Mixology
I just finished a mix in record time. (That's as in a mix tape, or collection of songs intended to be listened to in a specific sequence.) I've got this somewhat new thing going on with my mixes this summer. In the past, my mixes were meticulously crafted, each song painstakingly tested for smooth song-to-song transition based on key signature, tempo, and instrumentation. With the past couple of mixes I've done, however, I've taken a more stream-of-consciousness approach: As a song plays, I'll wait for the next song to suggest itself based on the vibe of the current song. Then I'll put that song next in the mix, and assuming it's a passable transition, I move on to the next song. In this case, "passable transition" means anything that doesn't make me vomit or cause my ears to bleed. Because let's face it: Perfect transitions are exciting and all, but even with a mediocre transition, there's only about a second or two of adjustment and then you're into the next song.
The upshot of all this is that you get a more organic feel to the mix, and therefore a looser listening experience. I'm liking it.
Tags: mixes