LOVE to have my music that I make on vinyl, I'm not interested in selling it though, just wanna have physical vinyl copies of my music. Is there anywhere a totally broke person like me can do that?

[@patkelly3966]

Crowd funding?

[@ciddax754]

Sadly no! In the late nineties and early twothousends you could grab a cutting machine and the rest of the needed equipment for the worth of it's scrap metal. Vinyl sales were in their free fall in those days. With the nowadays boom in vinyl the stuff is worth their weight in gold. And even if you could get your hand on those old equipment, they are not that cheap to operate. As you are not interested in selling, a crowd funding would be no option too.

[@patkelly3966]

I think you are going to have to save up and send it to a mastering engineer/service. If its a one off then it is definitely doable on a budget I reckon.

[@patkelly3966]

@@ciddax754 Wisdom

[@ciddax754]

@@patkelly3966 cutting and the metalworks is the real expensive part. Your in with at least one grand before any pressing takes place. The vinyl presses don't cost that much per piece.

[@Volodka7000]

Perfect English!

[@FastLaneLyfe]

Sounds like Tim Westwood

[@patkelly3966]

That's a funny joke.

[@kazunorikawasaki7081]

👍👍👍

[@jnnx]

You might have timed this wrong.

[@SourceChild]

Herby Hancock.... yeah! 👍

[@syn891]

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@maxflute7893]

HELL YEAH DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

[@BurkenProductions]

So if you wanna try and do vinyl pressing in your garage... or kitchen for that matter.. that would be even cooler. Shouldn't be THAT hard. Just a nice challenge.

[@johnsilva5020]

I gave up the idea of vinyl when my Pioneer record player went through insanely expensive sapphire styluses in a very short time, about 40yrs ago. I keep my entire collection digital, retrievable via streaming literally from anywhere. Vinyl if not stored properly is heat sensitive and will warp. You can always backup your digital collection to another hard drive.

[@ciddax754]

I will never forget that incident with the warped vinyl of a DJ: I worked years ago as a roadie on festivals mostly dedicated to electronic music. I was sent to fetch one of the more famous DJs from the parking lot. He had some suitecases and a bag with his precious set, full of his carefully selected vinyl. While I carried his suitcases, he was insistent on carrying the bag himself. In the backstage area I put his suitcases into his trailer and he leaned his bag against a box behind the catering counter, asking the girls to have a look onto his records. It was in the late morning and he was one of the main acts. He should begin, when the sun will start to set. His bag was of a very dark color (some kind of black velvet) and the beautiful logo on it contained lot of red tones. I had other things to do, but in the late evening we had a problem: The glearing sun had warped his bag and it looked like a banana. The DJ was totally devastated and we had a crisis. I was lucky to find a flat-iron and was able to flatten again his records. He could borrow some records from other DJ and with both he could play his gig. And yes .. the sound of the ironed records was a little bit worbled. But hey ... that could also be intentional. It was really a great gig and he got even some compliments about his real psychodelic sound. ;) Furthermore I got stories told from other DJs about the problems with vinyl. Me ironing precious vinyl records between some sheets did draw a clound in the backstage area: Another problem they have, is the dust! When you play at a openair party in the summer, the dancing crowd will stir up a lot of dirt and dust. Everything looks like it was sparcled with a fine powder. That stuff is real evil to records. A record cleaning machine helps a little but you are wearing records down, much faster then usual.