HOW A MUSIC VINYL RECORD IS MADE! A BREIF DESCRIPTION!

HOW VINYL IS MADE.. BREIF HELPFUL INFORMATION ON THE PROCESS IN MAKING A VINYL RECORD!

MASTERING /CUTTING The music is converted to analogue signals which vibrate a diamond cutting stylus. A lathe is used which cuts a groove (left and right– to produce stereo) and ( up and down for the -bass and treble) this is cut into a 14" aluminium disk covered with a plastic coating. This plastic coating is called (the Lacquer) .
THE ENGINEER adjusts the EQ and compression to get good clean grooves.

METALWORK

Lacquer is sprayed with a silver solution (to make it into a good conductor of electricty) it is then placed into a bath containing a nickel suphamate solution,

Then an electric current is passed though this and small nickel particles are attracted to the surface of the lacquer . This is the (+ positive) this goes into another tank and the process is repeated to produce the mirror image the (-negative) these are keep as MASTERS. a further copy is made ( STAMPERS) these thin metal plates are then fitted to a record press -PRESSING - A puck of vinyl material is squashed between two heated moulds under hydraulic pressure, the press puts the labels on at the same time. the 12" is then trimmed, cooled and packed !!!!

This is the basic process used to make a vinyl record, hopefully this will give you a better understanding when we use such words such as MASTERS and STAMPERS! Codes are\were used by manufactures and were stamped or etched on to the run off grooves, often the first pressings were etched with an initial by the master presser. With a deeper understanding of these manufacturers codes, it can help us to date and understand which master our vinyls were pressed from!

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HOW A VINYL IS MADE: A BREIF DESCRIPTION!