how to make the perfect mix cd or how to communicate your emotions via digital media

There comes a time in everyone’s life when words just aren’t enough. Well, spoken words, that is. When you can’t properly articulate your feelings for another person (or group of people, for that matter), it’s time to, as the band Fall Out Boy says, let the ‘headphones deliver them the words you can’t say’. Sometimes, the only way to let someone know you feel is through a properly created mix CD.
There are a few important things to remember when creating a mix CD. One is to remember who you are giving the end result to. You don’t want to include music or lyrics that your target finds offensive, especially if your message is one of friendship or love. Two is to know your limits. While you might have heard the perfect song for the perfect “I Hate You” mix CD, it’s not wise run out onto the internet and steal the song from a third party. If you have to have it, go to iTunes. Third, and finally, keep track of the length of your CD. A mix that takes someone an hour to listen to in totality is not ideal. In fact, they will probably listen to the first, middle, and last tracks and then ignore the rest of it for the remainder of eternity, and no one wants that, especially after putting so much work into it.
Now, onto that aforementioned work. Making a mix CD is rather simple, and is comprised of four steps. One is to choose the emotion or message that you wish to convey, two is to create a playlist of the music that will make up your masterpiece of emotional storytelling, three is to use whatever software you own to actually burn your play list onto a CD, and finally four is to create a fancy title for your mix CD. Of course, there is also the optional step five, which is actually giving the CD to the person(s) it was created for.
Choosing an emotion or message can be very difficult, especially if you have a very complex relationship with the other person. It’s usually helpful to sit and consider the strongest emotion you feel when you think about that person. Is it love? Hate? Bitter jealousy? Or maybe a phrase comes to mind, such as “we’ll be best friends forever, even if she’s a dirty leech” or “I would rather let monkeys claw my eyes out that have to sit next to you ever again”. The sky’s the limit when it comes to how you feel, and don’t doubt that there’ll be any songs to cover your sentiment. More than likely, there is, and you’re just not looking hard enough. Once you have an emotion squared away, it’s time to consider the playlist.
Building a good playlist can be a daunting task. You must constantly keep in mind the flow of the music, and there are many, many ways to mold the flow of a mix CD, and depending on the message you want to send, that can add another dozen ways. It’s also important to keep in mind that a rule of thumb is you can’t have the same artist appear on a CD twice, allowing for a broad horizon of styles that each has its own way of sending the desired message. However, the most reliable way to create a playlist is to listen to your heart (however corny that sounds) and choose and place songs in whatever order feels right to you. After all, this CD is conveying your emotions, and you know you best. Also, be sure to listen to your playlist, to make sure you feel comfortable with it. It might take a few tries, but eventually you will have your perfect playlist, ready to be made into the perfect mix CD.
This step should be the simplest, by far. Simply choose a blank CD, stick it in the CD tray of your computer, and hit the ’Burn CD’ button on your media player of choice. Then, wait however long it takes for your CD to burn and voila, you have a real, live mix CD in your hands.
Finally, we come to naming your mix CD. This step can be the hardest or easiest, depending on the message. For instance, if you’re trying to seduce your crush of x amount of years into going on a date with you, a title such as “I Like You, Let’s Date” just isn’t going to cut it. Be artsy. Combine some of the words for the titles to make an unnecessarily long title, or perhaps make simple yet profound equation out of the titles of three of your favorite tracks. This step, like the second step, is truly a very personal one. It is of the utmost importance that you do what feels right to you, and what you think will garner you the most success.
Earlier, an optional fifth step was mentioned. This step, giving the mix CD to your intended target, is usually a very effective step to follow, however, is not necessary in the fact that making a mix CD should help you fully understand the emotions you were feeling, and perhaps come to terms with the people in your life. It could perhaps be called closure, giving the mix CD to the intended, but as stated before, it’s not necessary. Do what you feel is right and best for you. After all, that is what all emotional outbursts should be like. They should be pure, and wholly you, and not what you think others want to hear.