As the saying goes “you have a lifetime to finish your first album, 18 months to release the next one”.  

While 18 months is slightly excessive, it’s a good idea to have the musical content finalised around 4 - 6 months before you plan to put a record out. Not only will this allow time for the physical attributes to be produced, packaged and shipped, but also to put all the necessary wheels in motion for a successful marketing campaign.  

A big consideration at this point is how long each side is going to be. 

18-20 mins is the ideal length per side for a 12” record at 33rpm. 22 mins maximum.  

For a 12” cut at 45 rpm 10-12 mins is ideal. 14 mins max.   

While it is possible to cut longer sides, compromises must be made that may affect volume and sound quality of the cut.  

Additionally, the longer each side, the closer the cut gets towards the centre label, which can introduce Inner Groove Distortion (IGD). This is where high frequencies become harder to track as the groove circumference becomes smaller, meaning less physical space for audio detail. 

Two ways to avoid this are firstly to keep each side under the maximum threshold, and if possible, choose a less intense song as the last track. 

Savvy engineers and labels wise to this phenomenon tend to place the quieter songs, ballads, tracks with fewer cymbals and less vocal sibilance at the end of each side.  

A good mastering engineer not only adds the finishing touches to your music, but their role is also to prepare your master files for the destination format.  

For the best possible results from a vinyl cut, we recommend creating separate master files for streaming vs vinyl as well as CD.  

The audio specifications for each are very different and master files created specifically for vinyl will allow the cutting engineer to optimise your music for the physical format.  

A mastering engineer will also compile the tracks in your chosen running order and produce for you a PQ sheet - a document outlining the finalised track listing and order of play, with detailed information on start times, track duration and end points.  

If you have a bunch of individual master files, we can do this for you.  

For a vinyl cut the tracks are arranged in order and rendered as one long audio file for each side known as a ‘Compiled Side’. At this point you can request more or less space between songs if required.  

If you haven’t already, you will need to finalise and submit your artwork for the sleeve and labels.  

Often the artwork and aesthetics of a project are as important as the music itself. A long lead on this will allow plenty of time for the sleeves and labels to be produced, but also inserts, stickers, stencils, posters and any additional print you may wish to include with your release.  

At Packaged Sounds our dedicated art department can guide you through these options as well as provide various templates that you will need for sleeves and labels.  

At this stage you can also choose from our wide range of vinyl colours and patterns that will enhance your project's visual identity and make your release really pop.  

This crucial step is where your digital audio files are turned into a physical master disc that will be a true representation of how your music will sound on a record.  

The disc then goes through a 2-step process of galvanisation in which the disc and grooves are plated in nickel. Once peeled away these form negative impressions of the disc’s grooves, which are used to produce stampers to press copies of your record at scale.  

Here at Packaged Sounds we cut lacquer discs (one for each side) on our vintage Neumann VMS70 cutting lathe.  

These discs, known commonly as acetate discs or ‘dubplates’ became popular with DJs through the 1980s and 90s who would take these freshly cut one-offs to road test at shows, often months ahead of the release date.  

Today it’s much easier to bounce a digital file to test out and promote new music, but this process remains an integral part of getting audio recordings onto a physical disc.  

Cutting engineers possess a unique set of skills for creating a true and faithful representation of your music that will sound great on vinyl. As well as other new materials that are coming onto the market.  

Before a record goes into full production it’s useful to create a short run of test pressings or ‘TPs’.  

TP’s are primarily an opportunity to approve the cut and to ensure you are happy with how it will sound on vinyl, but they can also be a valuable limited edition of your release.  

Sometimes these are offered as pre-release treasures to super-fans, sold as limited runs or simply used as intended - to test out your record on different playbacks systems.  

Once you have approved the TPs and the printed sleeves and labels have arrived, the job will then be scheduled to go onto full press.  

When everything is approved and in place it’s time to hit the button and press the full run of your record. Depending on the project this may involve pressing several different variants of the same record.  

At this stage quality control is key. There are numerous things that can go wrong on press from stamper damage to loose centre holes. All of which are tightly monitored by our dedicated audio department, who as you can imagine listen to a LOT of records.  

This involves a full visual inspection and full listen of the first few records that come off press. After a press is running satisfactorily, we make regular visual and audio checks throughout the production phase to ensure the records are coming out to the highest standard.  

While we strive to produce the best possible product, some of a vinyl records' imperfections are precisely what sets the medium apart from a digital file. Giving that much loved character and warmth a physical record brings.  

So much so that effects like vinyl crackle and analogue saturation are often added to modern recordings by artists and producers in search of that special sound.  

From alternative colours and designs to box sets containing multiple records, this is where it all comes together to create the finished article that your fans will cherish. 

It’s also a good opportunity for some content creation to show off your upcoming release.  

After a period of resting, the records are packed into their inner sleeves followed by the outer sleeves with all the inserts and goodies that are to be included.  

Finally, they are shrink wrapped and boxed up to be shipped out to the label / the artist / the distributor or multiple destinations.  

Here at Packaged Sounds we manage all of these steps in-house allowing us to take care of every aspect of your vinyl production and delivery.  

We embrace the weird, the ambitious and technically ridiculous. If you can dream it, we can make it.  

Get in touch with our team to discuss your next project.