Template instructions

Lines in the templates

When you create your artwork in our templates, make sure the image/color area extends to the pink dashed line. This ensures the desired result for cutting and trimming the printed material.

When the cover/label reaches its final format, only the area inside the green line will remain.

Artwork in Adobe InDesign

If you are using the Adobe InDesign template, work in the layer called “Your Artwork.” The template’s cut and bleed lines are in another layer called ”Format & Margins.”

Images and resolution

The images you add to the template should have a resolution of 300 dpi (pixels per inch) at 1:1 scale. (Images must not be less than 200 dpi at 1:1 scale.)
If you can edit the images in Photoshop, use the CMYK profile ”Coated Fogra 39” for optimal color reproduction. If you prefer an uncoated finish (inside-out), use the ”Uncoated Fogra 29” profile.

Create printable PDF

Once your artwork is complete and you’re ready to create a PDF, turn off the ”Format & Margins” layer so that only the ”Your Artwork” layer is visible. This avoids including template lines in your final print file. (Although the lines are set to overprint, this still makes the printing process easier.) Only select crop marks when creating your printable PDF (results are ensured if you’ve extended your work to the dotted line in the template).
ATTENTION! Your printable PDF must be no larger than 120 MB.

Artwork in other programs

If you are using the PDF template in another layout program, the template must be removed before creating your printable PDF.

File name

För att underlätta produktion ska tryck-pdf namnges:

To facilitate production, please name your print PDFs as follows:

Artist_Title_Cover
Artist_Title_Label_A or B
Artist_Title_Insert or Booklet

Specifications for audio mastering and vinyl cut

Format

We prefer to work with lossless audio formats such as WAV. It is always advisable to provide the audio material in the highest possible recording quality. We accept a resolution up to 24 Bit/ 192 kHz.

Frequency range, headroom & compression

The frequency range of a record is usually between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. The average volume should not exceed -10 dB RMS. At a resolution of 24 Bit PCM, an approximate headroom of 48 dB is available before signal noise occurs.

Stereo information & phase

A stereo cutting head cuts centre/mono information horizontally and all side/ stereo information vertically (side signal of the MS coding). The side signal should always be mono compatible up to 200 Hz in order to avoid sampling errors or the stylus skipping.

LPs with longer playing times and therefore somewhat lower volume should not exceed a phase/correlation of 90°. For louder maxi cuts exceeding a phase/correlation of 60° is not recommended.

Pauses/grooves

Unless otherwise desired, we usually insert a pause of approx. 2 sec. between the titles.

Please inform us if several titles merge into each other. If one single file per side is sent, we urgently need a PQ sheet with all information (exact song times, pauses (lengths), side assignment, notes, etc.).

Playing times & volume

The playing time and volume of a record are interdependent. The longer the playing time, the lower the volume. The cut is made with a dynamic feed of the cutting head to the middle of the record. Low-frequency and stereo signals require much more space than high-frequency mono signals. The louder the record, the more limited the available playing time per side.

Maximum recommended playing times

7″ at 33 rpm – max. 06:30 min.

7″ at 45 rpm – max. 04:30 min.

12″ at 33 rpm – max. 24:00 min.

12″ at 45 rpm – max. 13:00 min