Playing records is fun, but some people are afraid to mess up the delicate gear. Never fear, we’re here to show you how to properly play a vinyl record.
A good sign that the vinyl revolution is alive and well is my own house — my 13-year-old daughter’s record collection is growing steadily (I never thought I’d see a day where her Christmas and birthday lists are full of vinyl) and my own records are constantly going “missing.”
Most of her friends have record players, too, and while rest assured my own offspring has been well trained on the intricacies of properly dropping the needle, I’ve often cringed watching one or two of her friends fumble around trying to play a record. Well, this is for them, and anyone else who needs a crash course in playing records.
Turntables and their associated polyvinyl discs are sophisticated, delicate analog devices, susceptible to skipping, scratching, and making a variety of horrific sounds if not handled correctly. But if you approach them less like a stomping gorilla and more like a soft-footed cat, you’ll be rewarded with some of the sweetest sounds you’ve ever heard. From taking it out of its sleeve and giving it a clean to lowering that tonearm, here’s how to correctly play a vinyl record.
For some great suggestions on some of the tools you can use for playing vinyl, check out our list of the best turntable accessories, too.Remove the record from its sleeve(s)
This is not meant to sound condescending, but how you remove a record from its sleeve is kind of important; vinyl must be handled correctly to keep things like oils and debris from the fingers from building up on them, which can damage the record and your needle.
One tip before we start: If you’re playing someone else’s records, make a mental note about how they’re inserted into both the outer plastic dust sleeve (if there is one) and how the inner sleeve (usually paper with the actual disc inside) is inserted inside the cardboard outer jacket. Be sure to put it back the same way.
Step 1: If there’s an outer plastic protective cover, remove the record from it.
Step 2: The actual disc should be inside another inner sleeve, inside the outer jacket. These are usually paper, or some collectors use plastic anti-static inner sleeves, too. Take that out.
Step 3: Here’s the important part: With one hand, carefully slide a hand inside the inner sleeve and place a few fingers on the center label of the record.
Step 4: With your thumb on the outside edge of the record, slide it while maintaining the cardinal rule of never touching the record’s surface.
