Comments on: The Thinking Man’s Take On: Making A Mixtape

By: dawn

dawn — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:17:11 +0000

Very helpful!

I’m going to a NYE party and am one of 5 people the hosts asked to make a mix for the night. I’ve been stressing about it (work is slow, I have to do something with my time) and I’m grateful for this list.

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:47:21 +0000

I agree with most of your tips.(Also, Hannah is very right, always document so you dont repeat)Only thing I disagree on is length.Most of my mix CDs run 20+ tracks.One reason for this is that I hate to waste space and, with only 12- 16 tracks on a CD, it is easy to waste CD space.Longer mixes might run on at times but it also allows you to experiment.I like putting new songs I think the guys might like (Supergrass, Aimee Mann, Gram Rabbit) alongside obscurities (One particular subgenre my friends got a kick out of was the Spaghetti western ballad.I used a few last year and they loved them, especially one called “A Gringo Like Me”)

By: Randi Baron

Randi Baron — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:29:52 +0000

Hey Chris, check out this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNcLWBWkpNM&eurl=http://everythingisterrible.blogspot.com/&feature=player_embedded

this should be in your article too haha great job

By: hannah

hannah — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 16:02:49 +0000

Additional tip: Document the tracks, date, and recipient of the mixtape. This way, you won’t end up repeating tracks in future mixes.

By: bajai

bajai — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 13:17:43 +0000

great!!!

thanks for the tips..

ive been making one but i think something is missing..

thanks agen PMA!

By: Lowpass

Lowpass — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 18:32:47 +0000

There’s also my (stupider) way..
1. Throw a few hundred neat racks at your software of choice
2. Pick an rough target length.
3. Pick a starting track.
4. Keep mixing until you reach the target, or get sick of it.

By: Smithey

Smithey — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:04:40 +0000

i laughed as i came to the part about making a mixtape for ur hipster friend make sure to include ‘animal collective’, because at that very moment i was listening to animal collective’s “street flash”, but i would in no way consider myself a hipster. This gave some pretty nice guidelines 4 last minute gifts, thnx pma

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:02:01 +0000

yumyumyum pumpkin pie

By: John

John — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:11:08 +0000

By: Half Note

Half Note — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 23:35:15 +0000

Brilliant. You covered everything I’ve always deemed important when making mixtapes.

By: John

John — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 23:01:44 +0000

Great read and very funny, as always.

I’ll get back to you guys with my mixtape!

By: F.

F. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 23:00:16 +0000

I will give my best friend a mixtape this christmas. I’m aiming for a calm mixtape with great music.

1. Suburban Kids With Biblical Names – JullÃ¥ten 2004
(Rare track from a Swedish christmas record)

2. The Cardigans – In The Round
(A nice tune from The Cardigans latest album)

3. Coldplay – Lost!
(My favorite from Viva La Vida)

4. Moto Boy – Blue Motorbike
(If you haven’t heard Moto Boy, you haven’t heard music)

5. DetektivbyrÃ¥n – KÃ¤rlekens Alla FÃ¤rjor
(Medieval instruments with tunes of today)

6. Feist – 1 2 3 4
(A nearly perfect song)

7. Fleet Foxes – Your Protector
(Believe the hype)

8. Tingsek – Egoflow
(Swedish singer/songwriter. Really talented.)

9. John Mayer – Waiting On The World To Change
(Just a nice song)

10. Cake – Italian Leather Sofa
(My friend loves the trumpet, and this song has an awesome trumpet solo)

11. Morrissey – Certain People I Know
(I’m trying to make my friend to like good old Moz. Haven’t worked yet.)

12. The Shins – New Slang
(A good song to end this mixtape, I think)