Creating a mix of party music for your next social event is one of the most fun parts of planning an event. Read the steps below for good suggestions and ideas on how to make your next mix really great.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Basic Strategy
Step 1. Start with the numbers
Think demographically: how many people will you invite and how many do you expect to show up? Will anyone bring a friend? Will anyone stop by? What is the age and general condition of your guests? A 16-year-old suburban teenager won't like music as much as a 30-something professional. Also think about how long you want the party to last. A three hour mix and a six hour mix require different strategies.
It's better to overestimate than underestimate when it comes to things like time and number of people. Think in terms of room flexibility rather than guessing a certain amount
Step 2. Learn what makes good party music
In general, good party music is upbeat and doesn't require much attention to appreciate. Songs with difficult or complex structures, as well as songs that go from very loud to very quiet and back again, should be avoided. Sad and somber songs, no matter how well-liked they may be, have no place in a party mix (except maybe at the end, but this will be discussed later).
When in doubt, use music that has a good rhythm and catchy verse. Some genres are better at providing this type of music than others: Modern R&B, pop-influenced R&B, dance pop, hip-hop, reggae, and pop-punk are very reliable sources. Classical music, folk singer-songwriters, new age and melancholic indie rock (such as Neutral Milk Hotel and Modest Mouse) should be avoided in most cases
Step 3. Collect music
If your music collection is all or mostly digital, put together any additional albums or songs that you think you might want to use. If you're working with physical collectibles, collect them all in one room. Either way, keep track of everything you own. Listen to sections from albums and songs, and write down anything that looks like it might make good party music, even if you're not sure yet. The goal is to have a good, broad base of songs for you to work with.
Step 4. Set the balance
Most audiophiles have a deep urge to share their new discoveries and lesser-known music with their friends, and a party mix is certainly an acceptable place to introduce relatively obscure acts to people you know. However, the main rule of making a great party mix is to be more inclined towards songs that the crowd will recognize. People can only enjoy party music more when they already know how most of the songs sound. Remember, being a good host is all about making your guests happy, not satisfying your own ego.
As a rule, no more than 15-20% of your final mix should be unknown or obscure music. This is flexible of course, but it's a good rule of thumb for most casual types of parties. Fill the rest of your mix with popular and exciting artists from past and present, such as Justin Timberlake, OutKast, Beyonce, Hall and Oates, Kendrick Lamar, The Doobie Brothers, Drake and Michael Jackson
Step 5. Decide the digital way
If you work with all digital music, you have two basic options: shuffled or unshuffled. A randomly arranged playlist can be even more fun for you, as you never know what song to play next, but it requires a more careful balance to prevent songs from the same artist from being played over and over again. On the other hand, not shuffling playlists allows you to set the mood for each different part of the night (which will require a separate playlist for each mood, if you shuffle them).
Step 6. Determine by physical means
If instead, you're using a writable CD, then the options are slightly different. Physical media users must arrange the songs in a certain order, but can shuffle the CDs individually. Combined with only about 80 minutes of audio, which will fit on a single CD-R disc, meaning you can combine the two ways and play the discs in a predefined order, but with shuffled tracks. You can also just follow a predefined order for individual discs and songs or (if you have a multi-tray CD player) load multiple discs and shuffle them.
Step 7. Think about the flow of the party
Most party mixes will be played in one of two ways: loud and fun from start to finish, or having some free space along the track. Either way is fine, but if you're not going to randomize it, it's best to go with the second option. In general, you can set the first half hour or so to be a bit quieter and slower, and plan similar settings for a few hours to get into the mix. The music should still be pleasant to listen to, but can be increased to a higher energy slowly.
Step 8. Create a closing list
Whichever way you choose to use, plan to have about an hour of slower, relaxing music (in a different playlist or on a separate disc). You can play this music when you're done hosting a party for the night, to encourage people to get ready and head home. Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon was once a very popular choice for ending parties; other viable options include artists like DJ Krush, Belle and Sebastian or the Replacements. Choose music with a waning energy and a quieter sound.
Step 9. Mix your music together
Listen to the beginning of each song in order and make sure you like it. (If you shuffled it, do this as well to make sure all the songs combine well). Once you're satisfied, save the mix (digital) or write to disc (manual) and you're good to go.
If you're playing the music from a cell phone or mp3 player, make sure you have a cable to stream the sound through your stereo speakers. These can be purchased for just a few dollars at most home electronics stores
Step 10. Play your mix
It is an art to know when to start playing. You can start the music as soon as the first guest arrives, but if you wait for half an hour and start when a few people have already shown up, you'll have a better impact. The time to start playing ultimately depends on what type of party you're having and how many friends you're expecting to show up. Certain variations and situations are discussed in detail below.
Method 2 of 2: Alternative and Special Situations
Step 1. Host a classy dinner party
If the party you are hosting is a small dinner party for 4-12 people, there is no need to make a big mix and there will definitely be no demand for dance music. Instead, help everyone feel relaxed and elegant by playing some classical jazz. Not just any jazz album can be played; look for well-known artists and tend to choose variations of the songs over the original compositions (though these are also quite good). You should only need a few music albums at most.
- Don't shuffle the jazz you choose; instead, play each album in turn, from start to finish, to maintain the desired mood.
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As for the period, it's 20 years between 1951 and 1971. Jazz music from this period has a classic jazz sound, which most people think can create a relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere.
Consider these albums as useful starting points: Solar Energy, Ray Brown Trio with Gene Harris; Time Out, Dave Brubeck Quartet; Kind of Blue, Miles Davis; Idle Moments, Grant Green
- You can also try a bossa nova album (like Antonio Jobim's incredible Wave) or some "relaxing" sounding music, but be careful not to make your guests feel as though they're listening to music in an elevator.
Step 2. Make your mix interactive
It works best with a collection of CDs or LPs, but can also be approximated by a digital music player. Before the party starts, separate out any albums that aren't party-friendly, leaving only the good party albums in the main section. Plays an album when guests start arriving and places the album clearly, so people can see it. Offer people to play an album, multiple songs (or one side of it) one at a time, one selection per person. Your guests will have other activities to do and you can rest assured that only the album you have selected will play.
Just to be safe, don't put down any albums that would be difficult or expensive to replace if damaged. Parties have been known to be a place where a lot of things would break
Step 3. Create a themed mix
Themed mixing isn't just useful at themed parties; they're also a great way to showcase a collection that's insightful and can provide some added structure for more general events (like a party on the neighborhood block). All you have to do is look through your collection and mix your favorite songs from genres you've collected or that you're particularly interested in. You can even create mixes that are more closely themed for a specific party, such as a marine theme or a desert theme. People will love it when the music matches, right down to the theme at night.
- A mix of early rock, rockabilly and bebop is a great mix for a sock hop gathering or a retro theme.
- 70s classic funk and soul lends a decadent and lush air to warm summer evenings.
- Split your mix between EDM (Skrillex, Tiesto, Chemical Brothers) and IDM (Bonobo, Aphex Twin, Modeselector) to create a soundtrack for a rave party (you can learn to crossfade and match beats to make it feel more authentic, but that won't work). discussed here).
Tips
- Don't rule out accepting requests from your guests. This will make it more fun for them. Feel free to take control of the mix again once the request has been fulfilled.
- Especially when creating a mix to shuffle, be careful not to include too many songs from the same artist. A maximum of three songs per artist should be good enough for a mix of about 250 songs (which is long enough for most parties); if you play more than 100-125 songs, reduce the number to a maximum of two songs for most artists.
