The art of making compilations

[Ghosty]

As you tend to get a bit overfamiliar with CT albums and EP running orders I have been into making compilations for years now. I tend to make the kind of compilation where the songs have a connection, ie being recorded around the same time. Back in the days of vinyl and cassettes I used to make imaginary LP albums that could fit on one side of a 90 minute cassette.
For example my Dear Heart "album":
Side 1: Dear Heart
Feathers Oarblades
Alas Dies Laughing
Hearsay Please
Hazel
Side 2: Peppermint Pig
Laugh Lines
It's all but an Ark-lark (edited to about 4.30 min.)
Speak No Evil
Perhaps Some Other Aeon

I know it's a bit neurotic but having grown up with LP's sometimes songs seem to work better together in that format for me.
Nowadays with CDr and recently my MP3 player it's just throwing a bunch of songs together.

Any of you make any compilations? If so, did you follow any "rules" or did you make them at random?

[Sean_Montgomery]

I still make 80 minutes CD compilations, but not nearly as regularly as I used to.

Generally, when doing an artist 'best of', I go chronologically.

When doing mixes, I start with a song that makes me want to listen to the rest of the disk. Something catchy, fun, propulsive. And I usually have a song in mind to end the disk too...something with a long coda/fadeout, or with a slightly melancholic tinge...or that will form a nice bridge back to the opening song, so that the mix sounds good no matter where you start listening to it. Then I just start drawing a path between the first and last songs. I group songs by 'sound' (electronic, acoustic...gentle, aggressive), usually three or four of each kind. I'm always looking for links between songs (tempos, instrumentation, vocals, genre) to make things flow together.

This is all a hell of a lot easier with MP3s. Now I can experiment with a dozen or more lineups before committing myself with the 'burn disk' button.

[petroldarling]

i love making mix cds and tapes. i am obsessive about making the continuity *perfect*, blending one song into another just right. i usually refuse to repeat an artist on a single cd, as well, forcing myself to choose my songs carefully :>

[Sean_Montgomery]

i usually refuse to repeat an artist on a single cd, as well, forcing myself to choose my songs carefully :>

Ah yes, another one of my rules!

[4CC]

i too make compilations when i get the time and generally follow similar rules to that which Sean Montgomery posted. It can sometimes take a long time though as i am also really choosy about which song precedes and comes after another. sometimes i like a strong opening trio of songs followed by a track which is more subdued and introspective. If im lucky at work i can 'test' compilations out on unsuspecting listeners/victims, so i try to imagine a track list from their perspective.

Recently i made a compilation for a girl at work that had the following as part of its order:
CROWDED HOUSE - Fall At Your Feet
SMITHS - Ask
KATE BUSH - Hounds of Love
COCTEAU TWINS - Fotzepolitic
BLUR - The Universal
etc.

She hadn't heard the CT song before but quite liked it cos it was sandwiched betwwen other favourites of hers.

I also try themes: Summer songs, Instrumentals (for those no-need-to-wake-up mornings),etc.

[tht! tne]

i like your idea of theming it to epochs <3

i made one a few weeks ago and shared it with some friends

one of them didn't know CT however he very much enjoyed "millimillenary"

the tracklist was

alice
kookaburra
summerhead
the high monkey-monk
love's easy tears
millimillenary
bloody and blunt
lorelei
sultitan itan
mud and dark
watchlar