what is 33 1/3 rpm ?

[lelijaa]

Hi,

I'm a completely vinyl beginner and I'm trying to find on the web some answers to my question but I can't find anything that helps me to understand it completely..
So, can anyone please explain me what does "33 1/3 rpm" actuallly mean? If I'm told to give audio materials for vinyl cutting in "33 1/3 rpm" (I'm recording in Ableton) does that means that the audio should be in 133 bpm or something else?

Please help me to understand this better. It's pretty urgent!
I appreciate any help!

Tnx!

 

[John Willett]

33 and a third rpm (rotations per minute) is the rotational speed of a vinyl LP record.

A single was 45 rpm and an old shellec "78" was about 78 rpm.

To cut a record you would supply a normal 24/96 digital file for the cutting engineer to put through his DAC, or you supply him with an analogue stereo tape.

The recording really needs to be mastered for vinyl with EQ that compensates for all the losses in the cutting and pressing process, and it's also important that bass is panned centre as an off-centre bass signal will cause the pick-up stylus to jump out of the groove.

I hope this helps.

 

[Robus]

Edit: Beat me to it.

 

[lelijaa]

It helps! Thanks!

Just one more thing, what is "normal 24/96 digital file" ? Mastering will do one other person. Does that means that I need to give him just normal audio exporting samples 24-bit 48KHz ? Without carring out about any special operations relating to that when preparing my files?

 

[Farview]

He was telling you to output a 24 bit 96khz file, but 48k will be fine.

Yes, just hand them your normal mix file for mastering and tell the engineer that you will be putting this on vinyl. He might do different versions for vinyl and CD

 

[Greg_L]

33 and a third rpm (rotations per minute) is the rotational speed of a vinyl LP record.

A single was 45 rpm and an old shellec "78" was about 78 rpm.

To cut a record you would supply a normal 24/96 digital file for the cutting engineer to put through his DAC, or you supply him with an analogue stereo tape.

The recording really needs to be mastered for vinyl with EQ that compensates for all the losses in the cutting and pressing process, and it's also important that bass is panned centre as an off-centre bass signal will cause the pick-up stylus to jump out of the groove.

I hope this helps.

He was telling you to output a 24 bit 96khz file, but 48k will be fine.

Yes, just hand them your normal mix file for mastering and tell the engineer that you will be putting this on vinyl. He might do different versions for vinyl and CD

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization

 

[joey2000]

Did any other old timers just shake their head sadly...I think I need for it to be the 20th century again......

 

[ecc83]

If you want what is possibly the best discourse on the RIAA EQ curves and how the maximum levels at various frequencies influence the design of a disc replay amplifier, varder Douglas Self's "Small Signal Amplifier Design". He also gives a schematic and design details of a super accurate, state of the art pre amp.

Personally I am glad to have left all that swaddling behind!

Dave.

 

[witzendoz]

Did any other old timers just shake their head sadly...I think I need for it to be the 20th century again......

I went into a local CD shop, one of the good ones, and had a talk to them about business since downloading has killed the CD, he said business is great since we moved all the vinyl to the front of the shop, vinyl is back and has saved his business.

Alan.

 

[ecc83]

I went into a local CD shop, one of the good ones, and had a talk to them about business since downloading has killed the CD, he said business is great since we moved all the vinyl to the front of the shop, vinyl is back and has saved his business.

Alan.

I am, of course, very happy to read that.

Dave.