10. How to make a custom vinyl record label
What can be more old-fashioned and fashionable at once than listening to the music on vinyl records? Over time, this type of music carrier is still on the top. The reason is simple as only vinyl records provide impeccable quality of sound and the clarity of each note played. Besides, vinyl records became a part of specific cultures like music fans, musicians, appreciators of the 60s, etc. Having a wide collection of vinyl records at home or in a music studio is a must for every music fan. Fortunately, today you do not need to go above and beyond searching for rare or old vinyl records on flea markets or buying them for a high price. When you have special music record equipment to record the tunes you love on vinyl, the main thing you face will be the development of a custom vinyl record label to make it recognizable and stylish.
Today, let’s talk about digital methods of the creation of printed vinyl record labels taking as an example RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker software. You can be sure, with the right software choice, that this task will be up to you to perform with ease.
Vinyl Record Label
(Click to enlarge)
A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Make a Unique Vinyl Record Label.
Going step by step allows you to create custom vinyl record labels of almost every design you want. But to start with, let’s define what you need for it.
- RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker or similar in the functionality software;
- Images you want to place on the label;
- Text samples for your record label;
- Sticky label paper and a printer.
So let’s start creating your custom vinyl record label.
Step 1: Getting Through the Specifics of the Software
The first thing you need to do is to familiarize yourself with the software you prefer to use. As we take as an example RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker, it’s better to look at the software and its functions. From the very name, it is clear that this software is intended to create CD labels and DVD covers. There are both freeware (download right now) and paid full versions of the software so you can decide for yourself which one will suit you most. We advise you to start with the basic version and then if necessary upgrade it to a paid one.
In RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker, you have ready-made templates for the development of your custom CD or DVD label. Surprisingly, you can use them also for your vinyl records labels as they are similar in shape and can be adjusted in dimensions to suit the center of the vinyl record.
Besides, the functionality of the software allows you to choose both templates from the database of RonyaSoft. Moreover, you can edit the template from the RonyaSoft template generator as well as your downloaded images.
Step 2: Adjusting Vinyl Records Size and Making a Template
The most terrifying thing record label designers face when starting their work is adjusting the size of the label. There are three main features to consider:
- It is round;
- It should fit the center of the vinyl record;
- It has a hole in the center.
For the most common vinyl records, there are two major size-types you should remember.
1. 10-inch vinyl record (250 mm).
2. 12-inch vinyl record (300 mm).
Fortunately, both these types have common requirements for their labels. The size of the label should be 4 inches (100 mm) and the hole diameter is 0.31 inches (8 mm).
If you need to create a custom vinyl record label for a non-standard record, you can whether measure it yourself using a compass or read one more guideline we offer devoted to CD label creation.
So then you need just to indicate in the template generator the size of the future label to get it. Look at the picture below on how to do this.
Template Generator
(Click to enlarge)
Step 3: Developing the Design for Your Custom Vinyl Records
After that, it’s time to concentrate on the design features of your custom vinyl record label. For this, you need to decide on the following features:
- Choosing the color scheme of your label;
- Text that will be placed on it;
- Images you want to place on the label.
For this, RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker offers a quite simple and intuitive interface with the availability of layers. You can make the background of your vinyl label in several ways:
- Choosing the background from background collection;
- Filling it with a chosen color from the color scheme;
- Making the image you download a background.
What to choose depends much on the result you want to get.
After that, you may need to place some text on the label. There is a 'Text insert' icon in the menu that allows you to add text blocks to the label. Then you can edit it by adjusting the text size and font type, the direction and the position of the text. For this, just move the text block or rotate it as you wish.
The Text Properties Window
(Click to enlarge)
When you want to go further, you can also add some effects and elements to your custom vinyl record label. Just enjoy adjusting opacity, gradients, saturation, and shadows on the label. Besides, there are several geometric shapes to add available in the software.
When the result is achieved, you can simply save it on your PC and then send it to the printing device.
Step 4: Printing the Label
Printing labels in RonyaSoft is a piece of cake. The software supports most office and home printers so all you need is to click on the 'Print' button and choose the device. The most convenient way, of course, is to print a label on a sticky paper to stick it on the record tip-top or use ready-made label templates with a sticky basis. Yet you can try to make record labels even on standard office paper and glue them manually.
Printout Setup Dialog Box
(Click to enlarge)
Summaries
The creation of a custom vinyl record label today doesn’t require hiring designers or applying to a design agency. Using special software, you can do it yourself in a matter of minutes. You even do not need to learn special designers’ tips. Everything can be done in an intuitive software like RonyaSoft CD DVD Label Maker. Its functions allow you to implement your bravest design ideas for various music carriers from vinyl records to DVDs and CDs, their covers and other custom design items.