How do you select and sequence tracks for mix CDs?

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I just finished putting together only my second mix CD ever. I spent a lot of time selecting the songs, then acquiring them - including several from MP3s. But that was nothing compared to the time I spent previewing different sequencings on my computer, trimming the gaps at the end of songs, and adjusting their relative volume. I never meant to make such a project out of it, but once you start fussing around, it's hard to let go. In fact, I never did get the volume thing to where I was satisfied, but I had to stop before I got sick of listening to it all.

All this contol is fine and dandy, but I long for the simplicity of mix tapes from vinyl. I think next time, I'm going to just pull out one CD at a time, pick an awesome track and give it a number, and repeat until time's up.

So, what's your approach?

― Curt (cgould), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 21:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Usually I have one track I really, really want to put on there. So I'll think of another song that will go well before/after it and go off from there. I always pull around 5 more tracks than I need, which forces me to make tough choices in the final mix.

If it's an important mix like my year-end faves I'll burn a preliminary copy and listen through a few times, then make adjustments from there.

One of my favorite ways to make a personal CD-R is to set up a random number generator and pick the corresponding CD's from my collection. I've gotten some really good mixes out of this. There will always be a great unexpected segue and/or a discovery of a great track I had forgotten or never knew existed.

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 22:14 (twenty-three years ago)

i select the tracks completely randomly from a general pool of tracks, and sequence them based on how appropriately they follow the previous track.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 23:50 (twenty-three years ago)

I press random on MusicMatch and let it do its own sweet thing. Makes for some fun juxtapositions, usually.

― Charlie (Charlie), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 00:10 (twenty-three years ago)

I keep a running list on my computer of songs I want to put on a mix CD. Then, when I've got 100 min. or so worth, I throw them all onto the hard drive, add anything that seems appropriate, edit for hours, and sequence for days...

― Douglas, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 06:08 (twenty-three years ago)

me too Douglas - i've been known to have spent about 100-120 hours preparing, editing and sequencing a 100 minute mix...working out as an hour an minute! craziness...

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 13:21 (twenty-three years ago)

I wait until I've got enough new tracks to justify doing one then I do one. Stuff I most want to hear first, stuff I think I might go off quickly last.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 14:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I just typically start off with a good track a-la "High Fidelity" to grab attention and then the rest is just thrown together sloppily. Sometimes I take some time to sequence.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 14:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Using a program like sonic foundry acid is quite good because you can adjust the volumes of each track and *very* easily snip the start and end of tracks non destructively etc. and change the order about in a jiffy. Give it a go - it's good. Only thing is you end up spending just as long on it picking and moving tracks about anyway :)

― djpp, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 23:14 (twenty-three years ago)

Step 1. Go through my cds think of songs the individual would like based on what kinda cd its supposed to be.
Step 2. Cull through the list by running order until it fits into length.
Step 3. Add a Ralphism whenever possible.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 23:24 (twenty-three years ago)

even beat-mixing in ACID doesnt take that long with a bit pf practice, but it just encourages you to add more and more tracks and mix them together resulting in densely congested sets featuring 30 tracks in 45 minutes or somesuch

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:16 (twenty-three years ago)

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