Step 1: Plan your timeline first

Pressing your music on vinyl is one of the most rewarding ways to release it. There’s nothing quite like holding a finished record with your artwork on the jacket. But if it’s your first time, the process can feel like a mystery. Here’s how it works from start to finish, and what you’ll need to decide along the way.

The biggest surprise for most first-timers is how long vinyl takes. Much of the industry quotes three to four months from start to finish.

At Groove House, finished records ship about six weeks after you approve your test pressing. You’ll still want to allow time before that for mastering, cutting, and test pressings, but the overall timeline is far shorter than most artists expect.

Whatever your release date, work backward from it, and don’t cut it close. Manufacturing involves a lot of steps, and delays can happen. Our advice from decades of experience: plan your release for after you have your records in hand, and give yourself a safety margin. Don’t schedule your release party too close to your estimated delivery date. The extra time also gives you more room to promote.

Step 2: Prepare your audio for vinyl

Vinyl is a physical medium, so your audio needs a few considerations that digital releases don’t.

Side lengths matter. A record has two sides, and the longer a side runs, the quieter and less detailed it can sound. For a 12-inch record at 33⅓ RPM, keeping each side to around 18 to 22 minutes gives the best results. If your album runs longer, you may need to trim tracks or consider a double album.

Sequence each side. Decide which songs go on Side A and Side B, and try to balance the running times.

Master specifically for vinyl. A master made for streaming isn’t always ideal for a record. Very loud masters, harsh high frequencies, and wide stereo bass can all cause problems on vinyl. Let your mastering engineer know the music is headed to vinyl, and check our mastering specs for exactly what to send to us.

Step 3: Choose your record options

Quantity. Vinyl pressing has a minimum run, and the price per record drops significantly as quantities go up. Many first-time artists start with a few hundred records.

Weight. Standard records are 140 grams. 180-gram records are heavier and feel more substantial in the hand, and many collectors prefer them. It’s a popular upgrade for releases aimed at serious listeners.

Color. Classic black is always an option, but colored vinyl can make your release stand out and become a collector’s item. Browse our vinyl color options to see what’s possible.

Step 4: Choose your jacket

The record jacket is your album’s first impression and the biggest canvas for your artwork.

Single jacket. A standard sleeve that holds one record. Clean, classic, and cost-effective.

Gatefold jacket. A jacket that opens like a book, giving you twice the real estate for artwork, lyrics, photos, and credits. It’s a great choice for a special release.

Step 5: Prepare your artwork

You’ll need artwork for the jacket and for the center labels on each side of the record. Use our vinyl templates to make sure everything is sized correctly, with proper bleed and safe areas, and review our design specs before sending files. Taking care here keeps your project moving, since artwork corrections are one of the most common causes of delays.

Step 6: Approve your test pressing

We’ll send you a digital proof of your artwork to approve before anything is printed.

Before your full run is pressed, you’ll receive test pressings: a small number of records made from your actual stampers. This is your chance to hear exactly what the finished records will sound like.

Listen on a good turntable, from start to finish, on both sides. Once you approve the test pressing, your records go into production, and about six weeks later, they’re ready to ship.

Step 7: Plan your release

While your records are being pressed, get your launch ready. Build your pre-order page, line up press and social media, and get your merch table ready. Vinyl sells especially well in person, where fans can see and hold it.

If you can, wait to announce a firm release date until your records have arrived. If you need to announce sooner, build in a generous cushion after your estimated delivery date. A release show without records is every artist’s nightmare, and a little patience here avoids it entirely.

Ready to get started?

The easiest first step is to price out your project in our quote calculator, where you can compare quantities, weights, and jacket options. If you have questions along the way, get in touch. We’ve been helping artists release their music since 1996, and we’re happy to walk you through it.