How To Make a Mix Tape
Barrett Foa, who stars in the Tony-winning musical Avenue Q, is aware that like his character, Princeton offering music as a way to one's heart is a good bet. However, Princeton offers a rather confusing mix of music "Kiss the Girl," "I Am the Walrus," "Fat Bottom Girls" to Kate Monster, the object of his affection or is it vice versa?, which results in much puzzlement. Foa wants you to have the results you are looking for, so here he offers his advice on how to make a romantic mix tape for your sweetie.
Be Clear and Personal
"Don't confuse your sweetheart," Foa cautions. "Don't put 'Fat Bottom Girls' on there." Foa thinks the message should be consistent. "You don't want your sweetheart or would-be sweetheart wondering how you really feel." He also advises to take special care with your choices. "Keep it kind of soft," he says. "Definitely skip the electric guitar stuff. Give me some folk—or just that kind of killer ache thing." And yes, you'll have to take a few chances. "Reveal yourself," Foa urges. "You don't want a cookie-cutter romance."
Consider the Future
So, you've found the perfect song list. Now is a good time to consider the shelf-life of your choices. "It's there forever," says Foa. "It speaks to you one day, but the next day? Not so much." Thus, you should take a hard look at your music choices. "If you were having a little bit of a love affair with Michael Bolton for like one second, and you were like, 'Oh I have to put this Michael Bolton song on!' But then you might be like, 'Wait, what was I thinking?' a month later," he muses about a choice gone wrong. "You might go through those periods where you just need to hear a certain song, but then again you might regret it." Don't make a mix tape on a whim!
Pick the Right Format
It may just be that a mix tape is actually a thing of the past. "Sometimes I feel like the audience is like, 'What is mix tape? What is a tape?'" Foa says of the young Avenue Q crowds. "The younger generation doesn't deal with tapes. I feel like they should know that it's kind of like a mixed CD or making an iTunes playlist." Foa's next piece of advice can make or break the effect your mix tape has on your beloved: "Choose a format that they can play!"