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MAKING VINYL & THE WORLD OF PHYSICAL MEDIA CONFERENCE MAY 2-3, 2019 | MEISTERSAAL | BERLIN

www.media-tech.net | www.makingvinyl.com

Supported by WELCOME TO BERLIN & ‘THE BIG HALL BY THE WALL’ By Larry Jaffee and Bryan Ekus

We’re so fortunate to be holding this event at the majestic Meistersaal, a one-time concert hall but more famously the same physical space that held Hansa Studios, some 200 meters from The Wall, inspiring David Bowie to write and record there in the studio “Heroes.” Bowie moved to Berlin in 1997 because it was the capital of his childhood dreams and home of Expressionist art. There he produced new music that helped further develop him into “an artist of extraordinary brilliance and originality,” writes Heroes: Bowie and Berlin author Tobias Ruther. Write academics Dominick It’s fitting that our first Making Vinyl “There’s been a Detroit-Berlin connection Bartmanski and an Woodward in their conference in Europe takes place in since the early 1990s,” explains Detroit book Vinyl: The Analogue Record in Berlin, following two U.S. events in DJ Juan Atkins in a magazine article. the Digital Age (Bloomsbury, 2015) of Detroit that also celebrated the manu- Detroit’s Cass Corridor 15 years ago Berlin: “The city is often cited as an facturing rebirth of the vinyl record. wouldn’t be a neighborhood that you important ingredient in this cultural brew They’re practically twin cities that had would want to wander around, musician/ thathad vinyl as one of its key totems, fallen in disrepair, but embraced its rich entrepreneur Jack White told the first a benchmark of quality and authentic artistic culture to lift themselves out Making Vinyl audience in November simplicity at the time when the main- of their urban decay. Both Berlin and 2017. Industrial-minded Jack helped to stream thought in opposite ways or Detroit are globally recognized as gentrify the area by putting his Third did not think at all … In Berlin, vinyl is leaders in the techno DJ genre, which Man Pressing in his hometown of not just discussed and talked about as helped keep vinyl alive when most Detroit instead of his current base in something extraordinary. Rather, it is even in the music industry thought the Nashville. lived, experienced, experimented with format was as good as dead and buried. and enjoyed quite commonly.”

2 WELCOME TO THE LEGENDARY MEISTERSAAL

That’s our goal with Making Vinyl and our friends at the MEDIA-TECH Association and their World of Physical Media program on Day One. Discerning consumers of all ages still relish the tactile nature of records, CDs and even cassettes, are and willing to pay much more for them even if the same music can be emanated from their smart-phones for a relatively nominal monthly subscription price. It defies Opened in 1913 as a concert hall, this Some Great Reward, and Black all technological and economic logic majestic Meistersaal room became Celebration between 1983 and 1986. that vinyl would be revived as a deluxe the home of Ariola Records in the product. 1960s when classical and opera In October and December 1990, the artists took advantage of its famous studio played host to U2 recorded But a dozen years after the first Record acoustics. In 1976 rock musicians parts of their album Achtung Baby, Store Day (RSD), it’s clear that this gravitated to the studio, then known which turned out to be the last global phenomenon has traction, as as Hansa Studio 2, where Bowie production there. evidenced by Making Vinyl’s opening in 1977 and 1978 recorded his panel with RSD representatives from groundbreaking albums Low and Thomas Meisel, co-founder of Hansa Germany, Great Britain, Italy, France, “Heroes” and produced his pal Studios and owner of the building, and Holland. Iggy Pop’s albums The Idiot and decided to reopen the Meistersaal Lust for Life.” in its original guise as a venue. Restoration began in March 1993 As the late great Leonard Cohen sang, It was Bowie who called the recording and lasted 18 months. The Meister- “First we take Manhattan, then we studio “The big hall by the Wall.” saal began hosting events again from take Berlin.” Hansa Tonstudio was also where October 1994. The program focused Depeche Mode recorded their on piano and recitals, theatre and albums Construction Time Again, readings.

3 PROGRAM DAY 1

MAY 2, 2019 12 45 16 00 Physical Media World Conference NETWORKING BREAK PANEL SESSION: MARKETING hosted by Michael Hosp, Board PHYSICAL MEDIA IN THE WORLD Member, MEDIA-TECH ASSOCIATION 13 45 OF DIGITAL CONTENT FIRESIDE CHAT: HOW TO MAKE Moderator: Christoph Diekmann, 11 00 MONEY WITH PHYSICAL MEDIA addvalue Consulting; WELCOME MESSAGES Moderator: Michael Hosp, CEO, Panelists: Kim Bayley; Entertainment Sven Deutschmann & Michael Hosp, kdg mediatech Retailers Association, Holger Wustlich, Board Members, MEDIA-TECH Speakers: Sven Deutschmann, Senior Direct of Sales & Marketing, ASSOCIATION & Bryan Ekus, CEO, Sonopress; and Günter Loibl, Universal Music Group; Seda Selin resident MAKING VINYLBerlin. Rebeat Innovation Parlak, Gfk; Steffen Gerlach, CEO, Capelight Pictures; Christian Winter, 11 20 14 30 ulturkaufhaus Dussmann, Berlin; KEYNOTE: RENÉ RENNEFELD: HOME ENTERTAINMENT TRENDS Connie Comeau, The ADS Group GET INSPIRED: THE HIT FORMULA ACCORDING TO THE JOURNALISTS How to use the power of music and Journalists share their views on what is 16 45 he five major aspects of success to the next big thing for the way physical THE BRILLIANT HISTORY OF THE improve and develop creative leader- content is produced, distributed and MEISTERSAAL & HANSA STUDIOS ship, team empowerment and sales consumed. Built as a chamber concert hall in 1912 performance Moderator: Sabine-Lydia Schmidt, at the heart of Berlin in Potsdamer ONLY CREATIVITY HAS THE POWER Designer, Cultural Manager, Label, Platz, the Meistersaal occupies the TO CHANGE YOU, YOUR TEAM, THE Unbreakmyheart Records same physical space when it was WORLD Panelists: Michael Fremer, Analog known Hansa Tonstudio, where brilliant Planet; Martin Burger, Mint Magazine; recordings were made since the early 12 00 Knut Schlinger, Musikwoche; Frank 1960s from countless artists including FORMATS IN NUMBERS Wonneberg, Author, The Vinyl Lexicon David Bowie, Depeche Mode, U2, The panel will talk with experts in music, R.E.M., Peter Maffay, Nina Hagen, movie, media about the market, formats 15 15 and Udo Jürgens. and the development to a “digital” line. NETWORKING BREAK Moderator: Rene Renefeld We are living in an incredibly exciting Panelists: Eduard Meyer, former Hansa time for recorded music and data. 15 45 engineer (David Bowie, Iggy Pop); Through the digital change, the physical FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND Thilo Schmied, Berlin Music Tours; media industry must preserve to ensure PERSPECTIVE IN MASTER RIGHTS Reiner Maillard, Emil Berliner Studio. its journey benefits both content creators AND ITS IMPACT TO PRODUCTION and consumers of today and the future. CYCLES 17 15 This status is a tremendous opportunity Streaming grows, digital & physical BERLIN TRANSPLANT, RECORDING to rethink traditional processes in the sales decrease. Will streaming revenues ARTIST BOB MOULD industry and jointly develop new business finance new master productions? Bob Mould’s musical career has models. Recording quality increases as new spanned decades, from his pioneering Moderator: Sabine-Lydia Schmidt, sound formats are developed. Is there early ’80s work with Hüsker Dü to Designer, Cultural Manager, Label, a future for an equivalent product to be his solo work in singer-songwriter, Unbreakmyheart Records. sold? A future based on streaming will electronic, and rock modes, to the Speakers: Sara Valentino Tapedub, make physical media playback devices deafening pop sparkle of Sugar. Tom Nieuweboer, !K7 Music GmbH; obsolete. A major risk to every physical Originally from the U.S. state of Mathias Strobel, Bundesverband format? The master right: essential in Minnesota, Mould moved to Berlin Musiktechnologie; Dr. Birte Wiemann, the future development of hardware since 2017. His latest album is VUT e.V.; Sigrid Herrenbrück, Head and software sales. Sunshine Rock (Merge Records). of Press and Public Relations, Speaker: Christoph Diekmann, Bob will speak and perform. Bundesverband Musikindustrie e.V. addvalue Consulting 18 00 NETWORKING PARTY HOSTED BY THE MEDIA-TECH ASSOCIATION ND MAKING VINYL All registered participants are welcome to attend!

4 PROGRAM DAY 2

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NOON 14 30 MAY 3, 2019 KEYNOTER: GERHARD BLUM, WHERE THE GROWTH IS HEADED Making Vinyl Conference SONY MUSIC INTERNATIONAL A cross-section from the “new” vinyl As Senior Vice President of Global industry, including brokers, packagers 9 00 Distribution & Supply Chain, Gerhard and turntable manufacturer, will openly WELCOME – BRYAN EKUS & Blum oversees manufacturing and trade notes about what’s expanding and LARRY JAFFEE, MAKING VINYL distribution for Sony Music International. importantly, sustaining the consumer CO-FOUNDERS During his 24 years with the music market. major, he has witnessed dramatic changes Moderator Larry Jaffee, Making Vinyl 9 15 in the music industry – from the rise of Speakers: Karen Emanuel, Key RECORD STORE DAY IN EUROPE: digital downloads and streaming, to the Production; Gregory Pezard, Kairos THE GROWTH CONTINUES decline of the CD, and the surprising Club; Chris Keats, VDC Group; Heinz A little more than a week after the comeback of the vinyl record. Lichtenegger, Pro-ject Audio Systems annual global celebration, discover the winning formulas for record-break- 12 30 15 00 ing sales from RSD reps in Germany, LUNCH NETWORKING BREAK France, Great Britain, Spain, and Italy in expanding the vinyl-buying audience. 13 30 15 30 Moderator: Michael Kurtz, RSD co-founder THE COMMUNICATIVE POWER HOW TO BUILD A VINYL PLANT IN Speakers: Kim Bayley, RSD Great OF KILLER PACKAGING THE DIGITAL AGE Britain; Pascal Bussy, RSD France; The vinyl record resurgence is being Building a new pressing plant from Jan Köpke, RSD Germany; Danilo driven largely by the tactile nature of scratch is quite an undertaking from Durante, RSD Italy; Esther Vollebregt, the format, a clear advantage over both a financial and technological RSD Netherlands streaming and digital downloads. But standpoint. Hear from newcomers in the how important is the packaging and market on what they learned along the 10 15 presentation? Is the secret to continued way. Are these investments meeting IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE vinyl growth merely recreating the their expectations? RIGHT TIME original art for reissue, or should Moderator: Andreas Kohl, Optimal Media Buying up pressing equipment and something new be designed? We Speakers: Helge Sudau, My45; Henrik lathes at auction decades ago proved speak to graphic designers in the field Damm Krogh, Nordso Records; Max to be prescient moves for these large of album art to get their views and Gössler, Intakt! Vinyl; Peter Wendler, European operations that are meeting recommendations. Austrovinyl continued customer demand for a Moderator: Anouk Rijnders, quality product. Is more investment in Record Industry 16 15 technology needed to ensure future Presenters: Torsten Posselt, FELD VINYL 4.0 THE NEXT GENERATION profits? Design; Darrel Sheinman, Gearbox OF MAKING RECORDS Moderator: Michael Fremer, Records; Christian Knehans, Topac Innovations in the manufacturing process Analog Planet GmbH; Tanzy Burrill, Key Production that yields not only better sounding and Speakers: Michal Sterba, GZ Media; better quality pressings but many other Alban Pingeot, MPO; Peter Runge, 14 00 advantages to increase profitability and Optimal Media; Ton Vermeulen, MASTERING & CUTTING process. Hear about innovations that will Record Industry; Mark Michaels, MASTERCLASS drive the record industry beyond the 21st United Record Pressing A great sounding record starts with century. a correctly mastered recording and Moderator: Dave Hill, Making Vinyl 11 00 meticulously cut lacquer. Europe’s Speakers: Guenter Loibl, Rebeat NETWORKING BREAK best artisans provide a “Best Practice” Innovation; Harm Theunisse, Symcon; tutorial for both of these specialties, Chad Brown, Viryl Technologies; 11 30 as well as other anecdotes for the Niklas Poblenz, Pheenix Alpha; Paul PULSE ON THE VINYL PIPELINE production of a high-quality product. Jessop, RIAA Where are the markets going? What are Moderator: Michael Fremer, the future plans for release of new titles Analog Planet. on vinyl and what plans are in place for Speakers: Andreas LUPO Lubich, the release of back catalog titles? Loop-O; Rainer Maillard, Emil Berliner Moderator: Andreas Kohl, Optimal Media Studios; Casper Sutton-Jones, Speakers: Nike Koch, Sony Music Inter- Gearbox Records national; Chris Goss, Hospital Records Ltd.

5 BOB MOULD ON WHY I MOVED TO BERLIN

Bob Mould’s musical career has spanned decades, from These three years in Berlin would quite literally shed new his pioneering early ’80s work with Hüsker Dü to his solo light on Mould’s everyday mindset. work in singer-songwriter, electronic, and rock modes, to the deafening pop sparkle of Sugar. “To go from [2011 autobiography] See a Little Light to the last three albums, two of which were informed by loss of The cliché that circulated after the 2016 U.S. presidential each parent, respectively, at some point I had to put a Post-It election foretold a new artistic golden age: Artists would note on my work station and say, ‘Try to think about good transform their anger and anxiety into era-defining works things.’ Otherwise I could really go down a long, dark hole,” of dissent in the face of authoritarianism. he says. “I’m trying to keep things brighter these days as a way to stay alive.” Yet Bob Mould calls his new album Sunshine Rock. “I had this idea as we were right up on recording, ‘Why not It’s not because Mould—whose face belongs on the take some of these extra melodies that I’ve got kicking around Mount Rushmore of alternative music—likes the current and build them all into string arrangements?’” Mould says. administration. His decision to “write to the sunshine,” “I like really big, dense chordal structures and rhythm guitars, as he describes it, comes from a more personal place – those layers that come at you. This time, I was just trying to a place found in Berlin, Germany, where he’s spent the be mindful of adding more melody.” majority of the last three years. Here Mould would draw inspiration from the new environments. “I’ve heard this thing about ‘guitars are dead’ at least five times, and they always seem to come back,” he says. “Almost four years ago, I made plans for an extended break,” “For better or worse, this is what I do ... I’m humbled and Mould explains. “I started spending time in Berlin in 2015, grateful to still be making new music while celebrating my found an apartment in 2016, and became a resident in 2017. lifetime songbook.” My time in Berlin has been a life changing experience. The winter days are long and dark, but when the sun comes back, all spirits lift.” Merge Records released Sunshine Rock globally on February 8, 2019.

6 WHY IS PHYSICAL MEDIA IMPORTANT IN THE DIGITAL AGE? Answers from our speakers

GERHARD BLUM, SONY MUSIC GÜNTER LOIBL, HD VINYL/REBEAT A very good question. Ultimately, the consumer will have Our lives are so streamlined, so focused on efficiency that we he final say on his preference to consume Music and highly deserve the indulgence and passion that vinyl records Entertainment overall. Even in the worst days of vinyl, it was let us experience. Vinyl is like love: when you finally find it, you the consumer who had a preference on music consumption never want to let it go again. Just imagine at the end of the and kept the format alive. Right now, the consumer is still evening, your date asks you: “Would you like to come up and buying the format and the associated playing devices. take a look at my mp3 File collection?” That just doesn’t work Offering physical formats is part of our portfolio of offerings. for me. Vinyl records are like people: each one is unique, you build a relationship with them and even if they are flawed, you PETER RUNGE, OPTIMAL love them. I can think of a lot of things: 1) Physical media, done right, is sustainable. It consumes KAREN EMANUEL, KEY PRODUCTION energy only once, lasts for a long time, storage does not We are humans, we are tactile. We like to hold and touch constantly consume energy. If not in use, neither the products. When we become a fan of an artist or band, we playback device nor the physical media consume energy. want something that will bring us closer to them – digital 2) Physical media is not gone when some subscription ends. doesn’t do that. We also like to collect and show off our You own it. You can share it, re-sell it, play as often as you collections. want. The way you want. On the device you want. Off-Line. I also think that when you listen to something physical, 3) You do not pay for data or storage cost. you have to make an effort – it becomes something special, 4) If you don‘t like authorities and data greedy corporations something that tells a story. to know what you listen to or watch, physical media becomes a must, when bought at independent sources. NIKE KOCH, SONY MUSIC 5) Slow down, contemplate, relax. By using Vinyl. For me, physical remains an important medium, as it adds an 6) Vinyl is one of the best-recycled materials out there. Used important dimension to experiencing music. The convenience or worn-out vinyls can be properly recycled into pipes and and relatively low cost of streaming is one thing, but at least fittings or new vinyls. Vinyl binds of lot of hardly avoidable for me personally, I want something to stimulate the other chlorine surplus of the chemical industry that would senses too: great artwork, something to touch, smell, read, otherwise be difficult to handle. If handled as intended, look through. And, of course, something to collect and cherish. it is very stable and not dangerous. 7) We are tactile beings. We want to touch something we MICHAEL KURTZ, RECORD STORE DAY value. Even download codes come on a physical, more There’s the Texan joke that you can’t roll a joint on a digital file, and more nicely designed card. Media files are not sexy. but I think the real reason having music in a physical format We want to show off, what we have. Pride of ownership. is important is because we love them. Life is short, and it’s 8) Physical media provides work opportunities for people. fun to create a community of like-minded people by owning Copying or streaming files only provides work for computers. and sharing physical things with kindred spirits. For artists, I 9) The content of physical media does is change, when think it’s important because it’s a way to ensure that their art freedom of speech is in danger, especially with is not lost dependent on who controls the rights to their work. metastasizng political correctness or illiberal administrations. I may not be able to stream some of my favorite albums on It is a cultural archive in itself. streaming platforms but I can always pull out their records and But: it has to be special, not just a faceless standard music carrier. play them.

KIM BAYLEY, ENTERTAINMENT RETAILERS ASSOCIATION PASCAL BUSSY, CALIF / DISQUAIRE DAY It is a fascinating cultural phenomenon that at the same Good question, indeed! time the mainstream music business is becoming more and I would say, because you can touch it, because it’s sensual…. more digital, there has been a reaction in favour of physical formats and the tangible social experience which record HENRIK DAMM KROGH, NORDSO RECORDS shops offer.There is an emotional value, a poignant story or Most people remember when they got their first record. No special connection that fans have with their favourite artists one remembers the first song they downloaded or streamed. on vinyl and CD. In particular, fans love the tangibility of vinyl, Playlists disappear. Records stay. the artwork, the warm sound and the sleeve notes, which We all have a history and records makes history. People, places, make it something to cherish. Physical media, both vinyl and emotions – it‘s all linked with the music and the purchase of CD keeps the music “real” and something to cherish forever the record. Recently, a teenager told me that a key reason for him to collect vinyl records was the history it tells about him. The history he wants to hand over to kids in hits future. We have been through tapes, vinyl records, CDs and ended with streaming before the comeback of vinyl records. Records simply stay.

7 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERS

8 9 OPINION: WHEN REISSUING VINYL DON’T SKIMP By Larry Jaffee

The vinyl revival has provided a new lease of life for countless underappreciated albums that originally fell through the cracks. When done right, such reissues are nothing short of revelatory, and can even bring out of retirement a construction worker, as was the case with Rodriguez, courtesy of Light in the Attic. Some reissue labels, such as Vinyl Me, Please, leave no tidbit of information uncovered about the initial release’s reception and chart performance with their mini booklets. Others leave the consumer mostly with the music, albeit emanating from the grooves of a 12-inch record, skimp on the bells and whistles, by reproducing essentially what was put out the first time around.

To this discerning consumer always focused on music discovery, I’m looking for even more from the vinyl experience. Trip-hop was somewhat a familiar genre to me, with Portis- head, Morcheeba and Zero 7 on repeated play in my CD Missed Opportunity changer during the mid-to-late 1990s when I became a new parent, keeping my clubgoing to a minimum.

Somehow Bowery Electric’s Lushlife, originally released in Although the striking photographic cover capturing the city early 2000 by Beggars Banquet, missed my radar, and a recent never sleeps, the gatefold packaging is otherwise devoid detail-filled press release piqued my interest with the following of full credits or the backstory of Lawrence Chandler and description of the album “teems with atomized sounds, each Martha Schwendener meeting while working at Andy Warhol’s one opening a portal in the mix, importing a haze of space and Interview magazine and forming Bowery Electric in late 1993, history, evoking the distant buzz of the city beyond the studio. and its subsequent “critical acclaim for experimentation Throughout, gilded strings build, sway and exhale, plugging the across genres, mixing elements of ambient, drone, electronic, music into the sumptuous melancholy of Philly soul, the emotive experimental, IDM, minimal and rock music with ‘70s soul Mancini-inspired arrangements of Gaye and Mayfield and the soundtracks, disco, drum and bass, dub and hip hop.” edgy soundtrack scores of David Shire.” Thankfully, to these Come on Beggars, would have it broken the budget to include ears, the 50-minute record lived up to the copywriter’s hype. two-sided insert to inform the listener?

10 GREEN VINYL RECORDS PRODUCTION PROCESS DEBUTS AT MAKING VINYL BERLIN

From 2014 on, Green Vinyl Records (Symcon) has been Who in the record business has already reviewed developing a new production process to manufacture vinyl your product? records without chlorides. In this short interview, we ask Harry Coster (recipient of a Grammy Award and four Edison Harm Theunisse, director of Symcon, to tell us more about Awards for music production) was enthusiastic about Green this innovative development. Vinyl. And there are some other highly renowned people from the business who are interested, but for the moment How far are you with the new product and its process? we must keep this under wraps. We expect to have the technical sound aspects of the new vinyl records ready May 3 at Making Vinyl in Berlin. When do you think the new Green Vinyl Records are We will also present the innovative manufacturing process ready for the market? and attachment of the paper label on the records. The We expect to have everything ready within five months. new procedure is less labor-intensive and will result in less waste when the printing of a label goes wrong. How do you anticipate the market for Green Vinyl roll out? How has the market reacted so far? We expect not to produce the new vinyl records ourselves. We have received many positive reactions. Most people We will lease our production lines and services to others. really want to see and ‘taste’ the new LPs. Symcon is originally a trade and service company and seeks to In the past 40 years, practically nothing has changed in associate with forward-thinking, established record producers the manner that vinyl records are produced. But now many and production companies. Both Symcon and the partners innovative techniques and this manufacturing process can who developed the Green Vinyl record process agree that produce a better sound and a more sustainable stable product. everybody should stick to their core business instead of We are very much aware of the fact that our new vinyl competing with one another. It is the best solution for the records must be compatible with the old record players that entire commercial chain within the record manufacturing people have stored away in the attic. industry, especially because our production lines are cheaper People who have listened and tested our Green Vinyl Records (less energy costs, no waste, no chlorides) and faster. are enthusiastic about the quality. In fact, the sound is better Last but not least, with minimal labor costs! than on conventional records and the and the signal-to-noise ratio (background noise) on our newly produced LPs are more silent than the traditional process. More information Furthermore, Green Vinyl’s scratch resistance is four times http://greenvinylrecords.com/ better than records using the regular manufacturing method. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1lGSSw0Y4g

11 MASTERING FOR VINYL: TIPS FOR DIGITAL MASTERING ENGINEERS By Jett Galindo

Cutting a lacquer reference disc with a Neumann SX-74 cutterhead

With vinyl’s return comes a new set of challenges for the “I like the ease of being able to cut half-speed without aging medium, such as a major paradigm shift from analog needing to do a de-ess pass first,” said Peter Hewitt-Dutton to digital production. of The Bakery. “Real-time sibilance adjustments while the Vinyl has notable characteristics that cutting and mastering cutting lathe does its job keeps the session efficient.” engineers need to be aware of when mastering for the format. Manual de-essing of a digital cutting source is also a preferred The strategies below have all been time-tested. method for many vinyl cutters and mastering engineers. One such nuance is the relation between level and length iZotope RX 7’s De-ess module does an excellent job of isolating f time. Simply put, the louder the signal, the bigger the harsh sibilance with a transparency that’s suitably unobtrusive groove … the bigger the groove, the more space is used, to the overall sound of the master. hence less total time can be fit on a side. Other instances of Nowadays, engineers have access to more digital options vinyl-isms deal with factors such as sibilance, low-end stereo when mastering for vinyl. imaging, music programming, etc. which we’ll explore in detail below. Music programming (length & track order) The tips below serve as a guide and should not limit your Even the duration and order of songs can greatly influence workflow and production techniques. Depending on the your record’s sound quality. Both of these factors come into music, any of these nuanced ‘vinyl-isms’ could behave play in the inner diameter of the record, where sound quality differently and are best handled at the discretion of starts to deteriorate. The farther in you are, the more brittle professional vinyl-cutting engineers. the highs sound. The overall sound becomes less pronounced at the top end compared to other parts of the disc. Music Sibilance ith a lot of energy and pronounced highs (e.g., fast upbeat Due to the physical constraints of the format, severe sibilance songs, loud rock tracks, etc.) are more prone to these issues. on modern records tends to manifest itself as distortion on Sound deterioration on the innermost grooves is caused by turntables. Sibilance distortion can also be caused by a worn the slower groove speed as the stylus moves towards the stylus or cartridge misalignment, among other things. But if excessive sibilance in your music isn’t properly addressed before the cutting of your vinyl master (also known as lacquer/acetate), you can expect your vinyl record to distort. Sibilance distortion happens when your playback cartridge can’t physically keep up with the rapid, complex modulations of severely sibilant grooves. Turntables have an inverse EQ curve, which results in flat frequency response on playback. The RIAA curve allows for more music to fit on a vinyl record resulting in a longer runtime, among several other advantages. One downside, however, is that this boosted top end can also cause extremely fast, complex grooves that even the finest turntable can’t accurately trace. Vinyl mastering facilities rely on de-essers to avoid sibilance distortion. Several known outboard de-essers through the years include the Maselec MDS-2 and the Orban 536-A. But many vinyl cutters have been benefitting from the constant The RIAA EQ curve for recording/cutting vinyl masters and for development and growing versatility of the plug-in world. playback on turntables

12 center of the record. A strategy to prevent the noticeable exporting each side as its own cutting master lessens the deterioration on the innermost diameter is by making sure that margin of error on both the sequence and spacing. the last track on each side is less intense with a more mellow • PQ Logs: Including a proper PQ log for each side lessens high-frequency range (e.g. a ballad, a laid-back instrumental the time it takes for the vinyl cutter to identify where the track, acoustic song, etc.). band marks (track starts) are throughout the record. You Ultimately, a quick and easy way to deal with these quirks in can obtain a PQ log from any standard mastering DAW or the vinyl format is to reduce the level from the cutting master. from DDP programs like the Sonoris DDP Creator. But it comes with major caveats if not done responsibly. • Catalog/Scribe numbers: Scribe numbers are a unique Reducing the cutting level lessens the risk of sibilance distortion. string of alphanumeric characters determined by the client Less amplitude means less stress on the playback stylus, that is etched on to the lacquer master to help identify a giving it a better chance of tracing grooves more accurately vinyl record throughout the manufacturing process. The and avoiding distortion. You can also avoid the undesirable sooner your clients have their scribe numbers ready, the characteristics of the innermost diameter. Reducing the smoother the vinyl manufacturing process will go. cutting level decreases the overall groove width, requiring less • Digital cutting master: If the client’s budget permits, space to cut, thus avoiding the inner surface of your record. having a separate digital cutting master that bypasses Despite all these advantages, significantly lowering the cutting the limiter has added benefits in the vinyl world, where level can potentially bring down your record’s signal-to-noise the loudness wars aren’t as pervasive. The transients in ratio to unacceptable levels. The surface noise could increase your music would benefit from the headroom of the format. dramatically, therefore compromising the overall fidelity of • Native sample rate: Once again, if the client’s budget your music. permits, deliver your cutting master at the native sample It’s worth noting that it’s incredibly common for vinyl cutting rate the music was mixed at, but at 32-bit. This helps facilities to cut lacquer masters straight from a standard digital reduce the loss in quality moving from one system (the master source. But taking these extra steps can only add to mix) to another (the master). the efficiency and overall audio quality of the vinyl-cutting process: The following article is reprinted with permission from • Exporting: Export fully-assembled SIDE A & SIDE B iZotope.com and is shorter than the original version. masters. Rather than delivering the individual files,

13 SPEAKER BIOS

KIM BAYLEY is Chief Executive of the Solicitors, before switching to corporate compiling, but predominantly print Entertainment Retailers Association finance at Coopers & Lybrand and later production and Packaging. EMI enabled (ERA), whose members include virtually spending seven years in media invest- Tanzy to take her production knowledge every significant digital service and ment banking with West LB Panmure. to another level. After 18 privileged retailer selling music, video and games years of working with some of the in the UK. Kim first joined ERA in 2002 As Sony Music International’s Senior finest artists, designers, managers and as Director of Development before Vice President of Global Distribution & suppliers a new opportunity arose. taking on the top job at the association Supply Chain, GERHARD BLUM over- Tanzy joined St Ives Multimedia, for in 2004. Under her stewardship the sees the manufacturing and distribution whom she managed for five years print organisation has transformed itself from side of the business. During his 24 years and packaging production for a variety of its former guise as the British Association with the music major, he has witnessed music and gaming clients. Seven years of Record dealers (BARD) into a broad- dramatic changes in the music industry – ago, she joined Key Production, a well- based trade body whose members from the rise of digital downloads and respected, well established independent include independents (such as Sister streaming, to the decline of the CD, and purveyor of everything she loves. Ray), specialists (HMV and Game), the surprising comeback of the vinyl record. supermarkets (four of the top five), Born in Paris, PASCAL BUSSY has home delivery (Amazon) and digital As a passionate music-loving 17-year-old, worked for various record companies and mobile providers (Netflix, 7digital, TANZY BURRILL will be eternally in France, including Island Records in Spotify, Google). As well as being grateful to RCA Records for taking a the early 1990s. He then created and responsible for the day to day running Youth Training Scheme student into managed for 10 years Warner’s Jazz of ERA and Record Store Day, Kim their production department. For two and World departments, overseeing is a director of the Official Charts years, she absorbed the departments from labels like Atlantic, Warner Bros. Company and a key participant in craft before moving onto EMI Records and the Fantasy group. From 2007 to many entertainment industry forums. in varying fields of production, 2018, he worked for the independent Kim started her business career as manufacturing, commercial and trade label harmonia mundi, for whom he a lawyer with Lovell White Durrant marketing, a touch of licensing and signed major artists and bands, among

14 them Ahmad Jamal, Roberto Fonseca, back end of a pickup—a mixture of of Sonopress GmbH, a manufacturer Omar Sosa, Le Trio Joubran, Magma, music; Hendrix, Morrison, Ted Nugent, of digital media, and a year later he Mulatu Astatke, Leyla McCalla, Jowee Creedence, Marley, REO, and Meatloaf. assumed responsibility for the group’s Omicil and Delgres. He is a journalist However, Connie’s music tastes fell business in Germany. In 2005, he and author of various books on John more in line with “Saturday Night expanded his portfolio by also becoming Coltrane, Charles Trenet, Can and Fever” versus “Cat Scratch Fever.” CEO, EMEA at the top of arvato Enter- Kraftwerk. Bussy lectures about music Connie recalls her first 45 purchased tainment (today: Sonopress GmbH). topics, including blues, jazz, soul, reggae, was a single by Tony De Franco “It’s a Within this function, he manages the disco, rock, pop, and electronic music. Heartbeat,” De Franco’s only hit. Her group’s business in Germany, France, Since 2018, he has managed the CALIF passion and lack of taste in music didn’t Spain, Russia, the UK and Australia. (Club Action des Labels et des Disquaires get her into the industry; it was the As part of his duties, he coordinates Indépendants Français), an organization need for a paycheck. Connie’s been in or customers within the divisions of Audio, subsidized by the French Ministry of around the industry for 32 years and has Games and Video in order to meet the Culture to support independent record been with ADS since 1999. A dream of demand – particularly internationally – shops. CALIF is also in charge of the Connie’s is to be an active participant on for integrated service solutions. Since Disquaire Day, the French arm of the a disco cruise. January 2014, as CEO he has also Record Store Day. overseen the global business dealings SVEN DEUTSCHMANN has been and production sites of Sonopress Growing up a “city girl” in a small rural Chairman of the Board of digital service GmbH in Mexico and Hong Kong. town in Wisconsin, USA, CONNIE provider Sonopress GmbH since 2005, COMEAU, Chief Operating Officer of and manages the group’s business in Born and raised under the sunlight of The ADS Group, was exposed to a wide Europe, Mexico and Hong Kong. He Palermo, Italy, DANILO DURANTE is variety of music. Some of her fondest joined Bertelsmann AG in 1992. In 1996, the founder of Good Ones, a boutique memories were made around a bonfire, he became Managing Director of print music PR agency based in Milan. in an open field, a bottle of Southern specialist Topac GmbH. In 2002, he was Die-hard music passionate, radio sound Comfort and music blaring out of the appointed Deputy Managing Director engineer during his formative years and

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15 freelance collaborator for international Production, Key has become the largest MAX GOESSLER is the founder and press like Remix (Japan) and Jazid (UK), broker in the UK, a team of 50 people directing manager of intakt!, the first he moved to Milan in 1999 making his across various sites, specializing in vinyl pressing plant in Berlin. Together bones in the independent music industry, bespoke packaging, global sourcing, with his partner Alexander Terboven operating as Head of Promotion for a project management and high-end he began setting up the pressing plant record distributor company for over a promotional items for both music and in 2016. Intakt! started operation in decade. From 2011 he provides public other industries. Karen has also set up May 2017 and is now in production for relations and marketing campaigns for a small property company, and whilst on two years. The plant is offering all vinyl major and indies, music-themed movies holiday in Nicaragua, bought an island related services customers ask for and in the cinemas, tours and charities, on which she built a small sustainable is also focusing on special products like offering his services across traditional hotel. Not content with just running splatter vinyl. For more than 15 years and digital media, radio and TV. He is her companies, Karen now mentors Max has been active as a music producer, also proactive as local representative for as well as working with the business label owner and DJ and is deeply involved Record Store Day, the worldwide annual school in Leeds, helping to inspire future in and passionate about the vinyl scene. celebration of record stores, and John entrepreneurs. He has been part of Somedate, an annual Lennon Educational Tour Bus, the mobile electronic music and theater festival, for recording studio created by Bag One MICHAEL FREMER is the Editor of ana- which he is also running the vinyl only Arts, the private firm of Yoko Ono. logplanet.com, a Senior Contributing label. Furthermore, he has a deep passion Editor at Stereophile Magazine and or audio engineering, analog recording BRYAN EKUS is President of Making Contributing Editor at Sound&Vision gear and modular synthesizers. He Vinyl and Colonial Purchasing Co-op, magazine. He’s also contributed to The has studied economics in Munich and started his career as an electronic New York Times, The San Francisco Vancouver before he moved to Berlin technician at videotape duplication Chronicle, Consumer Digest, and The where he has worked at Native facility long before there was the Bergen Record (New Jersey), among Instruments, as a business consultant Internet and when a fax machine was other publications and periodicals. and as a researcher at the German considered a revolution in information Fremer has also appeared on the oft-run Institute for Economic Research. technology. He became fascinated with ‘History of Audio’ documentary on The manufacturing technology when the History Channel. He’s been on MTV, SIGRID HERRENBRÜCK is Head of company he worked for bought its first The Today Show, CNN, The Howard Communications at Bundesverband videocassette tape-winding machine Stern Show and hundreds of other radio Musikindustrie (BVMI, German IFPI). from Italy. Not knowing how the machine and television shows throughout the Before joining BVMI in 2014, she was, worked and without access to YouTube United States, talking about the high-end among others, Head of Corporate videos, Bryan was forced into learning audio listening experience, home theater Communications at UFA as well as Head how to make international calls and and the ongoing, unlikely resurgence of Communications at Medienboard spent months on the phone trying to of LP vinyl records. His other credits Berlin-Brandenburg, the film and media understand what was supposed to include supervising the Academy Award funding agency in Germany’s capital happen when he pushed the power nominated soundtrack to the 1982 region. Sigrid holds a Master‘s Degree in button. Out of pity, the Italians ultimately Disney science fiction feature film TRON Modern and Medieval History, American hired him, and I went on to run their and co-writing the animated feature film and Scandinavian Studies from the Ge- western hemisphere sales and technology Animalympics. org August Universität Göttingen. She is operations for nearly 15 years. Ekus then a member of the advisory boards of the ran the MEDIA-TECH Association, and CHRIS GOSS is co-founder and managing Erich Pommer Institut (EPI) and he currently serves as the president of director at Hospital Records, the leading the Reeperbahn Festival. Colonial Purchasing, and had the privilege brand in drum and bass music. Goss o sit on multiple international boards established the label in 1996 with Tony An ugly child, so his mother would tie influencing trade and industry. Bryan has Colman. The pair made music as London snags of meat around DAVE HILL’s neck many ideas and Making Vinyl was born Electricity until 2002 when Chris withdrew to make the dog play with him…. No out of the love of drinking Jack Daniels, from music-making in 2002 to focus on girlfriends then, meant Dave had more zoning out to John Coltrane, and the building the company. Hospital pioneered time to focus on other areas of interest need to do something before dementia artist development within the genre, with one such being the whole 70’s HiFi sets in. discovering names such as High Contrast, scene. He would spend countless hours Danny Byrd and Netsky, and in 2001 visiting London HiFi retailers, mesmerised KAREN EMANUEL started off her launched the club night “Hospitality,” by the walls of blue illuminated dials music and entrepreneurial journey as which has grown into the award-winning, and flashing red “STEREO” indicators. Events Sec at Leeds University, DJ-ing park-partying, each-banging brand it is Although academically educated, he and booking Indie bands. Her love of today. chose to take a career path in Audio music led her to a short career at Rough Hospital recently moved into its new Engineering and started work in 1979 as Trade Distribution where she started premises in Herne Hill, England, to a junior engineer in a large independent as a receptionist and ended up as house its flourishing 23 staff, web shop, record factory in London; making vinyl Head of Production. Karen started Key warehouse, studio and offices, alongside and 8-track cartridges before moving Production back in 1990. Through several sister label Med School, booking agency “upstairs” to be involved in cassette acquisitions including Think Tank Media, Clinic Talent, and publishing wing Songs production. The works canteen was and more recently Modo Design and In The Key Of Knife. right next to the area they would “bake”

16 17 the labels. A sausage roll combined PAUL JESSOP is founder and director NIKE KOCH is Senior Manager Product with that revolting smell has damaged of County Analytics Ltd, an independent Compliance & Supply Chain of Sony his senses for life. Knowing the vinyl consulting firm named for his 400-year- Music Entertainment. Flying the flag business in detail from those early days old home and office in rural England for Global Operations at Sony Music’s he has continued to be involved in all – County Cottage. After a career in London office, Nike has been part of avenues of media manufacturing for the engineering and strategy with British the team for 12 years in a wide variety last 38 years right up until today. As a Telecom, Paul was for 13 years CTO of operational roles. From classical director of Tapematic and being directly at the International Federation of the music to metal, independent to major responsible for the growth in cassette Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and label, Nike’s background and career that essentially removed vinyl records subsequently at the Recording Industry are as diverse as her taste in music. from the shelves, is a somewhat bitter- Association of America (RIAA). He Her background in manufacturing sweet history, and as he says “None continues his work as Executive Director coordination, and an initial three-year of us saw the tactile nature of the vinyl of the US Registration Agency for the stint at an independent distributor format at that time”. He now buys International Standard Recording Code specializing in Black Metal (where those unaffordable yet mesmerising (ISRC) under contract to RIAA and “digital” was a dirty word, while bits of vintage HiFi from his youth. represents the recording industry’s vinyl and merchandise were all the with a constant hobby of repairing and interests in ISRC and other identifiers rage), fuelled a life-long passion and upgrading the same. He has continued at the International Organization for appreciation for special packaging and to buy vinyl records for over 4 decades. Standardization (ISO). Paul acts as vinyl records. Outside of work, Nike is He has always owned (and used) a Technology Adviser to the International most often found in remote locations turntable. He now has a girlfriend. DOI Foundation, which supervises the at ungodly hours with a camera in front He is still ugly. Digital Object Identifier, working closely of her eyes. with its Registration Agencies working MICHAEL HOSP is CEO of kdg Media- in diverse fields and focusing on new JAN KOEPKE has run RECORD STORE tech GmbH, where he has worked since applications and standardisation issues. DAY in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland 1992. What excites him is when dreams He works with the board of the Inter- since 2011. and visions become reality and when national Standard Name Identifier (ISNI-IA) Starting the project highly motivated supposedly small things like a great piece focusing on bringing robust name identi- (and probably a bit ingenious, too) with of music gets under your skin. During fication to the entertainment industries. one assistant only, Jan meanwhile has his free time, you will find him at home a team of six music enthusiasts on his with his family or in nature, or having CHRIS KEATS is Head of Business side to coordinate the annual Record good conversations with friends. His Development of VDC Group. Chris has Store Day, as well as “Black Friday“ passions are good food, art, and music. worked within the music industry for in November, in the three countries more than 20 years. A product of the (with a total population of about LARRY JAFFEE, Making Vinyl co-founder, ’70s and having older siblings has meant 100 million inhabitants). Koepke started bought his first record as a 14-year-old he has an eclectic music taste from in the music business freelancing for (the Rolling Stones’ Hot Rocks), the start blues, rock, pop to hip-hop and grime. numerous major and indie labels and of a lifelong obsession. Based in New Chris has a passion for helping labels, music companies in the 1990s before York, Jaffee first wrote about the music artists and bands, helping develop new he founded his own business in 2001: industry professionally while he was concepts and creative ideas to realize the label- and PR service company still in college. His writing has appeared the maximum potential for any release, POPUP-RECORDS, whose clients in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, from inception to delivery. Chris is the include The Orchard, Cooking Vinyl, Vibe, Record Collector, Wax Poetics, head of VDC’s business development Because Music, among many others Wire, The Word, The Audiophile Voice, in the UK, offering project management Billboard, Tower Records’ Pulse, Popular services in vinyl pressing, CD, DVD, and Growing up behind the iron curtain but in Music & Society, BMI Music World, Blu-ray manufacturing, special creative a household with a deep admiration for Hollywood Reporter, and High Fidelity, packaging and more. rock ’n’ roll, ANDREAS KOHL’s earliest among other publications. He is a memories date back to his father turning contributor to Rock’s Backpages. Jaffee CHRISTIAN KNEHANS is Director up the volume of a Gene Vincent tape edited a CD/DVD trade magazine called of Business Development for Topac, after his mom claimed the boy was Medialine from 1998-2005. He’s worked GmBH, a Sonopress company. He listening to too much music. When the publicity and promotion for musicians, started in 1984 his graphics career wall came down in 1989, Andreas spent dating back to 1978 when he stocked and became a print specialist. In 1995, his welcome money given out by the Long Island, NY bar jukeboxes and radio Christian joined Sonopress GmbH as West German government on a record stations with a local band’s 45-single a Purchasing Manager of Print and by the Californian Doom band Saint Vitus that was later signed to Elektra Records Packaging, and in February 2018 the – whose singer Scott “Wino” Weinrich but dropped before the album’s release. company promoted him to Director he later would manage. Andreas then He also wrote the liner notes to the of Purchasing Materials. Since March kicked off his career with booking surround/Monster Music release of 2018, he has been Topac’s Director of underground shows and publishing George Benson/Al Jarreau’s Grammy- Business Development. music fanzines in the early 1990s, as winning album Givin’ It Up.

18 well as a PR manager at EFA Distribution. when he developed a great passion for Store Day, Michael Kurtz serves as the He then started his own label Exile the magic of vinyl meeting art; he was President of The Department of Record On Mainstream and Southern Records doomed to start his own pressing plant. Stores (The DORS), the largest coalition Germany, a sister company to the UK Nordsø Records is more than a plant. of 72 independent record stores in North distribution, label management, PR and It’s a culture hub open to visitors, where America. The DORS has 72 storefronts tour agency. In 2013 Andreas closed local bands host release parties for in the USA. In 2013, Michael Kurtz was Southern Records and joined Optimal their LPs and the aesthetics of vinyl art honored “Chavalie De L’Ordre Des Arts Media, one of the biggest pressing exhibited. Henrik opened Nordsø back Et Des Lettres” by the French Ministry plants on the planet, now manufacturing in 2015, installed Newbilt machinery in of Culture. The receipt of this honor is almost 30 million records per year as 2016 and soon became the talk of the the equivalent of being knighted and well as CDs. Andreas works mainly in town, or Northern Europe actually. Even was an acknowledgment of contributions the vinyl department as senior manager The Economist stopped by to check it out. to music culture worldwide. In 2014, in sales, customer service and quality Michael was given the Independent assurance. He still runs Exile On Main- MICHAEL KURTZ is the co-founder of pirit Award by the National Association stream Records, which has released “Record Store Day,” conceived in 2007 of Retail Merchandisers for his work more than 90 albums in the past 20 years. at a gathering of independent record with Record Store Day, and in 2015 He also writes as freelance journalist store owners as a way to celebrate Michael Kurtz was given a Libby for MINT, a magazine dedicated to and spread the word about the unique Award by the American Association of everything vinyl. culture surrounding nearly 1,400 Independent Music (A2IM) for being the independently owned record stores in best ally of independent record labels. HENRIK DAMM KROGH is Founder the U.S. and thousands of similar stores and Owner of Nordsø Records, based internationally. The first Record Store In a time when vinyl was declared n Copenhagen, Denmark. Nordsø is Day was launched with Metallica on as outdated and dead, HEINZ a boutique vinyl pressing plant, one April 19, 2008 and has presided over LICHTENEGGER, as Project Audio of the first plants in Europe with new ten straight years of epic growth in Systems’ President, kept his belief in machinery in the new era of vinyl. A true vinyl and turntable sales. Today stores the simple but best way to enjoy music: entrepreneur, Henrik possesses a life- participate in Record Store Day currently turntables. Pro-ject was founded in 1991 long passion for vinyl. Collecting records on every continent except Antarctica. during the onslaught of the compact disc has been in his blood since childhood In addition to co-founding Record players, with the mission to offer the

19 best analogue experience for reason- Duo, Mats Gustafsson, Stephan TOM NIEUWEBOER is Chief Operat- able prices. All Pro-ject turntables are Mathieu, Oren Ambarchi, Sven Ake ing Officer at !K7 Music since 2011. produced in the Czech Republic from Johansson, to name a few. After He is responsible for the day-to-day scratch, by hand and in house. In Slovakia, 20 years in the ever-changing music operations of the company across the it manufactures micro-sized, high-end business, Andreas [LUPO] Lubich three offices in Berlin, New York and audio components. Pro-ject creates founded Loop-O Mastering in 2019. London, HR, process management as special limited-edition products with well as financial reporting to the board music industry partners, including RAINER MAILLARD is a producer, and other stakeholders. One other focus Universal Music Group (The Beatles), an engineer and General Manager of is IT project management to fulfil !K7’s Third Man Records (Jack White), The Emil Berliner Studios. As a recording needs to be on top of the challenges of Rolling Stones, Parov Stelar, Hard engineer, he has won four GRAMMY a modern music company. Tom is mem- Rock Café the Vienna Philharmonic Awards. He works with well-known ber of the Board of AFEM. Until the end Orchestra or Ortofon for their jubilees. artists, such as Anna Netrebko, of 2013 he was also heading the digital Rolando Villazón and Lang Lang. department at the !K7 label group. This Born and raised in Tulln, a small town The Emil Berliner Studios are taking includes being key account manager near Vienna, Austria, GUENTER LOIBL an almost retro-futuristic approach: digital distribution and being responsible is the CEO of Rebeat and founder in addition to state-of-the-art analogue for new business development in terms of HD Vinyl. Loibl founded Rebeat and high-end digital technology, of exploiting master rights in the digital back in 2001. Originally, Rebeat was a Direct-to-Disc also offers the most environment. !K7 is a multi-faceted distributor for CDs and DVDs in Germany original of all recording methods for music company working out of offices and Austria. In 2006, Guenter started Vinyl. Using analogue studio technology in Berlin, London and New York. !K7’s Rebeat Digital, a digital music distributor only, recordings are cut directly on group of in-house labels includes !K7 with a focus on artist accounting. Rebeat lacquer discs. (Michael Mayer, Tosca, Hundred Wa- Digital recognized early that digital ters) Strut (Sun Ra, Ebo Taylor, Mulatu accounting would become a critical EDUARD MEYER, born in 1943, worked Astatke), Aus (Midland, Bicep, Huxley) part of the music business, due to as sound engineer for other studios DJ-Kicks (Marcel Dettman, Matthew the sheer amount of reporting data before he became sound engineer at Dear, Jackmaster, Seth Troxler, Nina generated by streaming platforms. Hansa Studios Berlin in 1976 and worked Kraviz, Moodyman) and 7K (Luca D’Al- In 2012, Rebeat launched MES, the first for more than 100 productions there berto, Martyn Heyne, Niklas Paschburg) integrated distribution and accounting including productions for David Bowie, !K7 provides global marketing, sales and software solution for labels and content Iggy Pop, Tangerine Dream, Can, Hilde- distribution services to a like-minded owners. In 2013, Guenter acquired gard Knef, David Byrne, Nina Hagen, group of labels from around the globe Preiser Records, one of Austria’s most Udo Jürgens, Roland Kaiser and many including BBE, Luaka Bop, R&S, Rush traditional music labels. The first release others. Hour, Hypercolour, Glitterbeat, Mobilee, on Preiser under Rebeat was Seiler & Turbo, Correspondant, Beats In Space, Speer, the most successful Austrian MARK MICHAELS is the CEO & Chair- Planet E, and Sonar Kollektiv. !K7 also production in decades. Guenter’s latest man of United Record Pressing, LLC, provides artist direct services to manage venture is HD Vinyl, a next general the largest manufacturer of vinyl records all aspects of a release (Fat Freddy’s vinyl technology that offers a universal in North America, based in Nashville, Drop, Nouvelle Vague,The Pop Group improvement to the industry’s most Tennessee, and its sister company, and Crazy P) !K7 Management looks af- classic format. URP Music Distributors, LLC, a leading ter artists including Tricky, Mykki Blanco, one-stop wholesaler of vinyl records DJ Tennis, Deetron, and Luca D’Alberto. As a former engineer and co-owner of serving retailers around the world. the renowned Dubplates & Mastering, Recently Mr. Michaels has led United’s GREGORY PEZARD is Managing ANDREAS [LUPO] LUBICH has been efforts in building its new 143,000 Director of the Kairos Club. Gregory has mastering and cutting master lacquer square foot manufacturing facility – one 15 years of experience in the music discs since 1999. He signs his master- of the largest and most modern record industry offering solutions ranging from cuts as “Loop-O.” In 2013, he moved pressing plants in the world. Prior to manufacturing, publishing, worldwide on to the esteemed Calyx Mastering his involvement with United, Mark’s distribution and direct to consumer. as a Senior Mastering Engineer. He’s 30+ year career included working as a Now grouped around the KAIROS CLUB been working cross-genre at several partner in two multi-billion-dollar private group, the SQUEEZER, BIGWAX thousands records for artists including: equity firms in Chicago and New York, DISTRIBUTION, BIGWAX.FR and BIGWAX Matthew Herbert, Ellen Allien, Mode- and as a senior consultant at McKinsey RECORDS entities serve the independent selektor, Ben Klock, Gerd Janson, & Company, the international manage- market with a team of 22 peoples offering BoyzNoize, Extrawelt, Demdike Stare, ment consulting firm, in its offices in a unique set of services in France and Roman Flügel, Todd Terje, Nils Frahm, Chicago, Stockholm, and Prague. Mark beyond. Michael Price, Ben Frost, Carsten earned a BA in economics from DePauw Nicolai, Clark, Sylvain Chauveau, University, and an MBA from Stanford ALBAN PINGEOT is President & CEO Black To Comm, James Leyland Kirby, University. When Mark isn’t making of MPO International. Alban has more Goodiepal, Ben Lukas Boysen, vinyl records, he enjoys spending time than 25 years experience in the media Lawrence English, Iceage, Moon with his two sons, training for triathlons, industry delivering services and solutions and listening to live music. to the software, music, games, and

20 entertainment markets. MPO founded 75 worldwide gold and platinum awards Entertainment Media Verlag in Munich, in 1957 in France is one of the largest for Lou Bega’s Mambo No5, H-Blockx, MusikWoche is nowadays published by vinyl pressing plant. With a revenue of Falco, ATC, among others. He has Busch Group. MusikWoche is run by a M$ 100, MPO International is organised worked at the Hansa recording studio, small but dedicated team. around three divisions: MPO providing and has provided management to five vinyl and optical disc, MPack providing of the top European recording studios. Founded in 2011 by SABINE-LYDIA print & packaging and MLink dedicates He has been a lecturer at the University SCHMIDT, a designer, cultural entre- to logistic services. For the last 5 years of Popular Arts, Berlin (HDPK). He has preneur and DJ, »unbreakmyheart« is MPO has been diversified his customer been a creative consultant to General an independent record label that based to the beauty & luxury markets Electric (GE), NH Hotels and Nhow. He accommodates Frankfurt- and Berlin- through packaging and services. For studied jazz, has played the drums as based artists. »unbreakmyheart« releases the conference, MPO will be pleased a touring musician for the first cast of vinyl to stem the increasing tide of to introduce the first connected vinyl Starlight Express and worked at thye digitalization in music, reclaiming the in the world, providing direct access to Musikschule Köln Studio. ethics of DIY and pushing back to the the music content and/or website just tangible physical experience of sound by placing a phone close to a record. ANOUK RIJNDERS graduated in 1996 at and live performances. The label hosts the Art Academy Utrecht (documentary several club nights and showcases in NIKLAS POBLENS, CEO and co-founder and television making). After working as collective structures all over Germany. of Pheenix Alpha AB, is a B.Sc.M.E. a producer and director in the television graduate from the Royal Institute of and advertisement industry for a few THILO SCHMIED, born in 1973, has Technology, Stockholm Sweden. Niklas years, Anouk joined in 2000 Record owned Berlin Music Tours since was introduced to the record pressing Industry, a vinyl pressing plant in the 2005 and has worked as an engineer, industry in 1986 at the age of 11 while Netherlands. In addition to her role as talent scout, promoter, booker and in working extra at Toolex Alpha during a Sales Manager for the company, she publishing before in music industry. the school summer break. After has produced two books, Passion For Thilo is an expert of Hansa Studios’ graduation, Niklas was recruited by Vinyl, released 6 years ago, and in 2018 history and he organises tours and Toolex Alpha in 1998 working directly Passion For Vinyl Part II. Anouk is also special music events in Berlin. with installation projects worldwide. the Project Manager of Artone Studio, After Toolex Alpha and the successor Record Industry’s brand new mastering DARREL SHEINMAN, Founder of lpha Sweden bankruptcy, Niklas co- room and studio, offering direct-to-disc Gearbox Records Ltd., is an award- founded Pheenix Alpha AB in 2006. recording amongst other services, winning entrepreneur. After a career as Pheenix Alpha acquired all IP from the utilizing high quality modern and unique a financial and commodities derivatives former Toolex Alpha (Swedish branch) vintage analog recording and mastering trader with blue chip banks including and Alpha Sweden, thus securing the techniques and equipment. Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and Societe legacy of Toolex Alpha AB. Generale, as well as an independent PETER RUNGE was born in Rostock, trader on various futures exchanges, he TORSTEN POSSELT co-founded FELD East Germany, in 1968. He studied founded Pole Star Global, the world’s in 2011 as the specialist for graphic, electronics and industrial engineering at leading maritime electronic surveillance interface and UX design. His award- University of Rostock, where he earned system. During this time he was a winning artwork (including three Making a PhD. He‘s been working for Optimal finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year Vinyl Packaging Awards in 2018) has Media since 1997, where he has been (Ernst & Young) and the company accompanied the music of world-famous Director of Operations, and Head of was listed in the UK’s Tech Track list artists like Nils Frahm and Ólafur Arnalds Production and Logistics. Lately, he‘s of 100 fastest growing companies on for many years. Since training as a graphic been responsible for capacity planning, four occasions. More recently, he has designer with a diploma in printmaking process optimization, and acquisition of founded Gearbox Records Ltd., the UK’s and studying visual communication, he vinyl equipment. leading vinyl record label with technical has developed a unique design language production house, where he has created which transcends traditional graphic KNUT SCHLINGER started at Musik- a revolutionary turntable, which is being design with the power of ever-changing Woche in 1999 as a member of its recognised as a design icon. Darrel also modern media technologies. FELD editorial staff and is nowadays working plays drums. is a multidisciplinary design studio at the trade paper as senior editor. specialized in combining the creative Before joining MusikWoche, Knut MICHAL ŠTċRBA is President of GZ potential of new technologies with worked at record store Das Ohr in Media, the world largest vinyl pressing the advantages of established media Münster, which won the very first plant, working for the company for more formats. retailers’ partners Echo trophy, and as than 14 years. Started in procurement a freelancer for a music and entertain- then joined customer service team, RENÉ RENNEFELD presents events ment magazine. He holds a M.A. in since 2007 member of company inspired by and motivated through Literature, History and Politics from the management as Commercial Director, music. He has spoke at more than WWU Münster. MusikWoche is a B2B in 2013 promoted to CEO position. 275 events reaching audiences totaling trade paper covering all aspects of the Leads company with more than 1,600 40,000 people. As a music entrepreneur, music business with a focus on the employees and USD$110 million in publisher and producer, Rennefeld has German music market. Founded 1993 by revenue. Stands behind company

21 expansion to printing and packaging Thompson, Shpongle, Moses Boyd, successful vinyl only label Music On business, which enables to offer Louis VI, Dele Sosimi, Emily Barker, Jeff Vinyl. Before he took over the pressing customers not only from music industry Babko, Chelou, A.K. Paul, Ashley Henry, plant in 1998 from Sony Music, he unique solution for complete product as well as other record labels such as already knew the music industry inside sourcing including mastering, pressing, BMG, Decca, RAK, Domino, Warp, out. He was a deejay, worked for radio printing and packing. The only supplier Brownswood, Funkiwala, Dot Time stations and co-owned a successful of vinyl records with global footprint and recording, mixing and mastering dance label and music distributor. In and manufacturing capabilities both in Gearbox Records’ own releases. 2018 Record Industry opened Artone Europe and North America. Besides studio work, Caspar is also Studio, a brand new mastering room a saxophonist and session musician, and studio, offering direct-to-disc MATTHIAS STROBEL is President having studied jazz performance at recording amongst other services, of MusicTech Germany and a serial Guildhall School of Music, he has been utilizing high quality modern and unique entrepreneur in the creative industries. recording in and touring the UK and vintage analog recording and mastering He co-founded the music-tech company Europe for many years, playing with techniques and equipment. Nagual Sounds in 2011, realized artists such as Akala, Mahalia, Benny unique interdisciplinary art projects Page, Dawn Penn, The Upsetters, ESTHER VOLLEBREGT started her for humanitarian causes with his Social Ragga Twins and Engelbert Humper- career while studying Marketing Startup ZwischenWerk and started the dinck. His love of music extends from Management handing out flyers at project Creative Coding School to teach jazz across a number of genres from concerts for Sony Music, in exchange socially disadvantaged people skills in experimental electronica all the way for free concerts. She did an internship emerging technologies. His passion for to neo-soul, reggae & metal. He looks for a chain of record stores and wrote music and the great opportunities of forward to every day in the studio. her thesis for a music magazine. After new technologies led him to join Music her studies, she first started at Sony Tech Fest in summer 2016 for which HARM THEUNISSE, one of the owners Music and thereafter worked for several he worked until he founded the world’s of Symcon, which has several offices large consumer magazines. For the past first Federal Association for Music in the world. Symcon is serves the CD, four years, Esther has been in charge Technology, MusicTech Germany in DVD, BD and vinyl industry, supplying of Record Store Day Netherlands. RSD July 2017. Matthias is a consultant to chemicals, consumables, spare parts Netherlands is one of the main activities artists and startups who work at the and (used) equipment. Harm’s project of the NVER, the Dutch Association of intersection of art and technology and www.greenvinylrecords.com introduces Entertainment Retailers. runs the creative-tech innovation catalyst a new injection-molding process to WickedWork. He recently started the produce vinyl, instead of old school After successfully finishing her studies in Music Unchained event series, which pressing. The goal: to reduce the amount English and German, BIRTE WIEMANN focuses on the identification of new value of energy within the vinyl record manu- started working at German independent creation opportunities for music and facturing process. This by developing music distributor Cargo Records in 2005. artists through emerging technologies. durable plastics and clean, low-energy In the 14 years of her career at Cargo, injection molding processes. Maintaining Birte was a label manager for labels HELGE SUDAU was born in 1977. He is the familiar vinyl record feeling is key such as Rise Records, Trustkill or CEO and 50 % partner of MY45 GmbH within this process. And that’s the Revelation, was closely involved when & Co. KG Vinyl Pressing Plant in Tiefen- biggest challenge: to create and Cargo launched Record Store Day in bach. In addition, he is a lawyer and maintain the same feeling, with new Germany in 2009 and is currently a runs his own law and consulting firm in materials and manufacturing processes. project manager for content manage- Munich, Germany. Helge’s beloved wife ment, digital B2B solutions and D2C Lena also works for MY45; they have After studying in China, SARA fulfillment services for physical product. two sons, 5 and 9 years old. VALENTINO moved to Berlin and In 2016, Birte was elected onto the together with Analogcut Mastering board of VUT e.V., the German CASPAR SUTTON-JONES is Mastering studio started exploring the cassette association of independent music Engineer at Gearbox Records – a record world. After 4 years of research and companies representing 1,300 labels, label with its own full-analogue mastering experiments on tape, Sara is working as distributors, publishers and artists, and disc cutting facility, specialising in Manager at Tapedub, the Berlin-based and was re-elected for another two- reel-to-reel tape mastering, vinyl cuts cassette duplication studio. The Tapedub year-term in 2018. She is the speaker and direct-to-disc recordings. Recently project is collaborating and supporting of VUT’s economic committee and a work includes disc mastering for The independent labels all over the world. strong supporter of the “Music Industry Prodigy’s chart-topping album No Tourists, Women” network launched by VUT. Bryan Ferry’s Bitter Sweet (from the TV TON VERMEULEN is the proud owner In 2013, Birte was awarded a doctorate series “Babylon Berlin”) and restoring of Record Industry, vinyl pressing plant degree in English literature at the and mastering the ‘lost’ 1963 tapes in the Netherlands, together with his University of Hull. Despite the accepted for the Thelonious Monk album Mønk. wife Mieke. Record Industry, which opinion, Birte will freely admit her In the past he has worked with a great roots go back to the fifties and started weakness for coloured vinyl variants selection of artists which include as Artone, is known for pressing high and was amazed by the “scratch ’n’ Nitin Sawhney, Shirley Collins, Albert quality vinyl and is one of the most sniff” artwork of the Lemonheads’ l Hammond, Hak Baker, Abdullah Ibrahim automated vinyl pressing plants in the atest album: It smelt of banana. (Dollar Brand), Gabrielle Aplin, Richard world. Ton is also co-owner of the highly

22 Exclusive Packaging. iba hartmann LOGO

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FRANK WONNEBERG has been book in 2016. His LABELKUNDE VINYL a member of the Gesellschaft working for various publishing houses (2008), a labellography reference book für Historische Tonträger (Society for since 1975, and from 1991 as freelance with over 500 pages and 4,500 images, Historical Recording Media, Vienna), author. With extensive expertise in the shows label pedigrees and matrix codes IASA (Frankfurt), Arf-Society (Bad production of vinyl projects. His work of all relevant countries and markets. Doberan). ranges from magazines, books, record With GRAND ZAPPA (2010), he transfers covers, posters, etc. Since 1985, he this global view of the medium to a After finishing his degree in Business also writes for radio and hosted a radio singular case’s critical vinyl discography. Administration in Cologne, HOLGER show, “ONLY VINYL” in 1994-96 and Since 2014, co-editor of the publication WUSTLICH joined Polygram GmbH 2017. After starting up a high-end series THE LINDSTRÖM PROJECT 1998 in Hamburg. He went through vinyl magazine LIVING VINYL in 1995 (Contributions to the History of Record various roles and responsibilities in (4 issues), Wonneberg turned to Industry). Volume 8, a discographic Sales while the company transformed researching the history of the LP, documentation to TWO THOUSAND into Universal Music. Today he is Senior releasing his VINYL LEXIKON as a YEARS OF MUSIC (Curt Sachs/Parlo- Director Sales & Marketing responsible paperback in 2000; the most recent phon), recently won the Deutscher Mu- for Universal Music’s physical sales edition was released as a large-format, sikeditionspreis „BEST EDITION 2019“ force and the sales marketing for well illustrated hard-cover coffee table (German award for music edition). He is physical and digital products.

23 HD VINYL TAKES NEXT STEP WITH DEBUT OF 3D TOPOGRAPHY SOFTWARE PERFECT GROOVE By Larry Jaffee

HD Vinyl, the next generation of vinyl records, promises a Collaboration with world-renowned mastering engineers better, faster, and more eco-friendly production process, as In order to shape the software to modern mastering needs well as higher audio quality and longer playing time. Rebeat approached Scott Hull, vinyl mastering legend from Rebeat Innovation, the company behind HD Vinyl, is now New York and 4-times Grammy winner Darcy Proper, based in unveiling the software that creates 3D topographies required the Netherlands. “Their vast experience and deep knowledge for laser-cutting HD Vinyl stampers. Called ‘Perfect Groove,’ were invaluable to our software” explains Loibl, “they gave us the software is being unveiled at Making Vinyl in Berlin in May. an understanding of what mastering engineers want and need .”

Tulln, March 2019 – HD Vinyl, the patented technology from Loibl at Making Vinyl, May 3 in Berlin Rebeat Innovation, is set to transform the production of vinyl With its focus on the record industry, Making Vinyl has been stampers completely. Now an important milestone was a platform for HD Vinyl from day one. Now the B2B event reached with the development of the so called “Perfect comes to Berlin and Loibl was invited to speak about “Vinyl Groove” software. It allows mastering engineers not only to 4.0 The next generation of making records”. “There is a lot transform recordings into 3D topographies required for HD happening in the industry” tells Loibl, “and I am excited to Vinyl stamper production. It also enables them to minimize discuss with Viryl Technologies, Green Vinyl and others what the space between grooves and thus gain room for higher the future of records will look like”. dynamics, a larger frequency range or longer play time. “I am proud to introduce Perfect Goove at Making Vinyl” About Rebeat and HD Vinyl says Rebeat CEO Günter Loibl. “It was there that I initially Rebeat Innovation GmbH is based in Tulln, Austria, also home presented my crazy idea of producing record stampers to Rebeat Digital GmbH, a worldwide music distributor, royalty with lasers.” accounting specialist and content management platform. Rebeat incubated HD Vinyl in 2015 with the aim to completely First audio simulation of HD Vinyl transform stamper production and radically upgrade the Participants at Making Vinyl in Berlin will not only have the traditional vinyl record. The format introduces a faster, better opportunity to see the software in action, but also to hear and more environmentally friendly manufacturing process. the first audio simulations of HD Vinyl. With the first HD Vinyl HD Vinyl’s optimized grooves will contain 30% more audio stampers still months down the road, this will be the premier information, a higher frequency response, and 30% longer to experience improvements in dynamics and frequency range. playing time. The next-generation format will be backwards- compatible and playable on every standard turntable.

www.hdvinyl.org

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26 REFURBISHING THIS VINTAGE SCULLY LATHE TOOK 4 YEARS, $25,000+

The “long road” to rebuild the lathe to its current functional state ultimately took four years.

“I found the [lathe] community helpful to source some of what was needed,” he said, citing expert help from California, New York and Switzerland. In particular, he cited help from Los Angeles-based lathe guru Len Horowitz, of the History of Recorded Sound.

Key missing pieces, among them included a vacuum system for the platter, electronics, microscope, light, and a table, among them. Some parts needed to be recreated from machine shops, and he found other spare parts on eBay, some culled from other lathe manufacturers, such as Westrex Lathes are an integral piece of equipment that determines and Neumann. whether or not a vinyl record in 2019 can be manufactured using a new stamper. “I’m a mastering engineer, not a machinist,” said Conn, yet he ended up building himself the lathe’s drive system. The problem is no manufacturer in the world has made a lathe since the early 1980s, which is why the item is a hot Ultimately, Conn spent $25,000 to $30,000 on getting all the commodity any time one surfaces for auction. ingredients to rebuild the lathe. It’s not lost on him he could have saved a lot of heartache working on the project. First in Eric Conn, of Nashville, TN-based Independent Mastering, 2005 and then again in 2010, Conn contemplated buying an in 2014 jumped on the listing of three main components of a intact lathe for sale locally in Nashville, but he didn’t have the Scully fixed pitch model 501 lathe (serial no. 336) – including cash flow either time to support such a purchase. the bath tub, sled and original platter – that appears to be from the early 1940s, for which he paid $3,000. Conn started cutting with his rebuilt lathe in the summer f 2018, the first being a rockabilly record for musician “They came out of a warehouse in New Jersey,” Conn tells Paul Burch. Making Vinyl. “I knew what I was getting into.” Anyone contemplating such a lathe-building endeavor – which Conn had been mastering for vinyl, CDs and streaming for Conn termed “therapeutic” – must never lose his or her 22 years, but this was the first time he took the plunge to “curiosity and must never give up.” do his own cutting as an additional revenue stream for the Independent Mastering business he runs with recording/ Asked whether he gave the lathe a nickname, Conn quips: mixing/mastering veteran Don Cobb. “Yeah, FrankenScully.” Herman Melville’s Moby Dick character Ahab, the whale hunter, was also an inspiration. The two partners’ collective credits include a who’s who of popular music, including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, James Taylor, The Pointer Sisters, Quincy Jones, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Alison Krauss, Sheryl Crow, George Strait, and Trisha Yearwood, among numerous other artists.

MAKING VINYL – THE WORLD OF PHYSICAL MEDIA CONFERENCE Produced by Colonial Purchasing Co-Op LLC / Media-Tech Association

Bryan Ekus: Executive Producer of Making Vinyl Larry Jaffee: Conference Director Bernhard Krause: Media-Tech Association & Organizer of The World of Physical Media Andrej Krause: Metacom GmbH Michaela Schäfer: Artwork Metacom GmbH The event ist organized by: MetaCom GmbH, Bruchköbeler Landstr. 37, 63452 Hanau, Germany

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