Bunting.+Mix+Tape+Guidelines

=Bunting, Tim. "Mix Tape Guidelines."= //Personal Interview. 28 February 2011. E-mail.//

**Argument**
A mix tape is a logical collection of songs that is hand-crafted in order to convey a specific mood or idea. By following specific guidelines, the mix tape remediates music in order to create a new order and meaning. The beauty of the mix tape involves the result of the new and perfect placement of songs - a completely new experience.

"One of the most progressive developments over the last decade was the explosion in youth culture's engagement with electronic media through hip-hop. The multiplex consciousness of rhythm science adds several layers of complexity: the "current" --all puns intended, alternating and direct--has been deleted. Any sound can be you. It's an emotion of abstraction and attention deficit disorder. There so much information about who you should be or what you should be that you're not left with the option of trying to create a mix of your very self" (Paul D. Miller, Rhythm Science 64).

**Key Passages**


 * guidelines for properly fashioning a mix tape:**
 * 1) Always have an intended recipient.
 * 2) Place precedence on the integrity of the completed mix rather than the popularity of individual songs.
 * 3) Use a maximum of 2 or 3 popular "singles". A mix of lesser known "B-sides" is refreshing to the listener and more useful than a compilation of songs the recipient already knows.
 * 4) Use a maximum of 15 tracks. 12-14 is preferred. A mix should be a musical experience that can be enjoyed in one sitting. Overly extended mixes make this experience tedious.
 * 5) Never use a single band twice on one mix.
 * 6) Avoid sudden shifts in volume levels from track to track. A track with significantly less gain sounds disappointing. Either edit the tracks to have equal gain or rearrange the playlist so that the changes are gradual.
 * 7) Always have a predestined purpose, structure, or limitations to your mix. For instance: a mix with a single topic, a mix with all acoustic instruments, a mix of a certain genre or decade, etc... This will bring unity to the variety and enhance the overall experience.
 * 8) Utilize controlled variety. A mix needs variety, but it must be well maintained. For instance: Do not have a mix with 11 songs from the 60's and 70's and one song from 2003. Do not have 11 songs from one genre and another song from a completely different genre. Let the variety be balanced and evenly distributed through out the playlist.
 * 9) Give equal attention to track order as track selection. The playlist should be organized in a way that comfortably flows from track to tack. If your favorite song doesn't fit well anywhere in the playlist, sacrifice the song for the integrity of the overall mix. A good playlist consists of several gradations of mood or tone (i.e: gradual increase of tempo from track to track or escalation from mellow to upbeat) and 1-3 sudden changes (i.e.: 4 songs of increasing intensity climax and then resolve with a contrastingly mellow song). The most helpful trick is to treat your playlist as if it's a soundtrack to a film.
 * 10) All these guidelines can be broken if for a specific designated purpose. For example: a Beatles mix will obviously contain more than one track from the same band. Feel free to stray from the guidelines, but only if for a purposeful reason.

Other Thoughts:
 * Don't use the same song for multiple mixes. this is a hard rule to follow. esp when you're making several mixes for several ppl. but to me this really stresses the importance of the mix and the value of the song if you can only use it once. if it.s that special of a song, you aren't quick to just throw it on any mix.
 * Do not use the song as it is used in the album. track 1 songs or last track songs are usually distinctly written and are usually very appropriate as track 1 or last track. but using them on your mix that way is 1 lazy, and 2 it ruins your mix because it brings our preconceived ideas and feelings from the song in it.s original context into the mix and thus clouding and confusing the experience of the mix. our mix needs to be a new creation. breaking this rule diminishes that. so use the songs in new and creative ways.
 * Using instrumentals is very helpful because it emphasizes that the mix is an experience, not just a collection of cool songs that we like. This mimics the soundtrack experience.
 * Place emphasis on rare and unusual songs. this will also help the mix be a unique and therefore worthwhile experience.
 * Be creative on the track list but mindful and objective about what songs you choose when. here are some typicals
 * 1) start off strong and catchy. this track 1 can be an overall representative of the entire mix, plus a lil extra catchy. this makes the listener quick to grab the mix because he/ she is anxious to hear that great start
 * 2) track one can be treated as a prologue. a slow and as if the album isn't really starting yet. instrumental mellow and short is a good kind of song to use for this technique. (this technique can be heard in bright eyes fevers and mirrors. or death cab for cutie photo album). sometimes this can even be done with a really long dramatic mellow song . like bright eyes fevers and mirrors. if you do this. make sure you follow it up with a song that really declares that the mix is officially started. again refer to fevers and mirrors...etc..
 * 3) the last track can be similarly like a prologue. the next to last track is epic, long, dramatic and full. then the very last track indulges the listeners emotion by buffering from LONG DRAMATIC sound to silence. it.s like a closer that eases the ears. like pushing snooze before you wake up. but make sure the previous track is sufficiently epic and emotionally moving so that the listener really needs a slow comforting ending, rather than just making a completed mix needlessly longer.
 * B-sides: As we all know, records/ tapes have side "A" and "B". well long before, people would just buy 45's. these were singles. side a would have the popular hit, and side b would have a complementary lesser popular song. so side b was notorious for songs that are not singles. the same concept continued but they began to make longer track listings per disc.
 * I recommend using "bsides" because i just recommend using songs that are lesser know and not that popular. it.s just not that cool to make a mix of real popular songs. or even if they're beatnick bands, dont use the ones that are most notorious.   However, the concept of making a mix that recognizes side a and b and treats them differntly is a cool concept. personally i feel that we have to accept that side a and b just doesnt exist in the cd and mp3 world, so ... it really wont translate, but it would be cool to give someone a cassette, and if you've made the mix foremost for cassette, you can justify making some other copies in cd or mp3.
 * EP extended play: this was anywhere from 5-8 songs. then came the LP, long play. this is finally when the concept of THE ALBUM came about. this was entirely new. buying an entire collection of songs. Some albums treat side and b differently. for instance beach boys today: side a, typical surf rock hits, side b, brian wilson ballads. bob dylan: bringing it all back home: side a, full band rock songs, side b, just bob and his guitar. abbey road is another album that utilizes the two sides to distinguish two separate elements of the album.
 * Track Listing: There's the beginning song, the closing song, we've discussed that. How about the other tracks?
 * There's the infamous track 9. somewhere around track 9 should be a catchy but substantial song. it cant be too dumb and catchy, thats more for track 1. no one really takes track 1 seriously. thats just to set the stage, but track 9 needs to be catchy and desirable so the listener has something to look forward to and anticipate. somewhere in track 4 and 5 where not as much is happening, he/ she has to know that track 9 is coming and start getting excited. but unlike track 1, 9 has to be a song that is catchy, but still of great substance. it needs to have depth, and staying power. it cant be a song you.ll get sick of quickly. it.s like the suckers love track 1, but the true fans prefer track 9 as far as catchy songs go. idk if that made any sense,
 * 2,3,4 need to be really likable, but somewhat atypical. kind of strange and not too catchy, but still realllly enjoyable and cool
 * track 4,5,6 can be songs that are good, but use this time to calm the ear pallet. not every song should be euphoric and emotionally blasting. otherwise we'd just listen to country radio barf.
 * you can have one or two movements and developments with one or two sudden shifts of pace.