Why do Labels Press Vinyl?

New vinyl records are comparable in cost to CDs. Metavinyl Records, is entirely dedicated to vinyl records. Within its walls, new vinyl is mixed with the old and alphabetized by genre. On the right when you walk in there is a wall for $1 albums, a new arrivals bin to your left, and a classical bin in the far left corner. The owner, Jonathan Schneiderman, said he buys vinyl records from over 40 distributors internationally. Some are locally owned in the Bay Area and others are operated overseas. Similarly, local radio stations receive and purchase albums internationally. Indie rock labels like Matador and Merge press singles and full-length albums on vinyl and send them around the world. KZSC music director Wardwell said the station frequently receives indie rock vinyl. “We get sent new vinyl from artists and labels,” Wardwell said. “A fair amount of new vinyl is from indie rock artists and they will send us 7 inches with one song on each side.”

While indie labels may be best known for pressing vinyl records, consumer demand has encouraged labels that had seemingly moved on from the medium to return to it. Schneiderman said small labels aren’t the only ones cranking out vinyl. “Even the major labels are pressing vinyl,” he said. “There’s nothing that’s not available right now.” Some music lovers note a difference in intentions between small and large labels.

Zachary Watkins, a lecturer in the UCSC music department, teaches History of Electronic Music and lower division studio courses. He writes for Foxy Digitalis, an online music site where he reviews albums. Watkins said money is a great influence on large labels. “Independent labels are more interested in putting out music than profit,” Watkins said. “Major labels don’t care about music. They care about money.” Watkins said choosing vinyl gives labels an edge in the music market by setting themselves apart from other mediums. “Right now there are so many labels out there, and it’s kind of hard to break out of the noise of the output being created,” he said. “Sometimes it takes spending money, meaning putting effort into the design, packaging and creation of the object. Vinyl is the apex of that.”

The quality of new vinyl records is highly regarded. Often pressed at 180 grams, thick, vinyl plays cleanly. Yet records deteriorate as the stylus, or needle, wears down the grooves. Cross-cultural Ph.D. student Munoz described the process in terms of geologic erosion. “For example, think about the Grand Canyon,” Munoz said. “The grooves in a record are like a canyon, and the needle reads the depths of the canyon, and then that information is outputted to a speaker (or is amplified and outputted to a speaker). But the needle itself erodes the grooves. Thus, records deteriorate over time each time the needle reads the information of the grooves.” As Munoz points out, new vinyl records cannot stay perfect forever if you play them frequently. Many new record players have USB capability, allowing for transfer of records to digital format. “The old technology is so prevalent that manufacturers have capitalized on it by making the integration between analog and digital media ever more easy,” Munoz said. Many labels include MP3 downloads of the vinyl record purchased to increase appeal and provide a similar access to turntables with USB ports. Metavinyl Records owner Schneiderman said the practice of including an MP3 download code is strategic to appealing to a variety of consumers. “Labels figure that if you’re going to buy it then you should only just have to buy it once,” he said. “If you buy the record you should get a free digital copy because then there’s really no reason not to buy it.”

Why do we Love to Consume Vinyl?

Labels produce vinyl to meet demand from music buyers. DJs, radio stations and listeners with private collections note many reasons why vinyl is a great option. Wardwell said vinyl records are an important part of the KZSC’s library. “We maintain a vinyl collection because we play it,” he said. “Music purchases are split between CDs and vinyl. We also get donations, so our vinyl collection is always expanding.” For Wardwell, the experience of watching a vinyl record spin into music is an enjoyable aspect of the medium. “I like the physicality of vinyl, and that it’s all done in open space,” he said. “The CD plays behind a plastic shield and you don’t really get to see what’s going on. With vinyl, there’s a human attraction where you lift that tone arm and drop the needle down into the groove, and as the plate spins the disc, the 33 or 45 RPM, you can experience that visual cue of seeing motion become sound.” Wardwell said the station’s DJs sometimes bring in vinyl records from their “really extensive personal collections” to play on air. Musicology student Munoz said DJs of live events often prefer vinyl, and have turned the vinyl record into an instrument. “DJs in the dance music scene (and other genres) still tend to prefer vinyl to spin at live events, especially for scratching and other purposes,” he said. “In this way, vinyl records are more than just a recording medium, but are actually musical instruments.”

Mark Augustine, aka DJ Swift, is co-founder of a music promotion group based in Redwood City called Abide Productions. He DJs at weddings, events, dances and birthday parties. Augustine emphasized the importance of gauging the audience’s idea of “the classics” in terms of artists and songs. He said he keeps anything considered a classic of its genre. “As a DJ, I’m always having the audience in mind. I don’t know exactly who I come across, so if it’s a record that I think someone will want to hear in the future I’ll keep it. You have to keep the classics.”

While he does use MP3s often, Augustine said vinyl records are the most respected medium to play among DJs. He said there is nothing like the feeling of a record under your fingers. “The sound that vinyl has is clean, raspy and gritty,” he said. “Although digital is crisp, vinyl is clean. DJing is my drug. It’s my addiction. And it’s a positive addiction.” The unanimous complaint about vinyl records is their stationary status. Large and heavy to pack around, vinyl records are meant for in-home listening.

The Future of Vinyl

Many think vinyl will never go out of style. Augustine said nostalgia and appreciation for predecessors will keep vinyl in people’s collections. “I think the record will always be around,” he said. “Vinyl will be the classic thing that people have.” Munoz predicts that vinyl records’ appeal will end sooner or later. “My personal prediction, which is really more of a gut feeling, is that eventually vinyl records will go out of style,” he said. “Vinyl records are already too big and heavy. Their one sonic advantage, quality — that the sounds are continuous rather than discreet — will eventually fade as MP3s are replaced by smaller files with broader frequency responses.” Some say they will always want vinyl because it’s the best of its kind. Watkins doesn’t foresee anything getting in the way of vinyl’s popularity. “Culturally, people respect vinyl as a medium and will always seek vinyl, I think,” he said. “It’s the best analog mass-media that we have.”

Digital recordings have surpassed vinyl in convenience and size. However, the warm vinyl sound is still a priority for many. For some serious audiophiles, the further products get from the physical mechanics of producing sound, the worse music is going to translate on a recording. Metavinyl Records owner Schneiderman said as long as vinyl is top quality there will be a demand for it. “Vinyl will always have a cult following,” he said. “Unless a better format comes along and surpasses its quality.”

Nikki Pritchard… ** Orignal Version Of This Story Here: http://www.cityonahillpress.com/2011/04/07/vinyl-revival/