People are always asking me about mastering for vinyl, and I’m happy to try and help based on the experience I have. I don’t actually cut vinyl myself though, so that advice is always limited and second-hand. 

So for this episode I decided to talk to a genuine expert on the topic - Scott Hull from Masterdisk - and really get into the details. Scott’s knowledge and experience of cutting vinyl is enormous, as you’ll hear, and I took full advantage of that in this episode ! Some of the things we talked about include:

• The 4 stages of vinyl production, and why each is important
• How making assumptions about vinyl mastering can backfire
• Why choosing which plant is going to press the records is crucial
• The crucial role of the lathe - and it’s setup
• The myth of duration on vinyl - why “20 minutes per side” isn’t a hard and fast rule
• Why less limiting allows you to cut louder on vinyl
• What is the magic of vinyl ?

Links

Scott Hull @ Masterdisk

Making Vinyl @ Masterdisk: Podcast and YouTube

TMS #76 - Is stereo bass a problem on vinyl ?

What Artists Get Wrong With Their Vinyl Releases: A Conversation with Scott Hull