Did you used to create mix tapes?

Danny Tse
Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
edited February 2010 in Music & Movies
Memories....

Before computers, iTunes, and CD-Rs, there was the cassette tape. Blank cassettes were what I used to create "one of a kind" compilations, where the sequencing of the songs was seriously considered and the total playing time per side of the cassette was the limitation. I used to make these compilation tapes so that I can skip over "the fillers" on various albums and just hear "the hits". Careful planning for such "productions" takes days; I would sometimes use customized "J-cards" that I imported over from Japan for these creations. Often, the result would be satisfying but there are times where the result sounded better in my own mind.

So, did you used to make these compilations?
Post edited by Danny Tse on
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  • zombie boy 2000
    zombie boy 2000 Posts: 6,641
    edited February 2010
    Absolutely. And I still do. Not to wax overly poetic, but I really think it's an art form. It's also a very personal gift and I've given one to every girlfriend I've ever had. I would like to add that a lot of thought usually goes into the "packaging" as well.
    I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited February 2010
    I just sent one to Zombieboy.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • DollarDave
    DollarDave Posts: 2,575
    edited February 2010
    Absolutely. I hate to admit it now, but I would come up with off-the wall titles like "Mega Jammer IV" (no previous three), and "Ronco New Rock for Vigilantes only".
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  • zombie boy 2000
    zombie boy 2000 Posts: 6,641
    edited February 2010
    Every year you send me one, Doro. And every year it's just "Saturday Night" by the Bay City Rollers repeated over and over again for 90 minutes. Not that I'm complaining.
    I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited February 2010
    I changed it up with some jams by Eddie Rabbit.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited February 2010
    Pirates! Home taping is killing the record industry!

    http://gizmodo.com/5477152/music-industry-piracy-fears-a-historical-perspective

    ;)
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited February 2010
    Made a few in my days, some even went to very unappreciative women. The mix tape is an art. My biggest **** was taping off the radio and the DJ had to talk during the ENTIRE song intro, right up until the moment the lyrics started.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,845
    edited February 2010
    I use to pirate songs off the radio using cassettes and the record function. Then I'd re-cut them on a dual deck to get Dolby B noise reduction and edit the rest of the radio chatter out.

    I still have most of them sitting around somewhere.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited February 2010
    Nope, I guess I'm a purist. I always copied the complete album.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

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  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited February 2010
    Yes, and I know some folks who still actually use tapes. I make mix CDs for friends all the time. It's a lot of fun putting something together for someone you think they'll really enjoy, especially when it's stuff that's relatively new to them.
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  • thuffman03
    thuffman03 Posts: 1,325
    edited February 2010
    I tried a few times. Really only did a few. I liked making CD's better. I don't even do that now. I streem most of my music off of a computer or interent service.
    Sunfire TGP, Sunfire Cinema Grand, Sunfire 300~2 (2), Sunfire True Sub (2),Carver ALS Platinum, Carver AL III, TFM-55, C-19, C-9, TX-8, SDA-490t, SDA-390t
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  • zombie boy 2000
    zombie boy 2000 Posts: 6,641
    edited February 2010
    The thing about a mix tape (as opposed to a mix CD) is that the temptation to forward through songs is not nearly as high. I fall in Demi's camp in that any tape I've made for someone was mostly stuff they hadn't heard before, but I was fairly certain they would enjoy. Same goes for the mix tapes I've received over the years. Not everything is going to catch on first listen...

    I've discovered so much of what I listen to today off a mix tape.
    I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore
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  • adam2434
    adam2434 Posts: 995
    edited February 2010
    Oh yeah, ah the memories...lots of mix tapes in the late 80's and early 90's while in high school and college.

    Let's see - it was a Technics tape deck and a JVC CD changer. I took pride in the mix tapes and always used good quality tapes like TDK SA-90, If I'm remembering that tape correctly. I also remember fiddling with the recording level until it was juuuust right. I still have them somewhere in a storage box - can't throw them away - too many good memories.

    Most of the tapes were selections of personal favorites from all types of classic rock and modern rock of the time, geared towards playing at get-togethers with friends.

    It fizzled out once I got out of college in '93, but picked back up in the form of CD mixes in around '98 when we got our first PC with a CD burner.
    5.1 and 2.0 ch Basement Media Room: Outlaw 975/Emotiva DC-1/Rotel RB-1582 MKII/Rotel RB-1552/Audiosource Amp 3/Polk LS90, CS400i, FX500i/Outlaw X-12, LFM-1/JVD DLA-HD250/Da-Lite 100" HCCV/Sony ES BDP/Sonos Connect. DC-1/RB-1582 MKII/Sonos Connect also feed Polk 7C in garage or Dayton IO655 on patio.
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  • stuwee
    stuwee Posts: 1,508
    edited February 2010
    I've been making mix tapes for about 25 of my 47 years. It's such a tactile, enjoyable thing. Hopefully the person getting it likes it as well.I've done some that would probably embarrass me now, shrug, I always had fun though! Having thousands of Lps helps alot. Over at tapeheads.net we have several traveling tapes making their way around the planet with lot's of interesting stuff added to the tape and shipped out to the next victim, all done with care on nice cassette decks. Feel free to sign up and play with us. You just have to like music and have a deck that doesn't eat tapes :rolleyes:
    I really wish my computer skills were better, so I could make the artwork for the tapes.

    Here's my current 'babys', black Denon DN-790R with the Nakamichi BX-300.

    The two middle pics are the Dragon slaying Teac V-8000S.
    Thorens TD125MKII, SME3009,Shure V15/ Teac V-8000S, Denon DN-790R cass, Teac 3340 RtR decks, Onix CD2...Sumo Electra Plus pre>SAE A1001 amp>Martin Logan Summit's
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,257
    edited February 2010
    Oh hell yeah! Who didn't?

    I did that for a while on RTR and cassette until I discovered this thing called a "Hi-Fi" VCR. Hot damn! 6 hours of music on one tape or if you want better sound, only two or three hours of music with no F'n around with turning the cassette over.....messing with Dolby.....re-threading the tape......? Hell yeah, sign me up brother!
     :D
    I still have that Mitsubishi Hi-Fi VCR in the closet just for that reason. Why I haven't drug it out lately is beyond me. Too lazy, I guess. It'll come back out for a compilation again. It is a real nice sounding unit, better than any cassette tape or RTR recording I had heard.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • zombie boy 2000
    zombie boy 2000 Posts: 6,641
    edited February 2010
    Interesting read...
    http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7764-this-is-not-a-mixtape/
    I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore
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  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited February 2010
    zombie boy 2000 wrote: »
    Interesting read...
    http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7764-this-is-not-a-mixtape/

    See...I think it's cool that people and bands are having fun with the nostalgia, etc...but the fact an article like that is on Pitchfork means it will turn into yet another annoying trend for the hipsters if it isn't already.

    Yeah, I'm getting on a Pitchfork bashing tangent right now. That site has it's moments, but the writers are increasingly more interested in trying to be clever in what they think are heady reviews rather than giving coherent reviews of decent music. The last few years it's really been a total joke.

    The last fad has been dance music or anything with lots of synth in it. Just go back on their album of the year lists....it went from pretty diverse stuff early on to a bunch of hipster ****.

    Muzzle of Bees is where it's at, IMO:

    http://www.muzzleofbees.com/
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  • zombie boy 2000
    zombie boy 2000 Posts: 6,641
    edited February 2010
    Agreed and then some. I still find myself on the site from the time to time and found it a bit of a coincidence that this article was on the front page.

    The ultimate problem is trying to not sound like a hipster when bashing hipsters:p
    I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore
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  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited February 2010
    Isn't it? haha :D
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited February 2010
    stuwee wrote: »
    I've been making mix tapes for about 25 of my 47 years. It's such a tactile, enjoyable thing. Hopefully the person getting it likes it as well.I've done some that would probably embarrass me now, shrug, I always had fun though! Having thousands of Lps helps alot. Over at tapeheads.net we have several traveling tapes making their way around the planet with lot's of interesting stuff added to the tape and shipped out to the next victim, all done with care on nice cassette decks. Feel free to sign up and play with us. You just have to like music and have a deck that doesn't eat tapes :rolleyes:
    I really wish my computer skills were better, so I could make the artwork for the tapes.

    Here's my current 'babys', black Denon DN-790R with the Nakamichi BX-300.

    The two middle pics are the Dragon slaying Teac V-8000S.


    That is some SWEET gear. :)
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

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  • blakeh
    blakeh Posts: 491
    edited February 2010
    Absolutely! I used to make mix tapes that I could listen to on the bus on my way to school every morning on my Sony Walkman(tm).

    And like those who posted above, I always thought a good mix tape was a great gift for whatever girl I was dating at the time.
    /COLOR] [U][URL="http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=68366"][COLOR="Blue"]My Rigs[/U][/COLOR][/URL] [COLOR="Red" Balanced Audio Technology | Revel | Dodd | Monarchy | PS Audio | MIT | Polk | Etc.
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  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited February 2010
    I still have a few mix tapes that were recorded on my state-of-the-art Realistic 8 track recorder and used in my '70 Torino and Mustang while cruising.
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,257
    edited February 2010
    dkg999 wrote: »
    I still have a few mix tapes that were recorded on my state-of-the-art Realistic 8 track recorder and used in my '70 Torino and Mustang while cruising.
    Damn, that's some old school **** right there! I remember listening to an 8-track player while riding shotgun in a '70 Torino....
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • avelanchefan
    avelanchefan Posts: 2,401
    edited February 2010
    Didn't "Andy" from the 40 Year Old Virgin make a mix tape? Wasnt it called "Boner Jams 03"?
    Sean
    XboxLive--->avelanchefan
    PSN---->Floppa
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  • vc69
    vc69 Posts: 2,500
    edited February 2010
    Always did, still do. They're fun.
    -Kevin
    HT: Philips 52PFL7432D 52" LCD 1080p / Onkyo TX-SR 606 / Oppo BDP-83 SE / Comcast cable. (all HDMI)B&W 801 - Front, Polk CS350 LS - Center, Polk LS90 - Rear
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  • wayne3burk
    wayne3burk Posts: 939
    edited February 2010
    Back in the day -- I had a very nice Yamaha K-960 Cassette Deck with built in DBX -- In my mind it was far superior to and Alphabet of Dolby. But i'd normally record the whole album and then use the tapes in place of the albums to preserve them from heavy playing.
    Yamaha RX-V2700, EMI 711As (front), RCA K-16 (rear), Magnavox Console (Center & TV Stand), Sony SMP-N200 media streamer, Dual 1249 TT =--- Sharp Aquas 60" LCD tellie
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  • jgido759
    jgido759 Posts: 572
    edited February 2010
    wayne3burk wrote: »
    But i'd normally record the whole album and then use the tapes in place of the albums to preserve them from heavy playing.

    +1

    I think we all, at one time, made some type of mix tapes. Now they're called "playlists" on iTunes & our iPods. :D
    Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited February 2010
    Back in the 80's I did a bunch of CD to hi-fi VCR mixes; and I occasionally mix a CD. I moonlighted as a DJ at the NCO club for a few years in Germany, and I would regularly record my mixes while playing.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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