How Much Music Can I Fit On My Record? What Is RPM And Why Is It Important?

Vinyl Speed (RPM)

Records can be manufactured to spin at two specific speeds: 33 ⅓ RPM or 45 RPM. A 45 RPM record spins faster and therefore provides more inches of groove per second, leading to increased audio fidelity but reduced play time.

Please note that the longer your vinyl program is (i.e. the more minutes per side) the lower the volume of your records will be. This is due to the fact that in order to fit more music on the record, the grooves need to be closer together and shallower.

Recommended maximum program lengths:

As a rule it’s always better to come in a minute or two under the available time to ensure the best playback of the program.

We recommend 45 RPM for 7” records. While 33 1/3 RPM is possible, they are sometimes prone to distortion.

To achieve quality vinyl production we recommend using a mastering house with significant vinyl mastering experience to prepare your supplied masters. Disc Makers has been offering vinyl post-production mastering for over 60 years. Click here for more information.