Mix for the Listeners/Write for the Readers

The mix tape project highlighted the amount of effort that is needed to provide an enticing experience for an audience, for nearly the whole process centered on pleasing the target listener. For example, a relevant theme had to be chosen along with appropriate songs that conveyed the selected mood onto the subject. Liner notes, a title, and a cover design not only added a degree of variability to the mix, but also served as another form of engaging the listener, of layering down more icing on the cake. It all came down to what we, as DJs, wanted our listeners to hear and feel. Of course, this process involved taking some of our own tastes into account, for that's what served as the inspiration for our mixes. However, an effective mix tape, one that is listened to in full, must feature certain tweaks that are designed in some thoughtful manner around the listener. For example, for my End of the Day Brew mix, I had to have a general idea of what my friend would enjoy at the end of her day. Amy had to know which movies her friend had seen to create the movie soundtrack mix we listened to in class.

The same rules should go for writing. The mix tape assignment freed us out of the box so that we could view the “writing process” in yet another light. What should an author be worried about? Sure, getting a point across may be important, but the priority may lie in engaging the reader. It is important to keep the audience in mind when you write because that holds the power in generating creativity at the other end. That’s what keeps originality churning in our society. We all got something different out of DJ Spooky, but that’s because he created a unique product with flow and illustrations. He was inspired by personal events from his past, but he tweaked them in such a manner so that an audience would find the information appealing. Creating the mix tape has challenged me to approach and view composition as an act of engagement.