The Fine Art Of The Mixed Tape Essay

The fine art of making a mixed tape
As Rob Gordon so eloquently states in the movie High Fidelity, “The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules.” With the ever changing world of technology, with the advent of IPods’, Mp3 players, satellite radio and services such as Pandora or Rhapsody how we listen to music has drastically changed. Some people may even ask if the art of the mixed tape has any relevance in today’s world, whether it is worth the grand effort it takes to accomplish a well made compilation.   The answer for many people is a resounding, yes. In the right hands a properly made compilation can be as graceful and tender as a well written love poem used to convey one’s desires, as heartfelt and emotionally mournful as any remembrance expressing who a person was and what he may have meant to those that have gathered or it can simply be the soundtrack to make a party, vacation or even a daily routine all the more memorable. Making a mixed tape can be a difficult and time consuming task, but by following a few simple rules, anyone can piece together a well thought out, personal compilation that many will enjoy.
The first step when making a compilation is to ask two very important questions: who are you making this for and what are you trying to convey? Knowing the audience of your compilation is essential, because it does not matter how well made or how much you enjoy the music that is chosen, it defeats the purpose if your audience will not want to listen to it. Giving your mix a general theme can provide the audience with the illusion of cohesion, even when there is a wide variation of musical genres used. Themes can range from a proclamation of love, a way to express your personality, an opportunity...