Everyone loves a good music playlist. 365 million people use Spotify once a month. This huge number accounts for only a fraction of music consumption on the Internet.
Check out Hadar Adora’s personal playlist on Spotify
Yet few people know how to make a good playlist. They may start making a music playlist for cleaning their house, but not for going out on a run.
What should you do to narrow your track selection down? How can you put your music in the right order? How can you start choosing songs that are new?
Answer these questions and you can create a great playlist that will help you exercise. Here is your quick guide.
Pick a Theme for Your Music Playlist
Your playlist should not be a bunch of random songs thrown together. You want songs that will inspire a particular mood in you.
For a workout playlist, you want a playlist that will keep you motivated. It should pump you up during difficult sections of your exercise.
You should try to find 30 to 50 inspiring and exhilarating songs. They should have a strong beat and a fast tempo.
If you are doing an exercise like yoga, you may want something more relaxing. You should try to find some songs that have a soft tempo and a slow pace. You can also add one or two relaxing songs at the end of an aerobic workout playlist so you can wind down.
Make a Playlist Flow
Start your playlist with a really great song. It should be something that will get you moving. You may want to dance to the song, or you may want to run at a pace that matches the tempo.
After your introduction, you want your songs to flow into each other. A song that has a fade-in should follow a song that has a fade-out. Following it with a song that has a sudden ending may seem too abrupt.
Try to link related artists together. Many artists have collaborated with each other, and their music takes on similar qualities. This makes for easier transitions between songs.
Put a climactic song toward the middle of your playlist. This sends the signal to your brain and body that you have reached the midpoint of your exercise.
How you listen to your music also affects your flow. Audio sunglasses let you listen to music without encumbering your movement. The sound is not directly over your ears, allowing you to listen to music without hurting yourself.
Be Varied
All of your songs should inspire similar emotions in you. But this does not mean all of your songs should have the same exact qualities.
Each artist should have two songs at most on your playlist. If you use multiple songs from one person, you should space them out. It is okay to use multiple songs where the same artists are in the background or collaborators, but try to be diverse in your selections.
Find works from different genres. A lot of rock songs are uplifting, but you can also find great classical and rap songs.
Incorporate songs from different time periods. Listening to a bunch of pop songs can get stale. Add some older works and break up sections where you have several modern songs in a row.
If you make your own music, you can add some of your songs to the list. This may help you come up with new ideas while you are out exercising. Make sure you can stop the music and write down your thoughts when they come to you.
Update Your Playlist
There are new releases every week. Listen to them and feel free to add new songs to your playlist.
You should also listen to earlier releases. Read guides on how to find new music and follow their recommendations. You can read reviews from magazines like Rolling Stone or watch informative videos from reviewers like Anthony Fantano.
Try out your playlist to see if it works. If it doesn't, make some adjustments. Be willing to shuffle your songs so you listen to new combinations of your music.
Organize Your Songs
Once you have a bunch of songs you like, you should use a website to put them together. You can make a playlist on YouTube, Vimeo, and Spotify. You can use a website like Dailymotion, but Dailymotion is somewhat out-of-date.
Make sure to give a title to your playlist. This is essential if you want to make multiple playlists for different workouts. "Aerobic Playlist" and "Yoga Playlist" are all you need to write.
Make a Good Playlist Public
If your playlist works for you, feel free to make it public. Write a description of what the playlist is like and what purpose it is for.
Be willing to take suggestions from the people who discover your playlist. You may need to add new songs, take out old ones, or mix some songs around.
Check out the playlists of your followers and commenters. You may find some more songs that you like.
Find the Best Tools for an Exercise Playlist
You can make a great music playlist. All of your songs should speak back to the same theme. They should help you exercise and power through difficulty.
Yet that does not mean you have to select all rock songs. You should create a good flow. You should have a varied selection of artists, genres, and styles.
You should update your list to reflect new releases. You can then organize and make your list public so you can get suggestions.
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