HOW TO: make an amazing mix tape

at SUPER AWESOME MIX, we love mix tapes. rather than making yet another algorithm-generated, endless playlist, we’re all about bringing back the magic of the mix tape.

in our opinion, the thing that made a mix tape so challenging / magical was that it was constrained in time. you only had so much space to fit onto a tape (and eventually a CD) so you had to really think about every single song — why did it belong? is there a better fit? is it too long and will eat up other potential songs that need to be on here?

we use 75 minutes as a good measure for a playlist — at just over an hour, it’s an easy amount of music to give to someone without it being overwhelming. if you’re like us, you’ve probably been given a playlist at some point in your life with like 3+ hours of music. it’s kinda like…..oh ok, i guess i’ll listen to these? it feels like too much, and you don’t know where to begin. often with that much music there’s very little or no flow at all between songs. it’s just a mash of songs you may or may not like.

so how do you make a great mix tape? or rather, a SUPER AWESOME MIX? these are some of the key questions to ask yourself when making one:

QUESTION 1: what mood/theme are you going for?

this is the most critical question to answer first. another way to think about this is: what emotion do you want to trigger in the person listening to this mix? for example, if it's you listening to it, do you want to feel happy/excited? is this something to start your day? is this a way to unwind from a stressful day? is this the mix that you'll have on repeat on your 7 hour cross-country drive?

music is a powerful tool in invoking emotions, and making us feel a certain way. it can match your mood (keeping you in it), or it can help shift you away from it (helping you go from one state to another). it's important to think about what you're trying to achieve with it.

QUESTION 2: what's more important to you? lyrics or the mood of the song?

there's no wrong answer here -- it's a matter of your personal preference, really! for us, it depends on the mood/theme. there are some times when the lyrics are critical to match what you're going for -- otherwise you may find yourself giving someone a love/relationship mix tape that's all about breaking up.

other times, it's the mood of the music that is most critical -- like if you're trying to focus or get amped up. in that case, it almost doesn't matter what the singer is going on about, it just matters that you're doing your thing to it.

QUESTION 3: what's the opening track?

do you want to ease into the mix or do you want to start with an attention grabbing bang? again i think it depends on the theme you picked, but it's something to consider!

QUESTION 4: does the energy go UP through the mix, or does it go down through the mix? does it oscillate between the two?

is this the type of mix that you build up and it crescendos, leaving you totally wiped out and excited and (ideally) ready to do it all over again? or is it the type of mix that eases you into a chill/calm state, leaving you mellow and relaxed. or perhaps you want to take people on a bit of a rollercoaster — although if that’s the case, we recommend doing it over the course of 2 or 3 songs at least. if you jump between high/low energy without a bridge, it can be a bit jarring!

finally, QUESTION 5: when selecting a track, why does it deserve to be there?

does that track spark a memory? a feeling? have a lyric you love? come from an artist you adore? act as a bridge between the previous and next track?

all of these (and a few more!) are the types of questions we ask ourselves when we're making mixes for our clients, or for our podcast (or for our friends/family!).

making a mix tape is really fun -- it's like a lost art these days. the constraint of time, the endless amounts of music available -- both of these two things together require a lot of thought and time to get right. if you'd like us to help you put together your own awesome mix for an upcoming event or anniversary, please contact us! we'll get back to you soon with a quote depending on what you're looking for!

until next time, best of luck with all your mixes! and actually, remember the most important thing with all of this: have fun!!