Sound is recorded on vinyl by translating sound waves into physical grooves on a disc. This process involves several steps:
1. Capturing the Sound
- Microphones convert sound waves into electrical signals.
- These signals are then amplified and processed.
2. Cutting the Master Disc
- The processed audio signal is fed into a lathe, a specialized machine.
- The lathe uses a cutting head to carve grooves into a master disc made of a hard material like lacquer.
- The depth and shape of these grooves represent the amplitude and frequency of the sound waves.
3. Creating the Stamper
- The master disc is used to create a negative called a stamper.
- The stamper is made of a durable material like nickel or chrome.
4. Pressing the Vinyl Records
- The stamper is used to press vinyl records from a heated vinyl compound.
- The stamper is placed on a hydraulic press, and the vinyl compound is poured into a mold.
- The heat and pressure mold the vinyl into the shape of the stamper, replicating the grooves.
5. Playing the Record
- When a stylus (needle) is placed in the groove of a vinyl record, it vibrates in response to the variations in the groove's depth and shape.
- These vibrations are converted back into electrical signals, amplified, and sent to speakers, recreating the original sound.
In essence, vinyl records are a physical representation of sound waves, where the grooves on the disc store the information needed to reproduce the sound.
