How to Make a Custom Vinyl Record? (Even If It’s Your First Time)

Quick answer. To make a custom vinyl record, you choose the record size and time per side, pick, get, and organize your audio files (tracks or recordings), design a high-quality cover and labels, then send everything to a custom vinyl company that cuts a one-off lathe-cut disc just for you.

This applies to most custom lathe-cut vinyl companies — the ones that make one-off records as gifts, not big factory pressings.

Short version in 5 steps:

1. Choose size - Minutes per side (mps).
   7" → ~6mps, 10" → ~12mps, 12" → ~20mps. Create a playlist for each side on Spotify or Apple Music, then check the total time.
   
2. Pick your songs & order.
   Mix favorite songs, originals, or voice notes, and write a clear tracklist with Side A/Side B and titles and artists.
   
3. Get your audio files ready.
   Buy the songs as files or export your own recordings, make sure nothing is cut off, and, if possible, let someone even out the volume. Many sellers (us included) can help you if all you have is a song list or a Spotify playlist.
   
4. Create your cover and labels.
   Choose a main photo or design, add text if you want, and make simple labels for Side A and B. Use decent-quality images and avoid placing important text right on the edges.
   
5. Upload and approve the proof.
   Send your audio and artwork (or song list) to the custom vinyl company, check the digital proof carefully if they work that way, approve it, and they’ll cut your lathe-cut custom vinyl record just for you.

That’s the whole process in a nutshell.

The rest of this guide goes deeper into each step so you can get the best possible result from your songs, your images, and your story — whether you’re comparing options, wondering “can I make a custom vinyl record with my playlist?” or trying to choose the best company for a custom vinyl record for your specific idea.

👀Most custom vinyl makers do not fully review your audio and images — they simply print and cut exactly what you send. That means if there’s a typo, a cropped face, or a missing part of a song, it will end up on your final record.

At CCS Vintage, we manually review your files to catch obvious issues before production and help you fix them, so your record doesn’t get ruined by simple mistakes that could have been avoided.

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If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I could put our songs on a real vinyl record,” this guide is for you.
No engineering degree, no studio background, no nerdy gear required — just your music, your story, and a bit of preparation.

Quick navigation

You can read everything from top to bottom, or jump straight to the part you need most right now:

1. Quick-start file checklist: get your audio and artwork ready fast (without reading the whole article)
   
2. What is a custom vinyl record, and how does it work?
   – lathe-cut vs pressed vinyl, sound quality, and what to expect
   
3. Step 1 – Pick the type of custom vinyl you want.
   – formats, sizes, and how many minutes per side you really get
   
4. Step 2 – Choose your songs.
   – from original tracks to voice notes and a custom vinyl record from a Spotify playlist
   
5. Step 3 – Prepare your audio files (no tech degree needed).
   – simple specs so your custom vinyl record sound quality is the best it can be
   
6. Step 4 – Design your custom vinyl record jacket and labels.
   – practical mini tutorial for non-designers
   
7. Step 5 – Send everything to your custom vinyl record company.
   – how to get a custom vinyl record made, step by step
   
8. Beginner mistakes to avoid.
   – so you don’t ruin a beautiful gift with blurry art or bad files
   
9. FAQ: Can you make a custom vinyl record if…?
   – quick answers to the most common “can you create / can you make custom vinyl record” questions
   

By the end, you’ll know enough to say confidently:

“Okay, I’m ready. Let’s put this story on vinyl.”

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1. Quick-start file checklist: get your audio and artwork ready fast (without reading the whole article)

If you’re in a rush and just want to know how to make a custom vinyl record, start here. After 3+ years of experience and more than 8,000 custom vinyl records created, these are the most important things we’ve learned about getting a great-sounding, great-looking disc.

Audio files: what you need before you order

✅ 1. Pick your songs and confirm the playlist

Decide what you want on your record:

• Your favorite songs
• Original music
• Voice messages, vows, letters, speeches, etc..
• A mix of all
  

✅ 2. Check the total play time per side

• 7 inch: up to ~6 minutes per side → about 12 minutes total per disc
  
• 10 inch: up to ~12 minutes per side → about 24 minutes total per disc
  
• 12 inch: up to ~20 minutes per side → about 40 minutes total per disc
  

A super simple way to check this is to create a playlist for each side in Spotify or Apple Music (Side A and Side B) and look at the total duration. If the total time of each playlist fits inside these limits, you’re good.

✅ 3. Get proper audio files

For most people, this is the easiest way to get your audio ready:

• Buy your songs as MP3 files from a legal store, or
• Download/export your own recordings (messages, voice notes, speeches, home recordings, demos, etc.) as audio files.
  
  ➡️Make sure the files aren’t cut off at the beginning or end. There are no missing parts of a message or song.

If you can, ask a professional (or someone with basic audio skills) to:

• Even out the volume between tracks
• Boost quiet recordings to keep everything consistent.
  (We include this volume and basic enhancement step with your purchase)
  
  ➡️If you need help getting your songs, many custom vinyl sellers accept a simple song list (titles + artists) and help you source the audio. We can also help with that if you’re not sure where to start.

✅ 4. Name your files clearly

This sounds boring, but it saves a lot of confusion later:

Use a simple, clean structure, for example:

• A1_First_Dance.mp3
• A2_Road_Trip_The_Killers.mp3
• B1_Voice_Message_From_Mom.wav
  
  Keep song order consistent with the tracklist you send.
  

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Artwork: what you need for the cover and labels

You don’t need to be a designer to create a lovely custom vinyl record jacket. You just need a few basic files that make sense for print.

✅ 5. Decide what artwork pieces you actually want

Depending on the company, you may need:

• Front cover (the main image people will see).
•  Back cover (optional, but great for tracklists and credits).
• Center labels for Side A and Side B.
• Extra files: Some records — like picture discs, splatter vinyl, or zoetrope discs — allow you to print images directly on the vinyl itself.

✅ 6. Use images that are good enough for print

The good news:
Most photos taken with modern smartphones work really well for a custom vinyl cover.

The not-so-good news:
Old, tiny, or very low-resolution photos will usually look pixelated or blurry when you enlarge them to full record size (12”x12” for standard vinyl records).

If you only have old photos, you have two good options:

1. Use AI upscaling or professional tools to increase the size and improve the quality, or
2. Build a creative design that hides imperfections (collages, frames, textures, etc.), so the image still looks intentional and beautiful.
   

We include this optimization service with your purchase: we help you make the most out of the images you have, so your cover doesn’t look low-quality.

✅ 7. Keep important details away from the edges

When you print a cover or a picture disc, there’s always a small area around the edges that can be trimmed or slightly cropped. So:

• Avoid placing important information (names, dates, locations, tiny logos) too close to the edge.
  
• Always leave a bit of bleed — extra image that extends beyond the final cut line — so you don’t end up with unexpected white borders.
  

To make this super easy, we provide free Canva templates that are already set up with safe areas and bleed. You just drop in your photos and text, and you’re designing like a pro without worrying about technical print settings.

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2. What is a custom vinyl record, and how does it work?

When people talk about custom vinyl records for gifts, weddings, or anniversaries, they’re most often referring to records made with lathe-cut technology. That means your music is carved in real time onto a blank vinyl disc, one copy at a time, rather than mass-produced in a factory. This is very different from traditional pressed vinyl.

❌🎶Now, an honest disclaimer:
If you’re a hardcore audiophile chasing the absolute best sound quality on the planet, lathe-cut records are usually not your endgame. Pressed vinyl tends to offer higher fidelity, less surface noise, and more consistency from copy to copy — that’s why serious collectors and hi-fi fans love it so much.

💿🎁But if what you want is a different, original, and deeply meaningful music gift — your love story on a vinyl, a family voicemail preserved on a record, a custom playlist you curated for someone special — then a lathe-cut custom vinyl is perfect. It lets you create a fully personalized, one-of-a-kind record, starting from a single unit, with your songs, your photos, and your message.

Okay, so what do you actually need ready before you order?

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✅3. Step 1 – Pick the type of custom vinyl you want

When you’re planning how to make a custom vinyl record, there are two big decisions you have to make:

1. The size of the record → this defines how many minutes you can fit per side.
   
2. The style or effect of the record itself
   

At CCS Vintage, for 12" custom vinyl we offer more than just the classic black disc: you can choose colored records, picture discs, splatter effects, clear (transparent) vinyl, zoetrope designs, and even metallic-style finishes, which not every provider offers. 

3.1. Choose the size

As a general guide:

• 7 inch: up to ~6 minutes per side → ~12 minutes total → up to 3 songs per side
• 10 inch: up to ~12 minutes per side → ~24 minutes total → up to 4 songs per side
• 12 inch: up to ~20 minutes per side → ~40 minutes total → up to 5 songs per side
  

Easiest way to check this:

1. Create a playlist for Side A in Spotify or Apple Music.
   
2. Create another playlist for Side B.
   
3. Look at the total time for each playlist.
   

If each playlist fits inside those limits, your custom vinyl record is technically safe.

✅4. Step 2 – Choose your songs (and what you can actually put on a custom vinyl)

This is the fun part: deciding what will live forever on your record.
If you’re wondering things like “can you make a custom vinyl record with Spotify songs?” or “can I use voice notes?”, this is where it all gets clear.

4.1. What kind of audio can go on a custom vinyl record?

A custom vinyl doesn’t have to be “just an album”. You can mix different types of audio on the same disc:

• Commercial songs
  Your favorite tracks from artists you love, curated into your own playlist.
  
• Original music
  Your band’s songs, demos, home recordings, piano/guitar versions, etc.
  
• Voice messages and spoken word
  Vows, letters, speeches, voicemail-style messages, internal jokes, family stories…
  These work amazingly well between songs or as a full “Side B” on their own.
  
• Special moments
  Live recordings from a phone, a crowd singing “happy birthday”, a toast at a wedding, a kid saying “mom or dad” for the first time, and so on.
  

In other words, if you can turn it into an audio file, you can probably put it on your custom vinyl record.

4.2. Using songs from Spotify or other streaming platforms

This is one of the most common questions:

“How do I make a custom vinyl record from a Spotify playlist?”

Important detail: the record isn’t cut directly from Spotify. What usually happens is one of these options:

• You send a list of songs (title + artist) and the custom vinyl company uses licensed sources or their own workflow to prepare the audio.
  
• Or you buy/download the songs yourself as files (for example, MP3) and send the audio directly.
  

For you as a customer, the process is simple:

• Create a playlist in Spotify or Apple Music for Side A and another for Side B.
• Make sure the total time for each side falls within the limits from Step 1.  

Send:

• Either the song list (titles + artists), or
• The audio files if you already bought/downloaded them.
  

(This isn’t legal advice — always check each company’s terms and conditions — but from a practical “how to get a custom vinyl record made” point of view, this is how most people do it.)

4.3. How to actually get your songs as files?

If you’re going a bit more DIY custom vinyl record, here’s the simple route:

• For commercial songs: Buy them from a legit digital music store that lets you download the track as a file (often MP3). Above you have a short video tutorial to buy and download music on Amazon. 
•  For your own material: Export your track from your DAW/music software. Or download your voice notes, messages, or speeches as audio files (many apps let you export them).
  
• For live moments: Use the cleanest recording you have (the least background noise, the clearest voices).

You don’t need perfect studio-quality audio, but:

• Avoid super noisy recordings if you have a cleaner option.
  
• Listen with headphones: if it sounds completely broken or distorted there, it will sound that way on vinyl too.
  

If you feel lost at this stage, many custom vinyl makers (including us) can guide you through how to get custom vinyl record audio from the sources you already use every day.

✅5. Step 3 – Prepare your audio files (no tech degree needed)

This step has one simple goal: get the best possible custom vinyl record sound quality from the audio you already have.

In the real world, many people only have MP3s or phone recordings, and that’s okay for personal gifts, voice notes, and real-life audio (vows, toasts, messages). Just export the original file from the app or ask us how to do it.

5.2. Make sure nothing is cut off or broken

This sounds obvious, but it’s one of the most common mistakes in DIY custom vinyl record projects.

  Before you send anything play each track from start to finish. Check that:

• The beginning isn’t abruptly cut in.
  
• The ending doesn’t get chopped off.
  
• There are no weird jumps, glitches, or silences that weren’t intentional.
  

If there’s a problem in the file, the vinyl will repeat that exact problem. The record can’t magically fix a bad edit.

5.3. Volume and consistency between tracks

You’ve probably noticed before when one song in a playlist is way louder or quieter than the others. On a custom vinyl record, that can feel even more obvious.

Ideally, you want:

• No track that is insanely louder than the rest.
  
• No track that is so quiet you have to turn the volume way up just for that one.
  

🎶 Quick tip: if you want your songs to hit that sweet –10 to –8 dB range before cutting, two AI tools can help. eMastered is the premium option — super polished results but on the pricey side ($39/month or $19/month with a yearly $228 commitment). You can get 20% off with this link: refer.emastered.com/788Hlg.
The more affordable option is Remasterify (remasterify.com) — just $6.99/month, cancel anytime, and surprisingly good for quick leveling.

Both tools let you fully master your songs, but they work a bit differently: eMastered lets you upload an entire playlist at once (we’ve tested from 2 up to 12 tracks, and it probably supports more), while Remasterify is one-by-one. eMastered’s $39/month plan can be canceled anytime, and the cheaper $19/month option requires a full-year commitment; Remasterify is just $6.99/month with no strings attached.  

If you want to explore more free or experimental options, try googling “master ai tool free” — you’ll find a bunch of smaller tools and trials to test. Just a heads-up: the ones we recommend in this guide.

If you know someone who works with audio (or you use a Digital Audio Workstation yourself), you can ask them to:

• Raise the quiet tracks.
  
• Lower slightly the very loud ones.
  
• Remove any super harsh peaks that distort.
  

⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

5.4. Mixed sources: songs + voice notes + live audio

Many of the most beautiful custom records are a mix of:

• Commercial songs
  
• WhatsApp or phone voice notes
  
• Vows recorded on a mic
  
• Live moments captured on a phone
  

These sources will never sound identical – and that’s okay. The goal is not “studio perfection”, it’s emotion + clarity.

A few simple tips:

• For voice notes: Try to record in a quiet room when possible and get the phone closer to the mouth, not across the room.
• For live audio: Choose the cleanest version you have (less wind, less crowd noise).
• Accept that it will sound “live” – that’s part of the charm.
  

We can lightly clean and sweeten these recordings (within reason), but we always keep the original feeling intact.

5.5. One file per track and clear names

To make the cutting process smoother (with us or any other company), it helps a lot if you organize your files clearly.

Best practice:

• One file per track
  
• A1, A2, A3… and so on.

Use simple names, for example:

• A1_First_Dance.mp3
• A2_Road_Trip_The_Killerrs.mp3
• B1_Vows_Message.wav  

This makes it super easy to match your tracklist (the text you send) with your actual audio files.

If this feels like too much, many customers just send:

• A written tracklist, and
  
• The audio files are in a folder,
  

And we match everything for them. If something doesn’t make sense, we’ll ask before cutting. 

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📋Quick checklist

• Checked for cuts and obvious problems,
  
• Balanced enough so nothing jumps out in a bad way, and
  
• Named/organized so we know what’s what…
  

…you’re ready for the next big part of how to create a custom vinyl record: the visuals.

✅6. Step 4 – Design your vinyl cover and labels

This is where your record starts to look as special as it sounds.
Think of this section as your simple custom vinyl record jacket tutorial – no design degree needed.

6.1. What artwork do you actually need?

For most custom vinyl projects, you’ll usually work with:

• Front cover
  The main image people see. This is where your story hits first: a photo, a collage, an illustration, etc.
  
• Back cover (optional)
  Great for the tracklist, a message, credits, or a short note.
  
• Center labels (Side A and Side B)
  The small circles in the middle of the record. Perfect for titles, initials, dates, or a tiny symbol.
  

On top of that, some special formats allow you to print directly on the disc:

• Picture disc – a complete image covering the whole record.
  
• Splatter vinyl – colored “splashes” in the vinyl.
  
• Clear or transparent vinyl – see-through, very modern look.
  
• Zoetrope designs – art that creates an animation effect when the record spins and is appropriately filmed.
  

At CCS Vintage, we offer these options on 12" custom vinyl so you can match the look of the record to the mood of your playlist.

6.2. Working with your photos (and not getting a blurry cover)

The good news:

• Most photos taken with modern smartphones are excellent for a custom vinyl cover or label.
  

The tricky part:

• Old, tiny, or low-resolution photos will look pixelated or blurry if you force them to fill a 12" cover.
  
  

If you only have old photos, you still have options:

• Use AI upscaling or professional tools or services to increase the size and clean them up a bit.
  
• Build a creative layout with collages, frames, textures, or smaller photo areas, rather than stretching one small image to full size.
  

At CCS Vintage, we include this optimization step with your order: we help you get the best possible result from the photos you already have, so your cover looks intentional and not like a blown-up screenshot.

6.3. Layout basics: safe area and bleed (the only two rules you really need)

You don’t need to understand print jargon, just remember these two concepts:

If you only remember one thing from this part, let it be this: Don’t place important text right on the edge of the cover or label. Give it breathing room.

6.4. Using templates so you don’t have to “guess”.

Designing a custom vinyl record jacket from scratch can feel overwhelming if you’re not a designer. That’s why templates exist.

The easiest way to do this is to use ready-made templates sized exactly for vinyl covers and labels. Edit them in a simple tool like Canva: drop your photos, change the text, adjust colors, and you’re done.

At CCS Vintage, we provide free Canva templates 7”, 10”, and 12" sets with matching Front and Back covers and center labels.

They already include:

• Safe areas (where to keep important info)
  
• Bleed margins (so nothing gets a white border)
  
• Placeholder text, you can simply overwrite
  

So instead of guessing measurements or worrying about “print specs”, you just customize a design that’s already set up correctly.

🤩 With your audio ready (Step 3) and your artwork designed (Step 4), you’ve completed 90% of the work on your project.

✅7. Step 5 – Send everything to your custom vinyl company

At this point, you’ve done the hard part:
You chose the size, picked the songs, prepared the audio, and designed the artwork.

Now it’s time to get your custom vinyl disc made.

➡️Most companies will print and cut exactly what you send, without checking spelling, cropping, audio cuts, or weird volume jumps. That means any mistake in your files becomes a permanent part of your record.

At CCS Vintage, we manually review your audio and artwork before cutting and printing. If we see something that could clearly ruin your experience (a cropped face, a typo in the date, a track that’s obviously cut), we’ll let you know and help you fix it.

7.2. Uploading your files or sending your playlist

Depending on the provider, you’ll typically have two options:

1. Upload all your files: Audio files (WAV, MP3, voice exports) + Artwork files (covers, labels, extras)
2. Send a song list or playlist: A text list with titles and artists, or a Spotify or Apple Music playlist + Artwork files for the cover and labels
3. The company then prepares the audio on its side.
   

If you’re not sure which option is best for you, ask them directly.
At CCS Vintage, for example, we can work either from your files or from a simple song list or playlist link, and we’ll guide you so you don’t have to be “techy” to get this right.

7.3. Reviewing and approving the proof

Before your custom vinyl goes into production, some providers (including us) usually send you a digital proof. Take this part seriously – it’s your last chance to fix mistakes.

Things to check carefully:

• Track order
  
• Is Side A in the correct order?
• Is Side B correct?
• Does it match the playlist written on the album cover?
  
• Song titles and artist names
  
• Spelling, accents, initials – everything.
  
• Dates and personal messages
  
• Wedding dates, anniversaries, names, and inside jokes.
  
• Artwork preview
  
• Is anything important too close to the edge?
  
• Are faces or text accidentally cropped?
  

If something feels off, don’t hesitate to ask for changes before approving.
Once you approve, the record is cut and printed based on that version.

With CCS Vintage, this proof step is part of the experience: we want you to feel 100% confident before your story goes on vinyl.

7.4. Production time: how long does it take?

Custom lathe-cut records are not a same-day product.

Exact times depend on each company, but as a general idea:

• Production is usually measured in weeks, not days.
  
• If you need your disc for a specific date (wedding, anniversary, birthday), it’s safer to plan several weeks in advance.
  

When you’re comparing options and trying to find the best company for a custom vinyl record for your case, always check:

• Estimated production time
  
• Shipping time to your country
  
• Whether they offer rush options (if you’re very close to the date)
  

Once you’ve sent everything, approved your proof, and your order is in the queue, you’ve done it.

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Ready to make your own custom vinyl record?

If you’ve made it this far, you already know how to make a custom vinyl record from start to finish: choosing the size, building your playlist, preparing your audio, and designing a cover that actually looks good in real life.

💿🎁Now it’s time to turn all that into something personal, emotional, and real.

Click here to make it with us!

If you’re looking for ideas on what to put on your record, or who to gift it to, don’t stop here:

Finally, if you want to stay in the loop:

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Your story is already in your songs.
We’re just here to help you put it on a record. 💿✨