Guide: How To Review Your Test Pressings
By Simon Daley
Pressing your first project? We asked Canadian musician, producer and engineer Scott Orr, to share some tips on how to effectively review and approve your test pressings.
It’s an exciting moment to receive a new set of test pressings (TPs) and hear your recording on vinyl for the first time. A question our account managers are often asked is “what should I listen out for and what should I ignore?”. Knowing this is essential to be able to accurately review and judge your test pressings without complications, which can ultimately affect the turnaround time of your project. That’s why we asked experienced label owner, engineer and producer Scott Orr to share some of his simple tips when it comes to reviewing a new set of test pressings.
Introduction (0:18)
TRANSCRIPT ⇲
“Hi I’m Scott Orr, I’m a Canadian artist, producer and engineer. The team at Precision Record Pressing has asked me to share some simple steps that I take when I receive a new set of test pressings. Understanding what to listen out for is crucial to ensure your project gets the best results in the shortest amount of time.”
Why Order Test Pressings? (1:01)
TRANSCRIPT ⇲
“Before I get into my three recommended steps, I think it’s worth quickly going over what a test pressing is and what it isn’t. In most cases, a test pressing is the first opportunity to hear your digitally recorded project in an analog format. It’s also a safety net to ensure that there’s been no human error during the mastering stage (and by mastering in this example we’re talking about DMM or lacquer cutting). A test pressing is not an exact replica of your final records. Sonically your test pressings and final records should sound the same, however due to the nature of creating test pressings you may notice certain audio characteristics which don’t carry over to the production run. For example because test pressings are made in such small quantities, they are susceptible to a phenomena called “cold pull”, which is where the press is not at its 100% optimum temperature. This can lead to more surface noise as well as clicks and pops, but as long as they don’t occur in the same spot on all of your records there’s nothing to worry about.”
Step 1 – The Basics (1:04)
TRANSCRIPT ⇲
“My first step is always to cover the basics and ensure that all the tracks are in the correct order, the songs for Side A are not on Side B and that any additional etchings I’ve requested are present and accurate on the disc. Also if I’ve requested any special details like a locked groove for example, now’s the time I check that they function in the way I intended.
I’ve also heard cases of artists or label teams who were perhaps in a rush, submitting unfinished versions of the audio to the plant by mistake. This was only caught when they received their test pressings, so listen out to make sure the correct audio was submitted for your project.
It’s important that you listen to a single copy in its entirety and then cross-reference any issues across all the other copies. This will allow you to determine whether an issue is present on all copies or localised to one test pressing. If the issue appears on just one test pressing then you can be confident that it won’t recur during the production run, however if it occurs in the same place on all five then notify your account manager.”
Step 2 – Listen Up (1:05)
TRANSCRIPT ⇲
“First I listen to each side of my test pressing in full. All vinyl records contain surface noise (crackles, pops and ticks), it’s one of the quirks that we love about the format. However if you feel that you’re hearing something out of the ordinary (for example loud pops, excessive static or a skip) and it occurs in the same place on multiple copies then notify your account manager.
It’s normal to notice some reduction in sound quality as the turntable tonearm moves towards the centre of the record, especially on sides that are 20 minutes and longer. This may be caused by a phenomena called inner groove distortion, which is when the audio wavelengths become gradually shorter and more compressed as the diameter of the vinyl playback area decreases. Alternatively the cutting engineer may have had to contain some high and low frequencies in the final tracks, to ensure longer audio fits safely on a side. However if you’re hearing distortion in other areas of the record then first check the same copy on another turntable if possible and if the issue persists, notify your account manager.”
Step 3 – Troubleshooting (0:45)
TRANSCRIPT ⇲
“So I’ve completed all those steps and I still think there’s an issue that needs further attention. My first question would be whether my turntable is causing the issue. Take the record to another turntable, most people only have one so maybe visit a record store or a friend for a second reference. Play the same passage for confirmation. If all five copies experience the issue in the exact same place then notify your account manager. If not, it is most likely an issue with your turntable.
If the issue is skipping related, look up the recommended tracking force settings for your tonearm. Adjust the weight and balance of the tonearm appropriately and try again. If the issue appears in an identical fashion across all five copies, and persists after following the aforementioned steps, please let your account manager know right away.”
Recorded and mixed by Scott Orr at Other Songs Studios.
For more information visit otherrecordlabels.com.