Let’s take a look at how your next mixtape could be better. Nothing wrong with your latest one, of course. But there is a type of playbook for making your selection pop. DJs take heed! Your next mixtape could be better than your last one. Here’s how.
Do the levels right
Having one track come in softer than the one before it is an energy-killer. That’s what the Loudness War is all about. We perceive louder music as better. You can use a free loudness metering tool called Youlean to make sure you’re judging your levels by overall integrated loudness, not just peaks. Don’t be afraid to tweak the EQ to make the whole mix sound ‘mastered’. Learn more about level mixing with a DJ Courses Online membership.
Plan the music
Especially if you’re doing a drag-and-drop mixtape compilation (instead of a recorded live performance). Planning a set to play out on a sound system is different to planning as set for listening back on bud headphones on a noisy bus. Make sure the energy you’re trying to convey suits your intended playback.
Get it done!
It’s cool hearing your mixtape back. And you get to hear it back forever. It’s not about short-term hype and getting immediate plays and follows. Motivation is the natural byproduct of looking back at your body of work and seeing how far you’ve come and how others have joined you on the way. But you have to put in the time. Your DJ mix can be scrappy for now, while you get started. But make sure it’s better than the last thing you did.
The art of the mixtape has been mostly usurped by streaming playlists. But so much playlist compiling starts with the question “how can I reach a million people?” And in the process, we’re kinda forgetting to reach out to the few people that will actually care that you made something for them. Don’t forget to throw in one of your own tunes! Pick up some more insight from the pros on any of the DJ courses by DJ Courses Online today. And a quick plug - DatPiff is still top of the pile for mixtapes!