How To Make Good Analog Music Recordings - some Tips from Moritz Illner

Realizing that many independent artists and bands are more than just curious about the re-emerging possibility to offer something more than just a digital file. We thought it would be interesting to do an interview to get some vinyl manufacturing tips.

From our research and communications with several pressing plants, we have discovered that there is a substantial difference between services and costs across the offering table of vinyl manufacturers. But what we have worked out, is, that if given a few concerts, a supportive family, and active myspace page you can manage to sell between 200-300 records, you will be able to break-even on costs with a price per record as little as Euros 2-4 or USD 3-6.

So to learn more about the process of making vinyl records we contacted a vinyl record pressing plant in Germany and asked them a couple of questions. We found a dedicated and service minded team that taught us a lot about the process of producing vinyl records. Moritz Illner answered some of our questions about how to get one's music out on vinyl.

Thomas: What is the history of Duophonic? Who is behind the company, and what is your position in the company?

Moritz: Duophonic was founded in 2002. We started as a reseller of CD-Pressings and did small runs on our own CD Duplicator. Me as the technical chief and David did all the controlling and project management. We both, David Jahnke and me were great Vinyl fans so we discovered a way to combine our hobby and our job. Step by step we bought more and more Studio equipment especially old vinyl- cutting rags...

Thomas: When did your start focusing on vinyl, and why?

Moritz: I was always fascinated of the miracle to conserve the stereo-sound information in a little groove. In the mid 90ties when I finished my sound engineer training, this was far more exotic then nowadays. But I always bought vinyl instead of CDs so the way a good record has to sound gets very familiar to me over the years. Then a few months after launching Duophonic we found the curious guy near our hometown how had constructed a vinyl recorder. We bought one machine and started doing small runs for Djs and Producers in the end of 2002 with our own vinyl cutting 'lathe.

Thomas: There are different ways of vinyl production, what are the main ways? And, what way of production does your company offer?

You can cut records directly in vinyl as a one-off or small run production. This is only interesting for DJ or home use, not for sale, because its not cheap (round 40 euros at duophonic).

If you run a label or band and you want to sell your LPs or singles you have to press your records. Then you can choose two different ways of cutting your Master. DMM -cutting; there you cut the groove into a copper plate. The second is lacquer cutting, the groove is cut into a lacquer coated aluminium plate, and it's the most popular way. The pressing process itself is nearly the same. Duophonic has a Neumann VMS 70 Lacquer cutting Lathe and we are very happy with its sound.

Thomas: Should artists use different cutting/pressing methods for different types of music (electronic, indie, rock, punk)? If so, why?

Moritz: The most records you can buy nowadays are lacquer cuts, because there are only a few DMM lathes left and the only advantage cutting into copper is the longer playing time. If you want to have loud records for example electronic 45er Maxis it's better on lacquer, because DMM can't cut so deep. This is important because your playback stylus have to move very fast if the record is loud and therefore he needs a proper guidance. If you have a lot of stereo information in your music than you need a deep cut too. For example if you have massive panned guitars on a punk rock single.

The big advantage of Dmm cutting is the longer playing time per side. The maximum on our VMS 70 is 24- 25 min per side. With DMM you have up to 30 min. But a record with a playing time like a CD couldn't sound good anyway.

Thomas: How long would it take me to get 200 new pressed 12" records delivered to my home in Norway if I gave you an audiotape today?

Moritz: It takes around 14 working days. But I would advice to make 300 pieces because all the paperwork and the pressing get much cheaper then.

Thomas: There is little doubt about the current vinyl revival, which is occurring in the midst of an industry going through major structural changes. Have you seen development in the demand pattern for vinyl during recent years?

Moritz: Not having the big major customers, we're not affected by this "Madonna makes vinyl again" phenomenon. What we see the last years is much more diversity in genres and scenes the last years. All "electronic dance music" is decreasing because of mp3 DJ software. All other independent stuff is increasing especially 7inches (punk, garage, ect.) and Metal LPs, obscure small runs of everything between art and music..

The editions gone down, the average is around 300. But the packaging and the records itself becomes more individual and sumptuous. Things like engraving or double grooves on the record, or silkscreen printed covers are very hot at the moment. There are fewer labels but much more bands that want to sell their product on concerts and so on. They need more help getting a real professional finished product, so we as a company do a lot of consulting work depending artwork specification, sound mastering and so on. For Duophonic the change in music industry is not bad at all .

Thomas: Where do you see vinyl in 10 years? (Still going strong?)

Moritz: Hopefully! Don1t know, but as a niche product it will survive I think.

Thomas: What are your all-time top five records?

Moritz: Hard question, after typing 12, deleting 10, typing 13, deleting 3, typing 5, deleting 12. Here's the list:

Die Goldenen Zitronen - Economy class - LP
Beck - Odelay - LP
Trio - Trio - LP
Fugazi - Self titled - EP
Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die - LP