At least... you think you do. But it's a pretty good hunch. You're 98.3% sure of it. You can just sense it. In any case, you're really into music. You don't consider yourself the cut-from-the-same-cloth radio listener. And you want to share that part of your life with her... as a first step to sharing more of your life with her.
So how do you go about it? Well, when it comes to things of this personal a nature, I say to each their own. Every person is unique, as is every relationship. Moreover, I am nothing more than a quiet, humble voice on the Internet. As such, I am in no position to give tips, but I would like to share some suggestions. =D
For me, I started making mixtapes as a hobby some time (~4 years) ago when my music library was expanding. A lot of the songs I was listening to detailed the difficulties faced when dealing with this thing called love. But when the sector of alternative that you listen to is pop-punk and post-grunge, you can't be too surprised. Getting bored with the same old same old, I would ask myself, "Where is the love?" In an attempt to find the love, I listened intently to my favorite artists, picked out my favorite feel-good romantic tracks and compiled my first 21-song Love Playlist.
As I said, it became a hobby of mine. Whenever I found a rock track that was heartfelt as opposed to angst-filled, I kept it in mind and would try and work it into my next Love Playlist. I would keep them within CD-length as a "just-in-case" measure, but wouldn't plan on giving them out. Ususally, these were general mixes (i.e. - not catered to one specific girl) and I would keep them for my own listening pleasure.
Regardless, I wanted each mix to be unique. Therefore, from the beginning I created a so-so set of "rules":
- Shoot for a length of 65-75 minutes. You want it to fit in a CD, but you don't want it to be too short or too long. As for max length, if your mix is super awesome, then you can make it 79 minutes and 57 seconds long and the girl won't mind because she'll be replaying it over and over.
- Neither songs nor artists can be repeated within a mix. Covers are ok. If a musician is a member of various groups (like Dave Grohl), then it's ok if they appear multiple times in a CD as long as the recording artist is different.
- Exact songs cannot be repeated between mixes. Covers by other artists and alternate versions by the same artist (like live recordings, acoustic takes, demos, etc.) are allowed between mixes.
- If a song is the starting track of an album, then do not use it as the first song of the mix. For example, do not start with "Good Times Roll" by The Cars as it is the opening of their self-titled debut. You don't want your girl to get the wrong impression from the first track (i.e. - she thinks it's the mix, but it's not).
- Although not necessary, don't start with the same artist on different mixes. The same applies for alternate versions of songs. That helps to keep the originality between mixes.
- The ending song can be the final song of another CD. By that point, you should hopefully know what you had been listening to the whole time.
You may be thinking that these "rules" are unnecessary. That you should just go with your gut and do what feels right. But as Los Campesinos! tell us in "It Started with a Mixx," a lot can come about from a seemingly simple gesture, so don't take it lightly. Furthermore, when you give out a mix, you're giving out a gift. It becomes the recipient's property. They can do with it what they'd like and you cannot control it or take it back. You're free to burn the same playlist for another girl; it's your music, it's your computer. But a hand-me-down mix DOES NOT have the same feeling, emotion and effort behind it as the original.
Since we've discussed logistics, let's now shift gears to what the content should be. This is where personal preference becomes key. I'm not saying follow my lead, but I would nevertheless like to detail my approach:
- Start anyway you'd like! It can be soft or punchy, old or new, a single or an album-oriented track. Shoot for fun! And let her know you mean business; just try to avoid really emotional... save that for towards the end.
- Continue on with the "fun" songs; don't come in too strong too soon. Use some upbeat and even danceable songs. And try to keep it the same or similar genre as the beginning track.
- When you're ready to change genres, use the appropriate transition song. For example, if you started with pop-rock or pop-punk, "Dani California" would help in the shift to older classic artists.
- In the middle section, you can be a bit more frank with your feelings. Maybe you want to show that you're not afraid of using the "L" word ("Love Me Two Times"), maybe you want to say that you can't shake the feeling that perfect moments aren't infinitely lasting ("Keeper"), maybe you want to signal that regardless you're seeking something real ("You and I (Wilco Cover)"). Maybe you want to say all of this in a structured progression.
- When going from song to song, you not only want to get the "feel" right between songs, but you should also pay attention to the "gaps" as well. You should spend some time listening to how the ending of each song leads into the beginning of another. Is there a fade-out? Does it stop abruptly? Is the silence too long or too short? Does the next song start way too loud? You don't have to be an expert in keys or anything, but if a song-to-song transition sounds off to you, consider shifting songs around or swapping some out altogether.
- Some CD burning software automatically add short gaps (~2 seconds) between tracks. Be sure to check your settings so that the mix comes out sounding the way you intended (either with or without the added gaps).
- Don't hold back with respect to the "uniqueness" of a song. Maybe there's this obsure b-side by an 80's-revival indie band from Witchita that you're really fond of, but you think you'll come off as really weird. If it fits with the mood of the CD, I say use it. She's gonna find out about songs like these eventually. Might as well tell her you're weird from the get-go (and it might turn out that she really digs it!).
- Remember that this is a gift for her. As much as you want to share your library, you'd also like to show her that you also respect her special tastes. If she has a thing for boy bands, work with it. Just don't fill up the whole mix with 98° ballads.
- As you're nearing the end, the songs should be getting softer and more heartfelt. This is where slow songs by Angels & Airwaves, Anberlin and Journey work best. The last two or three songs should really sum up the rest of the album and all the feelings that you have that you can't put into words.
- The very last track has to be very impactful, but the impression you want to leave is up to you. Maybe you want to continue on with the theme that she's special ("At My Most Beautiful"), amazing ("Let Your Love Be Strong") or yours ("You Are Mine"); alternatively, you can be hers ("Linger").
- Or maybe you want to break the atmosphere at the end with something really out there... a bonus track of sorts. Like using "Somebody Told Me" as the closing track of an 18-song mix, or possibly a song or artist she cherishes but that no one else aware of. That'd be your way of saying that you're a creep, but not a creeper.
And that completes Kelvin's lecture on "How to Make a Mixtape 101." In summation, mixtapes are a useful tool for showing that special someone how interesting you are and how much you care about them. Keep in mind that mixes are good conversation starters, but as the relationship grows, the need for some of these "rules" diminishes and you two start to make your own "rules" for music sharing. And on a final note, DON'T reuse old mixtapes! That's just plain lazy.
And what are my credentials? Well, I've been in the business for quite some time now, and to date I have created 21 original mixtapes. So I guess you can say that I have the opportunity to begin a relationship with 21 different girls. But for some reason, I don't think that's going to be necessary. <3
Call it a hunch,
Kelvin
No comments:
Post a Comment