11 tips on how to make a crazy-awesome mix CD (as a gift/just for fun/when you really need something to do)

(1) When creating a mix the main thing you want to focus on is that you're not making it for yourself. You can't make a mixtape with Guster and Monster Movie if the person you're making it for likes Blink-182 and All Time Low... they just won't like it. Just like you wouldn't have Brokencyde on a mix for your grandomther.....

(2) It can be as long or as short as you want it to be. Most of my mixes end up being about an hour long (15-18 songs) but I've made some that are 15 minutes and I've made some that are an hour and a half (which is pretty much the most it can be depending on the type of blank CD you use)

(3) If you have a microphone on your computer USE IT! From my experiences my friends like when I talk for a few seconds after every couple of songs.

(4) It wouldn't hurt to put something weird in there every so often too. Something they wouldn't expect like a spoken word poem or a spoken short story or an audio clip from a good movie.

(5) Try not to put two songs by the same band/artist. I don't know why this makes a difference but it always does for me. Like whenever I have two songs by the same artist on one tape the quality of it goes down dramatically. (There are exceptions to the rule. I.E. lyricless music. If you're making a mix and you want to add a jazz or classical piece that doesn't have lyrics the person listening to it most-likely won't notice)

(6) Make sure the songs go well together. When you finish listening to a song and another song that sounds somewhat similar to the last song but not overly similar you get excited without even really noticing.

(7) If you have a theme stick to it.. Also be sure to make your theme something that isn't TOO broad. I mean if the theme you want is "love" that could translate easily into 'love sucks' orrr 'being in love is great' automatically making it more specific.

(8) If you have music editing software (like garage band) use it to help blend the songs together (like the way DJ's play one song into another)

(9) Don't be afraid to delete a couple songs that might be unnecessary. Theses things can get bulky and if you feel like it's getting too long you might have some decision making to do.

(10) Decorate it. Everyone likes a pretty picture :)

(11) Have fun, that's the whole point of music after all. And if you don't have fun making the mix the person you made it for probably won't have fun listening to it.

DFTBA,

Chuck