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Vinyl Side Timing Planner

Find the most balanced sequential split while prioritizing sides that stay under your planning target. Actual cutting decisions depend on level, bass, programme material and the mastering engineer.

Vinyl Side Timing Planner: an ordered album balanced across two physical vinyl sides at a mastering desk
Original LISTN.TO editorial artwork showing an ordered album balanced across two physical vinyl sides at a mastering desk.

Keep the album sequence intact

Enter exact intended-master durations. The planner tests every possible boundary but never moves a track.

Use minutes:seconds separated by commas. Enter 4 to 30 tracks.
minutes

Recommended planning boundary

Turn the record after Track 4. This option first minimizes time above your target, then minimizes the difference between sides.

Total programme
34:42
Side difference
0:40
Target check
Both sides within target

Side A: 17:01

  • Track 13:42
  • Track 24:18
  • Track 35:06
  • Track 43:55

Side B: 17:41

  • Track 54:44
  • Track 65:12
  • Track 73:36
  • Track 84:09

Other boundaries worth discussing

The three strongest timing options under the selected target
Turn afterSide ASide BDifferenceTarget
Track 417:0117:410:40Within
Track 313:0621:368:30Within
Track 521:4512:578:48Within

Timing does not decide the cut

Hear the physical turn

Play the final track on Side A, pause long enough to turn a record, then begin Side B. A mathematically balanced boundary can still weaken the close of one side or waste the opening position of the other.

Ask the cutting engineer about the programme

Side length alone cannot determine level or sound quality. Low-frequency content, stereo information, programme level, groove spacing, sequence, and the engineer's choices all affect what is practical. The selected target is a planning signal, not a mastering limit.

Verify the durations

Use times from the intended masters, not rounded streaming displays or another edition. Confirm the release object with How to Identify Album Editions, Reissues and Remasters.

Browse the other transparent listening tools when the decision concerns a playlist, listening session, or blind test.

Questions before choosing a side break

Is 22 minutes a hard vinyl-side limit?

No. It is only a planning target. Level, bass, stereo information, groove spacing, and the cutting engineer's decisions affect what is practical.

Will the planner reorder the album?

No. It tests every boundary while keeping the entered track sequence fixed.

Which track times should I enter?

Use exact durations from the intended masters. Times from another edit or a rounded streaming display can make a close plan unreliable.