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Sample workflow for LP digitization

manual.audacityteam.org

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Re: Sample workflow for LP digitization

#4

Post by jeffbr13 »

minikites wrote: post #2

To those who would ask "why rip vinyl instead of getting the CD?", there are lots and lots of records that never made it to CD.

"lots of records that never made it to CD" is a great phrase! Of course we're still stuck using the lingo created at the start of the recording industry boom of the twentieth century, much as we're likely to continue saying "disk drive" although we've already moved away from spinning rust.

Many records are still never released on anything apart from vinyl. Many subcultures in music have returned to/continued releasing on that medium for aesthetic or commercial reasons: most often it's either to encourage physical DJing, the relationship with the music as an artefact, or because exclusivity makes business sense.

Re: Sample workflow for LP digitization

#6

Post by lucideer »

minikites wrote: post #2

To those who would ask "why rip vinyl instead of getting the CD?", there are lots and lots of records that never made it to CD.

There are also other relatively compelling reasons around quality.

And I'm not referring to the idea that vinyl is an inherently better quality format than CD, but rather that many[0] actual pressings have been mastered in higher quality in practice.

[0] http://dr.loudness-war.info/

Re: Sample workflow for LP digitization

#7

Post by keithpeter »

chiph wrote: post #3

I didn't see it mentioned, but I wonder if Audacity inverts the RIAA equalization curve. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization

You are right, there is no mention of the turntable/stylus/preamplifier configuration at all.

I would guess that the Audacity people assume that people would be using a turntable plugged into a preamplifier with RIAA equilisation built in.

http://midimagic.sgc-hosting.com/mixphono.htm

History before the 1950s is complex. Audacity has provision for defining a frequency response curve and applying that curve to a project.

Re: Sample workflow for LP digitization

#8

Post by hnhg »

jeffbr13 wrote: post #4
minikites wrote: post #2

To those who would ask "why rip vinyl instead of getting the CD?", there are lots and lots of records that never made it to CD.

"lots of records that never made it to CD" is a great phrase! Of course we're still stuck using the lingo created at the start of the recording industry boom of the twentieth century, much as we're likely to continue saying "disk drive" although we've already moved away from spinning rust. Many records are still never released on anything apart from vinyl. Many subcultures in music have returned to/continued releasin…

Great comment. You need only Google "vinyl only 2016" or any other year to see how relatively common this is.

Re: Sample workflow for LP digitization

#9

Post by hardwaresofton »

While I have no need of ripping vinyl, just wanted to say that Audacity is one of the best examples of indispensable FOSS (when it comes to working with sound) that I have ever come across in my life.

I remember I was using it well over 7 years ago, and was in awe of how much power it gave me for free, and how capable of a tool it was. Couldn't donate then, but definitely can now. While I know my time/PRs might be more valuable, regular money will have to do.

Re: Sample workflow for LP digitization

#10

Post by don_loemax »

As a club DJ who selects and plays in a digital format now, I like to leave clicks and pops in when digitizing my "white-labels" or vinyl-exclusive releases (some of the best or most coveted tunes are released on vinyl first in very small runs, months before they are available as downloads). I like to normalize then run the recording through Izotope's Ozone 7 on the "warm and transparent" preset to get it closer in loudness to digital releases I am mixing them with. There is a small community of us who share rips of this type of release from around the world, online, as the best place to pick a lot of this kind of record up is in smaller local genre-specific shops. Black Market soho in London was a Mecca of mine or Rooted Records in Bristol but I live in Cali now and have a hard time keeping up my share ratio but still get a rush when I get a great vinyl rip of a tune earlier than most. It is silly and matters very little to my livelihood but an old tradition in dj'ing that I am glad still survives (having tracks the next Dj doesn't, that is).
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