As part of this year's mix exchange, I have decided to make it interesting and give a little incentive to all of you to make your mixes with particular care and excellence. In addition to doing something awesome and making someone's day within the scope of this year's mix theme: Songs Every Kid Should Hear Early--music that helped you along at any point in your personal growth, or songs you would give to a kid now to help blow their mind before it's too late (see below how i got to this theme)-- I am having a contest to give away three fabulous prizes for my favorite mixes. Here's how it works:
THE REGULAR AWESOME DMTS MIX EXCHANGE
1) You sign up to participate in this year's DMTS Mix Exchange by the sign up deadline of January 15, 2011.
2) You will get someone else's address randomly selected by me who is also participating in the Exchange.
3) You make a mix CD with love, and craft it's contents and packaging with care, including all artist and numbered track info.
4) You mail your CD promptly and punctually by the mailing deadline of February 25th, 2011.
5) Wait by the mailbox, write a thank you letter to your Mixbuddy when you get your new disc.
PHASE 2 AWESOME FOR PRIZES AND GLORY
1) Do all the things in the Regular Awesome DMTS Mix Exchange as outlined above.
2) Send a copy of your mix to me as well.
3) For all received submissions, I will review publicly on this blog, and select my 3 favorites. The top 3 will get a cool prize.
THE AWESOME PRIZES
1st Prize: A signed copy of my first book, Ham In A Pram.
2nd Prize: A signed copy of my 1st coloring book, Animals In Funny Situations.
3rd Prize: A copy of my 2011 DMTS Mix
What makes a prizewinning mix?
1) Content, Content, Content
Well planned music flow, variety, one that creates a vivid picture of the maker, and tells an interesting story, as well as being a good collection of songs that expand your music collection and your mind.
2) Packaging
I really go nuts with packaging my mixes. And when I get a mix in the mail, I really love to have a birthday/holiday present feeling about opening it, the same as the birthday/holiday present feeling i put into wrapping one I have created and sent. I like to put a variety of mixed media images into my cover art, make a fancy playlist, liner notes, laminate, wrap the thing up fancy. I have gotten some really interesting stuff over the years--re-used DVD cases, jewel encrusted wood boxes, one of those AOL mailer thingies that was cut apart and sewn back together with photographs of a road trip all over it. The list is long, but the point is, how many of us take the time to actually make anything? Some of us only once a year. Make something awesome.
3) Personal Bias and Luck
The way I figure it, having something of a weird taste in music, if I make a mix that 1/4 of the tracks are liked by the recipient, I feel like it is a success. I've gotten mixes before (and I'm sure given a few) that only one song was anything I would listen to twice. And even one new song you learn to love is a victory. When you make a mix for someone you know, it's a little easier to put yourself and the recipient into context, with shared band interests, life experience, insude jokes, what have you. The beauty and challenge of the DMTS is that you may or may not know the person getting your mix at all, which makes it all the more imperative to put a careful level of craft into your product, one that is a very thoughtful presentation of yourself in relation to the theme. It is likely that within the DMTS there is a variety of musical nerd who will give your disc a thorough spin at least once, so make that span of attention count for something. It's not often you get the complete attention of a stranger for an hour or more--even someone you know well, on some days, so this is a golden opportunity to overshare, stimulate, shed old skin, paint new hides, incorporate, discorporate, abuse the postal system with mirth, speak another language, and have a good time doing it.
As for making a mix for me, I am a cranky music snob, and I love certain songs for all the wrong reasons, and judge others unfairly. So don't try to butter me up with this. Be honest. Make a good Mix. This year's theme is all about turning the troubles of your past into a message of hope for the future. I won't judge your musical taste, but your precious artwork will be in the spotlight. So go get 'em!
A last note: I was talking to one of last year's participants about the new theme, and she said,
"Oh man, I listened to a Lot Of Morrissey. Guess I won't overdo that."
Now, it is common knowledge I don't love Morrissey. Or the Smiths. Or the Cure. But, it happens, people. You all liked someone I would be angry about hearing come out of my stereo. And the inverse is frequently true. A good rule of thumb is to never put more than one track by the same artist on the same mix disc. If Morrissey makes the cut, I will be willing to accept that at some point in your life they guy made a difference to you, and you would be willing to give that to someone else. But let's not overdo him. Or anyone. Amen.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Year in Review, and Mix Exchange Two!
another year slips under the wheels of a speeding taxi, and is sent up to coat the robe hems of angels playing accordians as a gray frozen slush. we warm our marshmallows by the electric heater with care, and prepare for the onslaught of the eleventh year in the second millenium. what will the new year bring, and why did we bother with the old one? only time will tell.
the first annual Dictionary Mixtape Society Exchange was a triumphant success. the theme was "Songs for Birthing an Epic Decade." people from across the country and on two continents sent their musical compilations in, and were met with a wide variety of reactions:
"it was like the soundtrack to one of those japanese cartoons."
"i felt like i was stuck on an elevator to hell."
"i didn't know that Turkish music could rock that hard. wow."
"bubba, you are probably the only one who still thinks that leonard nimoy singing pop song covers from the 70s is still funny. knock it off."
"i hope you do another one next year, this was great!"
then there was one really excellent and totally real review that made me very happy to have put this thing together:
"This thing is great! I made my mix and sent it out early. Once I got the idea for my theme (as with any mix I make) it all sort of falls into place on its own. I get so excited about these things. So my theme was "An epic love affair in 3 parts with lots of drama and hurt feelings." I thought that sounded like fun, because there are so many great songs (by the nature of great music) that fall into that category ... And what more epic way to start a new year than with a torrid love affair, however imaginary. Of course I didn't realize that I might get a mix back from the same person I sent mine to. I guess he got mine pretty quickly because in return I got a standard Dictionary Mixtape Society disc and an even longer bonus disc themed - A Long Distance Relationship. I love how these little things seem to have such an impact on people. The only thing I can safely assume by receiving such a thing is that he liked the mix I sent him ... What a fun idea you had."
so, my hope of people enjoying this musical experiment and maybe even continuing to trade mixes on their own was a success. i am excited to bring Round Two to life in twenty eleven.
to bring you loosely up to speed on myself, music, and how i got the idea for the next theme, it goes a little something like this:
i make a lot of music compilations. really a lot. it's how i keep in touch with a lot of people, especially old friends who live far away now. it is how i discover new music, and most importantly, when made for a birthday, new friend, or loss, it's how i put my thoughts in order. i have gotten to the point with making these that my first reaction to many situations is "i wonder what the mixtape for this would sound like?"
while i was going to my second home, the business formerly known as Kinko's, to prepare for mailing last year's musical presentation, i met a guy who was making a WHOLE STACK of mix CD's for one of his friends who also puts on a mix exchange. when i make a mix, nowadays it's a whole convoluted process of printing up my liner layouts on the color printer, trimming and gluing them together, laminating, gift-wrapping, making a nametag... yeah, i am way into it. so, naturally, two music nerds up to the same music nerdery in the same place get to talking and turns out we live less than ten minutes away from each other. before you know it, we are trading information and start a friendship that will give me a crash course of music knowledge, dive bar drinking, and goodtimery that i have been really missing in portland. i often find it hard to make new friends, and i wouldn't have made this one except by a fluke of dorkdom. i am usually so busy drawing pictures and making music comps that i am rarely out in the world except to go to work, Kinko's, and occasionally the all night hotcake house.
my next mix for the year was a sad one, followed by a happy one, for the same person. an old friend of mine had lost a good friend to cancer. the friend that passed was a writer, and my surviving friend had fallen out of the habit somewhat of writing, which was how we had gotten to know each other in the first place. so, my sad mix was made to encourage her to feel the loss completely, celebrate her time with her friend, and turn the experience into the written word, which would be a fitting tribute to her friend's life. as it turned out, my friend did get back into writing and laid out the story of her friend very nicely in print. later, my same friend had another writer friend turn up with cancer-- who lived, thankfully, but not before quite a scare went out. so, my friend decided, what with two major scares and a whole host of other not as major life troubles, that it was time to start the year over and have a New Year's 2.0 party. we got together to lay out the design for a music compilation that she would give away to guests at her event, which turned out to be great. i was very honored to be part of making of such a thing happen, even if in a small way.
another mix i made last year was for something that doesn't happen very often--even to me, and i collect weird people and situations. i discovered i had a long lost sister. by "long lost" i mean it is a "long story" which i don't have time to go into, but we found each other and i figured the best way to introduce yourself to someone you are closely related to but haven't met before would be of course to make them a mixtape. i included a piece of music that i had played with a buddy of mine years ago, recorded in our smoke-filled art dungeon, surrounded by 23 kinds of music instruments laid out like a booby-trapped dime museum, various levels of low and high tech sound gear, and painted styrofoam wig display heads. and some songs that are becoming standard in my "hey nice to meet you, here's a little about me" type of mixes, a little Bongwater, Bran Flakes, Shel Silverstein, and Tom Waits, a lot of other riffraff. it's not every day i get to make a mix like that, so i sweated over it quite a bit. while it turns out our music tastes are pretty different (go figure) i got to meet my long lost sibling this year and she is pretty cool.
i navigated the usual assortment of birthday mixes, my 5th anniversary with my special lady friend, a graduation or two, a congratulations on moving across the country mix, a couple of take this weird thing on your road trip compilations, and, then i got to make one for what may be the last (hopefully not really the last) mix exchange by writer Ryan Zeinert, who if you haven't heard of him, go hear about him at The CDP.
he just came out with a sweet new book, which i was lucky enough to get a signed copy of, and i strongly recommend you read about and buy from him at his website. he has also put on over the last several years a well organized series of mix exchanges, which i have been proud to have participated in the last couple of. this guy assigns some challenging themes, and then goes the extra mile to also review any comps that get sent to him and post the reviews online, with his favorite mix maker getting a sweet piece of merchandise as a prize. the last (hopefully not really the last) theme was "Three Little Words," which could be any three word combination for a title, as long as all the songs related to those 3 words. mine was "Homesick Spaceman's Songbook," a collection of songs theoretically compiled by someone shot into space, longing for the naive days of novelty music about space travel before the planet used up all it's natural resources and became a grim place for a sleep over. had a lot of fun putting that one together.
and then i went to texas for thanksgiving.
it was really a weird year for family issues, and one issue that i have with texas is that i don't really belong there. but, my aunt, uncle, some cousins and their kids, who are originally from my home state migrated there, and i hadn't seen them in over a decade, so i got on a plane, which i hate, and made the trek. i was lucky to have my special lady friend with me. she is the only person i've ever dated that has met any of my country relations, and definitely the person i wanted at my back for the experience. i don't mean to say that my family is not a nice gang of people at all, they are actually quite nice. but, it's a little tricky hanging out with people you are related to but haven't seen in a really long time who are really different from you in a part of the world that is really different from where you live--politically, geographically, crazy weatherwise, just about everything. i am pleased to report that austin has some very good food which i was happy to eat--hard to beat the barbecue there, even according to my slightly meat-wary lady pal, and a good selection of animal skulls and belt buckles. i got a belt buckle that is a banana that matches the one designed by Andy Warhol for the Velvet Underground that is tattooed into my armpit region.
aside from getting some in-depth extended family history, doing some very elaborate feasting, and a thorough guided tour of the hill country, and meeting some new family faces, one of my favorite things about the thanksgiving journey to texas was meeting my cousin's wife, who had made a really cool compilation of music for her young son, which was a wide variety of stimulating tracks. i got to have it as the soundtrack from the airport to my aunt's house, where i found myself fully overdressed in the 80- plus degree weather-- i had started my day at about 20 degrees, so it was a bit of a shock. anyhow, the music mix made me really happy and got me to thinking that i wished i'd had a cool aunt or uncle or whoever to make me a stimulating grab bag of tunes to stunt/stimulate my growth at the age of five.
back in oregon, walking back to work from the 7-11 in the freezing snowy rain, it occurred to me that i am that cool aunt or uncle, and that the theme for the Dictionary Mixtape Society Mix Exchange this year should be in that spirit--Songs Every Kid Should Hear Early. this doesn't mean at all that the music should be specifically songs you would hear on a kid's radio show, but any songs that have contributed to your personal growth, amazement, sanity, or overall identity figuring out process in your lifetime you wish someone had given to you early on.
taking a cue from Mr. Zeinert and from feedback from last year's participants, in addition to arranging individuals to exchange music compilations with, i will also be accepting submissions to myself from any willing participants. if you want to send a copy of your music mix to me, i will review it and select my favorite two mixes to receive an autographed copy of my first book, Ham In a Pram, and another piece of art by me which is currently shrouded in mystery but will be revealed in January.
the sign-up deadline for the 2011 edition of the DMTS Mix Exchange will be January 21, and the mailing deadline the 25th of February. by the 25th of January i will arrange someone for you to trade a mix with, and give you my address as well if you want me to listen and review your mix as well. submissions must be in the mail no later than the Friday, February 25!
if you participated in last year's mix exchange and want to do so again, or know someone you think will be interested in it, let me know! we had a large group last year, and i look forward to having an even bigger event this time around. the facebook group is still here, or you can email me at hometowngravy at gmail dot com to register.
hope everyone has a great end of the year, and i look forward to a new and better year in January full of musical adventure!
the first annual Dictionary Mixtape Society Exchange was a triumphant success. the theme was "Songs for Birthing an Epic Decade." people from across the country and on two continents sent their musical compilations in, and were met with a wide variety of reactions:
"it was like the soundtrack to one of those japanese cartoons."
"i felt like i was stuck on an elevator to hell."
"i didn't know that Turkish music could rock that hard. wow."
"bubba, you are probably the only one who still thinks that leonard nimoy singing pop song covers from the 70s is still funny. knock it off."
"i hope you do another one next year, this was great!"
then there was one really excellent and totally real review that made me very happy to have put this thing together:
"This thing is great! I made my mix and sent it out early. Once I got the idea for my theme (as with any mix I make) it all sort of falls into place on its own. I get so excited about these things. So my theme was "An epic love affair in 3 parts with lots of drama and hurt feelings." I thought that sounded like fun, because there are so many great songs (by the nature of great music) that fall into that category ... And what more epic way to start a new year than with a torrid love affair, however imaginary. Of course I didn't realize that I might get a mix back from the same person I sent mine to. I guess he got mine pretty quickly because in return I got a standard Dictionary Mixtape Society disc and an even longer bonus disc themed - A Long Distance Relationship. I love how these little things seem to have such an impact on people. The only thing I can safely assume by receiving such a thing is that he liked the mix I sent him ... What a fun idea you had."
so, my hope of people enjoying this musical experiment and maybe even continuing to trade mixes on their own was a success. i am excited to bring Round Two to life in twenty eleven.
to bring you loosely up to speed on myself, music, and how i got the idea for the next theme, it goes a little something like this:
i make a lot of music compilations. really a lot. it's how i keep in touch with a lot of people, especially old friends who live far away now. it is how i discover new music, and most importantly, when made for a birthday, new friend, or loss, it's how i put my thoughts in order. i have gotten to the point with making these that my first reaction to many situations is "i wonder what the mixtape for this would sound like?"
while i was going to my second home, the business formerly known as Kinko's, to prepare for mailing last year's musical presentation, i met a guy who was making a WHOLE STACK of mix CD's for one of his friends who also puts on a mix exchange. when i make a mix, nowadays it's a whole convoluted process of printing up my liner layouts on the color printer, trimming and gluing them together, laminating, gift-wrapping, making a nametag... yeah, i am way into it. so, naturally, two music nerds up to the same music nerdery in the same place get to talking and turns out we live less than ten minutes away from each other. before you know it, we are trading information and start a friendship that will give me a crash course of music knowledge, dive bar drinking, and goodtimery that i have been really missing in portland. i often find it hard to make new friends, and i wouldn't have made this one except by a fluke of dorkdom. i am usually so busy drawing pictures and making music comps that i am rarely out in the world except to go to work, Kinko's, and occasionally the all night hotcake house.
my next mix for the year was a sad one, followed by a happy one, for the same person. an old friend of mine had lost a good friend to cancer. the friend that passed was a writer, and my surviving friend had fallen out of the habit somewhat of writing, which was how we had gotten to know each other in the first place. so, my sad mix was made to encourage her to feel the loss completely, celebrate her time with her friend, and turn the experience into the written word, which would be a fitting tribute to her friend's life. as it turned out, my friend did get back into writing and laid out the story of her friend very nicely in print. later, my same friend had another writer friend turn up with cancer-- who lived, thankfully, but not before quite a scare went out. so, my friend decided, what with two major scares and a whole host of other not as major life troubles, that it was time to start the year over and have a New Year's 2.0 party. we got together to lay out the design for a music compilation that she would give away to guests at her event, which turned out to be great. i was very honored to be part of making of such a thing happen, even if in a small way.
another mix i made last year was for something that doesn't happen very often--even to me, and i collect weird people and situations. i discovered i had a long lost sister. by "long lost" i mean it is a "long story" which i don't have time to go into, but we found each other and i figured the best way to introduce yourself to someone you are closely related to but haven't met before would be of course to make them a mixtape. i included a piece of music that i had played with a buddy of mine years ago, recorded in our smoke-filled art dungeon, surrounded by 23 kinds of music instruments laid out like a booby-trapped dime museum, various levels of low and high tech sound gear, and painted styrofoam wig display heads. and some songs that are becoming standard in my "hey nice to meet you, here's a little about me" type of mixes, a little Bongwater, Bran Flakes, Shel Silverstein, and Tom Waits, a lot of other riffraff. it's not every day i get to make a mix like that, so i sweated over it quite a bit. while it turns out our music tastes are pretty different (go figure) i got to meet my long lost sibling this year and she is pretty cool.
i navigated the usual assortment of birthday mixes, my 5th anniversary with my special lady friend, a graduation or two, a congratulations on moving across the country mix, a couple of take this weird thing on your road trip compilations, and, then i got to make one for what may be the last (hopefully not really the last) mix exchange by writer Ryan Zeinert, who if you haven't heard of him, go hear about him at The CDP.
he just came out with a sweet new book, which i was lucky enough to get a signed copy of, and i strongly recommend you read about and buy from him at his website. he has also put on over the last several years a well organized series of mix exchanges, which i have been proud to have participated in the last couple of. this guy assigns some challenging themes, and then goes the extra mile to also review any comps that get sent to him and post the reviews online, with his favorite mix maker getting a sweet piece of merchandise as a prize. the last (hopefully not really the last) theme was "Three Little Words," which could be any three word combination for a title, as long as all the songs related to those 3 words. mine was "Homesick Spaceman's Songbook," a collection of songs theoretically compiled by someone shot into space, longing for the naive days of novelty music about space travel before the planet used up all it's natural resources and became a grim place for a sleep over. had a lot of fun putting that one together.
and then i went to texas for thanksgiving.
it was really a weird year for family issues, and one issue that i have with texas is that i don't really belong there. but, my aunt, uncle, some cousins and their kids, who are originally from my home state migrated there, and i hadn't seen them in over a decade, so i got on a plane, which i hate, and made the trek. i was lucky to have my special lady friend with me. she is the only person i've ever dated that has met any of my country relations, and definitely the person i wanted at my back for the experience. i don't mean to say that my family is not a nice gang of people at all, they are actually quite nice. but, it's a little tricky hanging out with people you are related to but haven't seen in a really long time who are really different from you in a part of the world that is really different from where you live--politically, geographically, crazy weatherwise, just about everything. i am pleased to report that austin has some very good food which i was happy to eat--hard to beat the barbecue there, even according to my slightly meat-wary lady pal, and a good selection of animal skulls and belt buckles. i got a belt buckle that is a banana that matches the one designed by Andy Warhol for the Velvet Underground that is tattooed into my armpit region.
aside from getting some in-depth extended family history, doing some very elaborate feasting, and a thorough guided tour of the hill country, and meeting some new family faces, one of my favorite things about the thanksgiving journey to texas was meeting my cousin's wife, who had made a really cool compilation of music for her young son, which was a wide variety of stimulating tracks. i got to have it as the soundtrack from the airport to my aunt's house, where i found myself fully overdressed in the 80- plus degree weather-- i had started my day at about 20 degrees, so it was a bit of a shock. anyhow, the music mix made me really happy and got me to thinking that i wished i'd had a cool aunt or uncle or whoever to make me a stimulating grab bag of tunes to stunt/stimulate my growth at the age of five.
back in oregon, walking back to work from the 7-11 in the freezing snowy rain, it occurred to me that i am that cool aunt or uncle, and that the theme for the Dictionary Mixtape Society Mix Exchange this year should be in that spirit--Songs Every Kid Should Hear Early. this doesn't mean at all that the music should be specifically songs you would hear on a kid's radio show, but any songs that have contributed to your personal growth, amazement, sanity, or overall identity figuring out process in your lifetime you wish someone had given to you early on.
taking a cue from Mr. Zeinert and from feedback from last year's participants, in addition to arranging individuals to exchange music compilations with, i will also be accepting submissions to myself from any willing participants. if you want to send a copy of your music mix to me, i will review it and select my favorite two mixes to receive an autographed copy of my first book, Ham In a Pram, and another piece of art by me which is currently shrouded in mystery but will be revealed in January.
the sign-up deadline for the 2011 edition of the DMTS Mix Exchange will be January 21, and the mailing deadline the 25th of February. by the 25th of January i will arrange someone for you to trade a mix with, and give you my address as well if you want me to listen and review your mix as well. submissions must be in the mail no later than the Friday, February 25!
if you participated in last year's mix exchange and want to do so again, or know someone you think will be interested in it, let me know! we had a large group last year, and i look forward to having an even bigger event this time around. the facebook group is still here, or you can email me at hometowngravy at gmail dot com to register.
hope everyone has a great end of the year, and i look forward to a new and better year in January full of musical adventure!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Inaugural DMTS Mix Exchange
i don't know what happened to 2009. starting in february, i started making plans for a big life change. i began laying the ground work for moving to a new city, got my dream job, got a house in a new city -- with the help of great friends and family who put me up for a month. then came the special lady friend's graduation from college, moving trucks, a great summer, and then i lost my dream job. then a few dark months of no job, then a bad job which ended poorly thanks to the use of candy as a weapon.
and yet, i haven't been so happy to see a jolly rancher up close since i was a child crossing the desert in a convoy of moving trucks from my home state of oklahoma. somewhere near the painted desert race car that was sponsored by the jolly rancher company was parked on a blight of rock and dust, and a guy in a racing jumpsuit gave me a bag full of candy that would last me several years. or would have, had a third of them not melted on the drive to washington. these little sugar bricks would pop up in my life until i was about fifteen, and i was happy to be shut of them until one hit me in the glasses in a call center--which made me gamble on getting back into tattooing again. but that's another tale.
it is the end of the Aughts, and i want a new decade and a new year to be full of magic and wonder and grand adventure. also, i want some new music for the soundtrack for the afforementioned adventure. my first effort and organizing a mixtape exchange then, will be for the new year, no later than january 30, 2010. the theme shall be Songs For Birthing An Epic Decade.
if you are interested in participating, let me know no later than january 9 of 2010. i will collect the names and contact information of people who want to make a mix, and match up mix traders. finished music compilations should be in the mail no later than january 29, 2010. i've had a lot of initial interest, and i hope we have a great turnout fot the Dictionay Mixtape Society's maiden voyage for group-wide exchange. remember, there are no limits on genre or style. i only ask that you put some thought into the tracks, and make the CD and packaging look amazing. it's a gift to inspire a stranger in the new decade, so go wild.
after the initial group project, anyone who wants to trade with me or anyone else let me know, too. the good times need not stop rolling in february! i look forward to getting it all together.
and yet, i haven't been so happy to see a jolly rancher up close since i was a child crossing the desert in a convoy of moving trucks from my home state of oklahoma. somewhere near the painted desert race car that was sponsored by the jolly rancher company was parked on a blight of rock and dust, and a guy in a racing jumpsuit gave me a bag full of candy that would last me several years. or would have, had a third of them not melted on the drive to washington. these little sugar bricks would pop up in my life until i was about fifteen, and i was happy to be shut of them until one hit me in the glasses in a call center--which made me gamble on getting back into tattooing again. but that's another tale.
it is the end of the Aughts, and i want a new decade and a new year to be full of magic and wonder and grand adventure. also, i want some new music for the soundtrack for the afforementioned adventure. my first effort and organizing a mixtape exchange then, will be for the new year, no later than january 30, 2010. the theme shall be Songs For Birthing An Epic Decade.
if you are interested in participating, let me know no later than january 9 of 2010. i will collect the names and contact information of people who want to make a mix, and match up mix traders. finished music compilations should be in the mail no later than january 29, 2010. i've had a lot of initial interest, and i hope we have a great turnout fot the Dictionay Mixtape Society's maiden voyage for group-wide exchange. remember, there are no limits on genre or style. i only ask that you put some thought into the tracks, and make the CD and packaging look amazing. it's a gift to inspire a stranger in the new decade, so go wild.
after the initial group project, anyone who wants to trade with me or anyone else let me know, too. the good times need not stop rolling in february! i look forward to getting it all together.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
A New Outreach For Introverts
so i got this idea that the internet wasn't going anywhere for a while, and i could take advantage of it to reach out to other like minded people who used the music compilation as a regular form of communication. i do not intend to supply the actual music as a download, but rather connect myself and others to the craft of music compiling.
when i was younger i made a few experimental mix tapes, and the magic of giving and receiving them was to marvel not only at the specially selected tracks, but at the knowledge of the time spent in physically recording from tapes and records onto one tape as a gift. it used to take a long time, and it involved doing math.
i don't mean to say that those days were better by any means. the tapes were short lived, got warped, and then lost, and i am still not any good at math. with personal computers and their music filing programs, you can make a compilation pretty quickly, and it most programs will do the math for you on how long the mix is so far, and how much time left you have to add to one disc. the program i use will examine songs you play often and with a click of the mouse, can arrange your favorite songs for you. you can create an instant mix by genre, by artist, by year, et cetera. so why are these still worth making?
i have collected and enjoyed many forms of music over the years, and hosted two radio shows, and spun music live in several venues in the pacific northwest. for me, my favorite thing about compiling music is that you get to be a dj for an audience of one, and that one will likely give a good portion of their attention at least once to what you have arranged. if they are a like minded mix enthusiast, they might dig a little to see if you have hidden a theme or message in there. if they are not, that one might just appreciate the gift and get exposed to some new music.
my favorite gift in the world, besides art supplies and home cooking, is a music compilation. i still call them mixtapes. but it's mostly CDs these days. even the compact disc is becoming less of a daily used media format for some, but it holds in there because you can put it in your computer and burn it to your hard drive. i hope that it hangs in there a while longer, because i enjoy making compilation CDs immensely, and making the packaging, artwork, and track lists quite a bit. for those who have traded mixes with me before, or known me for any length of time, the mixes i get from others are my primary source of discovery for music recorded after 1978. as i say, i don't want to live in the past, but i rely on others to help me enjoy the present.
so, here's this blog, and this facebook group. if you have facebook, you will likely get my attention sooner by sending me a message there, though i hope to give this bloggy thingy a fair shake. i start things a lot. i stick with fewer. but i have been making mixes for years, and i would like to widen my circle of friends who trade them. i will make a formal request soon for a participation deadline, and a theme recommendation. let the wild musical rumpus begin.
when i was younger i made a few experimental mix tapes, and the magic of giving and receiving them was to marvel not only at the specially selected tracks, but at the knowledge of the time spent in physically recording from tapes and records onto one tape as a gift. it used to take a long time, and it involved doing math.
i don't mean to say that those days were better by any means. the tapes were short lived, got warped, and then lost, and i am still not any good at math. with personal computers and their music filing programs, you can make a compilation pretty quickly, and it most programs will do the math for you on how long the mix is so far, and how much time left you have to add to one disc. the program i use will examine songs you play often and with a click of the mouse, can arrange your favorite songs for you. you can create an instant mix by genre, by artist, by year, et cetera. so why are these still worth making?
i have collected and enjoyed many forms of music over the years, and hosted two radio shows, and spun music live in several venues in the pacific northwest. for me, my favorite thing about compiling music is that you get to be a dj for an audience of one, and that one will likely give a good portion of their attention at least once to what you have arranged. if they are a like minded mix enthusiast, they might dig a little to see if you have hidden a theme or message in there. if they are not, that one might just appreciate the gift and get exposed to some new music.
my favorite gift in the world, besides art supplies and home cooking, is a music compilation. i still call them mixtapes. but it's mostly CDs these days. even the compact disc is becoming less of a daily used media format for some, but it holds in there because you can put it in your computer and burn it to your hard drive. i hope that it hangs in there a while longer, because i enjoy making compilation CDs immensely, and making the packaging, artwork, and track lists quite a bit. for those who have traded mixes with me before, or known me for any length of time, the mixes i get from others are my primary source of discovery for music recorded after 1978. as i say, i don't want to live in the past, but i rely on others to help me enjoy the present.
so, here's this blog, and this facebook group. if you have facebook, you will likely get my attention sooner by sending me a message there, though i hope to give this bloggy thingy a fair shake. i start things a lot. i stick with fewer. but i have been making mixes for years, and i would like to widen my circle of friends who trade them. i will make a formal request soon for a participation deadline, and a theme recommendation. let the wild musical rumpus begin.
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