Services and Process

How to Submit Your Music for Vinyl Mastering:

We prefer to create Vinyl Masters directly from the mix, but we can repurpose your digital master to accommodate the physical limitations of the medium. Note that loud digital masters with heavy limiting are not optimal starting points for a great vinyl record.

Please submit your files using the following guidelines:

• File Format: WAV, AIFF, or other lossless formats
• Sample Rate: 48 kHz (preferred), 44.1 kHz
• Bit Depth: 24 bits (preferred), 16 bits
• No compressed formats (such as MP3)
• Attach a text file with the full tracklist

Some Fundamentals and Specifics:

• The louder the signal, the larger the groove, and the larger the groove, the more space it requires. Keep in mind that more tracks on a side will result in a loss of overall level. For larger projects, consider removing tracks or spreading them across a double vinyl to preserve level and dynamics.
• Brighter tracks with an emphasis on high frequencies sound better at the beginning of each side. The last track on a side will sound darker and less dynamic in comparison, due to slower needle speed and tighter groove spacing. Again, mind the track order.
• Excessive stereo imaging does not translate well to vinyl, as well as too much bass or highs. These are typically the areas where we may remove specific information during the mastering stage.
• For mixes, a minimum of 3 dB of headroom or more is required to achieve the best results. Please avoid heavy limiting and bus compression on the master of your DAW.

Loudness to length relationship cheat sheet:

Recommendations for Side Length at 33 1/3 RPM (in minutes):

• 10:00—12:00 = Excellent
• 12:00—19:00 = Very Good
• 19:00—22:00 = Good
• 22:00—24:00 = Fair
• 24:00+ = Not Recommended

Recommendations for Side Length at 45 RPM (in minutes):

• 6:00—8:00 = Excellent
• 8:00—10:00 = Very Good
• 12:00—15:00 = Good

If you are unsure about the quality of your own mastering, let us perform a pre-mastering check.