The Joy of Creating the Perfect Mixtape

I started making mixtapes when I was a teenager in the late 1980s, after receiving a dual cassette radio and tape deck as a gift. One side of the player allowed me to copy one tape to the other side or even record what was playing on the radio. This gave me the ability to make custom mixes, using tracks from borrowed tapes of my friends, my personal collection, and sometimes recordings off the radio if the DJ didn’t ruin it by talking over the beginning or end of the song. I could then take that mix and stick it in my portable cassette player and headphones to jam out to while riding my bike or on my way to school.

Later, when I got my first girlfriend, the tapes took on a more serious purpose, and that was to express my love for her. I might call into the radio station and make a request for “She’s Like The Wind” to let her know how I felt about her, without having to buy the whole cassette. After completing the mixtape, I would label it with both of our names and add some hearts before giving it to her as a romantic gesture. As time went on, my mixtapes upgraded from cassettes to CDs, and the labels changed to “The Seduction Mix” for those cozy nights at home with a special someone.

What goes in to creating the perfect mixtape?

Select a Theme

Will this be a mixtape to express how you feel about someone, such as a boy or girl you have the hots for and want to express your affection? The overall theme of the mixtape will determine the type of music to include. A mixtape is not just about songs you enjoy, but it’s about choosing songs that the recipient will also enjoy. Consider their music preferences, but don’t be afraid to add some variety, such as a song you think they will appreciate.

On the other hand, if this is a playlist that you use when hosting guests, try to select songs that will appeal to a wider group of people. For example, if I am creating a mix for family barbeques, I might include some upbeat tunes, possibly with some old-school country music mixed in, since I know that is what most of my aunts and uncles enjoy. However, the playlist I would put together for friends in my age group would have a different selection.

Who is it For?

What if the recipient doesn’t listen to the same type of music as you? You don’t just want to express your affection with the Peruvian flute music you enjoy; you want to express it with the style of music they enjoy. Besides providing them with the style of music they listen to, it also shows that you truly understand them and their musical preferences.

The seduction mix you create for someone you are currently dating might differ from the one you would use on a first date. A first date would probably be a bit more romantic with something by Frankie Vallie or Etta James, while a playlist for someone you are already in a relationship with may include something like “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye.

Any good mixtape mixer has probably created the “let’s get back together” or “I miss you” mixtape. Instead of Marvin Gaye, this one might include “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” by Al Green.

Know Something About Music

Have some knowledge of music. How can you create a proper mixtape if you have a limited range of music you listen to? It is okay to include a song or two that gets a decent amount of radio play, but make sure to also include some lesser-known tracks. For example, adding “For The Good Times” by The Little Willies on your “Dinner Mix” may lead your date to ask, “Is that Norah Jones?” and spark an interesting conversation between the two of you.

Lady and the Tramp | Walt Disney (1955)

Track Choices

The key to a mixtape over a modern playlist is the flow of the music. In the past, albums were often made with the intent that the listener would start with the first track and listen through to the end. Now, with streaming, songs are often written to standalone and get played as part of a playlist. The fun in a mixtape is telling the story from beginning to end. The first song sets the tone for the rest of the tape, while the last track wraps it all up. Perhaps that romantic tape you made to express your affection for someone starts with “A Kiss To Build A Dream On” by Louis Armstrong, then builds through an extended story to end with “Somethin’ Stupid” by Frank and Nancy Sinatra, which ends with the words “I love you.”

A well-crafted mixtape should feel cohesive and complete, like a finished work of audio art.

A Memorable Pleasure

I have always taken pride in my mixtape making skills, from the days of cassettes to CDs and now with digital playlists. Unfortunately, sending someone a link to a playlist just doesn’t have the same charm as giving them a physical mixtape with a cute label on it. And while you can easily play your playlist with high-quality audio while driving, there is still that nostalgic feeling of flipping through a cassette case while trying to focus on the road. Despite the benefits of modern technology, those of us who remember the old days will always miss that sense of nostalgia that goes along with the days of making mixtapes.

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