How Are Vinyl Records Made?

Vinyl records may feel like ancient technology to some.

But, the reality is that this amazing musical medium is more popular now than it has ever been before.

And vinyl’s rise from the ashes is completely cross-generational, as old and young alike recognise that the natural sound quality it delivers, really does mean that vinyl sounds better!

So with that said, have you ever asked yourself: “how are vinyl records made”?

Exactly how does your favourite music end up engraved on a piece of vinyl.

How Are Vinyl Records Made?

Every physical vinyl record is made in a very similar way.

And as you would expect, the process has become more automated over the years, enabling the industry to keep up with the current high demand for vinyl records.

Let’s learn the basics of how vinyl records are made and how they are imprinted with music.

Understanding how vinyl records are made is all part of enjoying them.

These physical discs with grooves that hold music for us to endlessly enjoy are a wonderful thing.

Everyone who enjoys vinyls should know how they are made.

Let’s explore the process step by step in a way that is easy to understand.

Step 1. The Music is Recorded

The very first step in the process is simply recording the music that will be made into the vinyl record.

A musician or band will record their music in a very high-quality format to ensure that all of the subtleties of their music are captured properly.

The music is then mixed and mastered by professional audio engineers, especially with vinyl records in mind.

The high-quality audio is sent to a record engraver, and the process of making the actual physical record can begin.

Step 2. The Music is Engraved into a Lacquer “Mother Disc”

Once the music has been recorded, mixed, and mastered, it can be engraved into a lacquer disc that is used to create the stamp that presses the records.

The music is engraved on the lacquer disc, known as the ‘mother disc’ by a specialised machine that has a very hard chisel made out of materials such as ruby.

The lacquer disc is fairly easy to engrave, but it is very fragile.

The machine used to engrave the disc is highly sensitive.

It receives vibrations from cutting amps that play all the frequencies of the recorded music into the engraver…

…causing it to vibrate with the music and thereby engrave those vibrations into the disc as it rotates.

Step 3. The Mother Disk is Used to Make the “Master”

When the mother disc is complete, it is sent to a record-pressing plant, where it is used to create the master stamp.

The mother disc is coated in silver and soaked in a nickel solution to harden it.

The silver fills the grooves of the disk, hardens, and forms a ‘negative’ of the record that is used to imprint the music into vinyl records.

Step 4. The Master Stamp is Used to Create Vinyl Records

At the final stage of manufacture, the polyvinyl chloride (that’s PVC to you and me) used to make the records, is melted down into thick discs called pucks.

These pucks are then loaded into a record press along with record labels for each puck.

The vinyl is heated to soften it, the label is placed over it, and the master stamp is mechanically pressed down into the vinyl.

This pressing flattens the vinyl out to around 2mm thick, and imprints the recorded music into it.

Any excess vinyl is trimmed off, the record is allowed to cool, and it is then packaged into its sleeves for distribution and sale.

Wrapping it Up!

After the record is pressed and packaged, it can be sold.

Vinyl is perfect for pressing records into because it is durable enough to retain the grooves required for the music…

…but it can also be heated and pressed easily.

The next time you listen to a physical record, take a moment to appreciate how the record was made…

…where it came from, and the journey it has taken to reach your record player.