MANILA, Philippines - Movies like High Fidelity and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist have paid homage to this still-undefined art of making a music playlist. Or mix, in short.
When done right, the entire experience of creating a mix can be more rewarding than receiving it itself. Be it in the form of a CD, zip folder, or the rough sharing of a USB to a friend, the ideas on how to do a great mix essentially remain the same. This is something anyone can take as many cracks as they want at — and still have tons of fun with it.
Before you read on, though, remember that there are no set rules to mixing; only set suggestions.
Step 1 Know who you’re giving it to.
You don’t want to be sending the wrong message to someone you only want to be friends with. A track like The Smiths’ Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, for instance, can be misinterpreted to no end — and to your dismay.
Step 2 Stress (a theme) to impress.
More than anything, it’s imperative to know what your mix is saying. Are you creating this for yourself for a long drive out? Are you wooing someone with it? Are you apologizing to a friend? Are you trying to “relax” your friends at a house party? Or, have you simply decided to go all hipster on yourself and claim that the absence of a theme is the theme itself? Whatever it is, I dare say that this step requires your indulgence. This is where you have the aural authority to turn friends into best friends, best friends into girlfriends, and so the hell on.
Step 3 Tell a story, if time allows.
Let’s say it’s a mix that details a love life. You might want to start off with songs that imply infatuation, and then slowly coast towards romance, actual commitment, and whatever you think should follow after.
Step 4 Consider the element of surprise.
Music makes the people come together: Films such as Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and High Fidelity paty respect to the art of sharing music.
It might be a great idea to skip the Vengaboys this one time and put in a little something that no one’s ever heard of. Or, the opposite: Replace your indie with mainstream (i.e. exchanging Cut Copy for Gary V). If all else fails, at least you know it wasn’t because you didn’t have a sense of humor.
Step 5 Don’t shun your transitions.
While we’re on the topic of surprises, deciding on your playlist’s transitions can be tricky. Unless you’ve chosen the random non-theme for kicks, I would suggest moving your Deftones as far away as possible from your Kings of Convenience. If possible, try to group quiet and loud songs separately, or build things up from slow to fast. Smoothness here is key.
Step 6 It’s wise to revise.
If things can wait for a day or two, wait. Consulting your couch for a nap might freshen things up for your playlist. You just might remember what tracks you forgot to include or decide to start from scratch altogether.
Step 7 Packaging is king.
If you’re not handing over a soft copy of your mix (i.e. emailing a corny zip folder of MP3s), ensuring your mix CD has memorable cover art can’t hurt your chances at success. It could be a plain drawing of a white flag to say you’re sorry or a fully thought-out abstract piece of shit put together with Cray-Pas. Or, just a “thank you” note inserted in the CD sleeve. At the end of the day, nobody can really strap a patch over your mind’s eye. It’s your mix, so it basically follows that it’s also your call.
Download The Mix I Never Got To Give by Ralph Mendoza at http://youngstarphils.tumblr.com