Mix Tape Essentials

I think the most important thing to keep in mind in making a mix tape is to provide an experience for the listener. You must engage your target audience in some manner to keep that person from ejecting the CD. It is important not to simply throw a random hodgepodge of songs on a blank CD and call it a day; although that is a mix of some sort, it’s not interactive enough. There must be flow, some type of storyline supported or created by the music, an experience from start to finish. This is challenging enough on paper, so doing it through music may even be tougher. I think that the liner notes will be key to the efficacy of the mix tape, for they will provide us, the mix tape creators, with an outlet to reveal our intentions if they are unclear through the music alone. Of course, mix tapes of the highest quality should be capable of standing independently without support, but the liner notes can add a whole dimension to the experience that we are trying to piece together for the listener. I’m looking forward to not only seeing how the mix tape turns out but also to hearing feedback from my audience.