Vinyl And 45s Only: Mixing With 45s via DJ TechTools

It’s becoming harder and harder to find DJs playing strictly vinyl, even more rare are DJs that mix entirely using “45s” (7″ records). Mixing with 45s comes with it’s own unique set of challenges: the surface area is smaller making it easier to bump the needle, there’s no extended intro’s which means shorter mixes and the track selection is limited, every track isn’t released as a single.

Today we want to put a spotlight on this unique format by sharing the differences between 12″ and 7″ vinyl, where to find 45s, and feature some “45″ only mixes to help you dive into 45 culture.

12″ vs. 7″ Vinyl

Besides the obvious size difference, what else separates 7″ vinyl from the familiar 12″ record. Due to the smaller size 7″ records are only capable of holding about 4.5 min at 45 RPM (the more common speed) or 7 minutes per side at 33 RPM, while 12″ records are capable of fitting about 22 minutes at 33 RPM or 15 minutes at 45 RPM. The limited time makes the format suitable for singles rather than full albums.

Although 7″ records can be cut for 33 RPM it’s not the best idea:

“7″ records are smaller, so naturally the grooves are more compressed. As the grooves get closer to the center of a record the groove width is reduced. Therefore, at the slower speed of 33rpm, distortion can be highly noticeable and cause an unattractive sound. With the circumference of 12″ records, there is more surface area to experiment with. It is more manageable to engrave the outside of the disc where there is better frequency response and minimal tracing distortion. If you have your heart set on putting out a 7″ record, remember that it is highly recommended to record at the speed of 45rpm. (Source: Record Pressing)”

Another notable difference is with the weight. While the weight varies, 7″ records are generally around 40 grams vs. 120 – 180 grams for 12″ records, making 7″ records 4x lighter. This weight may not seem like a big deal, but try telling that to any DJ that’s lugged multiple crates of 12″ vinyl to and from gigs.

Why 45′s over 12″?

So if mixing with 45′s is more of a challenge compared to mixing 12″ records, why do DJs do it in the first place? As mentioned earlier the smaller size/weight makes them easier to carry around to gigs. They’re also cheaper relative to a 12″, since it’s just a single track on each side rather than a full album with multiple tracks.

One of the biggest challenges with mixing vinyl, whether it’s 12″ or 7″ records is you’re limited to how much you can carry or travel with from gig to gig. How can you prepare for a vinyl only gig? How should the set start? DJTT caught up with vinyl only DJ, DJ Format to learn why he only mixes with vinyl and how he prepares for his sets.

Where To Find 45′s?

So maybe now you’re inspired to start experimenting with 45′s but where do you find them? A great place to start is the local record shop or garage sales in the neighbourhood, where you can probably get them for a $1 or less each.

If there’s no record shop in town, no problem. Start checking out Craigslist or online record shops. There are several record stores that ship and sell 45s around the world. We’ve listed 4 worthwhile sites to check out below:

Amoeba Records – One of the largest independent record stores and featured in the famous documentry “Scratch“. They include free shipping, so spend that money you saved on more records!

Discogs – A massive marketplace with over 15 million records available to purchase.

Turntable Lab – While they don’t have the biggest collection of 7″ vinyl available, it’s a great site to find brand new 7″ records.

Classic 45s – This site only sells 45 records. The design is dated but it’s still updated regularly, with over 165 releases added this week.

All 45 Mixes and Performances

There are some incredible performances and mixes that strictly use 45s. We’ve compiled a few great mixes and routines to inspire DJs that are up to the challenge of mixing with this format.

Skratch Bastid and The Gaff – 4 x 45s Freda Payne / JVC Force Routine

Skratch Bastid and The Gaff team up to showcase a routine from their “Soul Sisters, Stand Up” mix, cutting and juggling four 45 copies of Freda Payne. Super soulful!

DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist Brainfreeze Set (All 45s)

Recorded from a rehearsal for their “45 sessions” tour, almost the entire mix is done with rare 7″ records. Interestingly there were only 2000 CDs pressed of this mix. Any vinyl that’s available is a bootleg copy.

Flipout – Dre Day All 45 Set

Flipout put together this all 45 mix to celebrate Dr. Dre’s birthday. You won’t hear Dr. Dre tracks but you’ll hear tracks that Dr. Dre has famously sampled or interpolated in his productions over the years. Listen and see if you pick out the samples and name the classic Dre tracks they belong to.