Materials to used to make records have evolved and changed several times over the years. The earliest disc records from 1889-1894 were made of various materials including wax and. Rubber. Shortly after, a shellac based compound had been experiment with leading to it becoming standard. Each manufactures exact formula varied, but they typically coated records with a shellac (wax) resin
Shellac
The materials typically used to make for a shellacked disc where cardboard and fiber products with a shellac resin. These shellac discs are not known for allowing a quiet noise free surface. Shellac records are commonly very brittle and must be handled quite carefully. Shellac 78s can break with the remaining pieces loosely connected …show more content…
The select group received a kit that they used to create the ice record. Once created the record could be played on their turntable giving them the chance to exclusively hear the debut album single before anyone else.
Filled Records – Liquid, Blood, Leaves & More
Various pressing plants and labels have experimented with pressing different things inside records. A few labels have experimented with pressing liquid inside a record. For Record Store Day 2012 Jack White (White Stripes) label Third Man Records released blue liquid filled record version of Sixteen Saltines. When you play the vinyl you can see the blue water swoosh around inside the record.
For a 2014 Record Store Day exclusive the band Liars released a single LP which was clear vinyl with colored string pressed into the record.
In 2012 The Flaming Lips released a human blood filled record for their Heady Fwends release. The band collected blood samples from various celebrities including Chris Martin, Alan Palomo, Erykah Badu, New Fumes, Kesha, Justin Vernon, Alex Ebert, Stewart Cole, Jim James, Brian Gibson, Brian Chippendale, Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl. Only 10 copies were ever made available for sale at a price of $2,500 with all proceeds going to the Oklahoma Humane …show more content…
The grooves are cut into the disc using a recording machine called a lathe. The engineer places the disc onto the late platter and positions a microscope and the cutter to the edge of the disc. Once ready to record he begins the audio and the lathe begins cutting the grooves. Lathes use either a ruby or sapphire cutting head. At the end of the recording the disc is inspected and if approved an etching containing a serial number chosen by the record label is etched. This is often referred to as the matrix. The lacquer is then sent off to make the