Designing your music collection can be as simple as gathering your favorite songs. The right playlist can set the mood for your whole day or your whole vacation. Still, you may find yourself dissatisfied or kicked out of the moment without considering some key factors, such as destination, audience, and mood.
Know Your Audience
Who you are designing a playlist for plays an essential part in what music you add to the queue. A family reunion with people ranging from great-grandma in her 90s and a gaggle of toddlers will probably react in a drastically different way to club music than the friends you hit the town with. If you are designing a playlist just for yourself, it is easier to avoid putting songs in the mix that you do not love, but it can also be easier to stick with the same batch of songs or genres and not branch out to find new favorites.
Consider Your Destination
Just like you have different genres and tones of music for working out than you do for the office, you will want to select different music for a tropical Galapagos cruise than a ski trip. One of the benefits of centering the theme of your music on your destination is that you can find a variety of songs across genres to fit different climate types, and you may even find songs where your destination is prominent in the lyrics. This factor can be beneficial when choosing music for a group because one of the few things everyone on the trip will have in common is the destination.
Include Mood Music
Remember that sometimes it is not the words in a song but the music behind them which sets your mood. You can be more in the mood to work out with fast-paced music and more in the mood to relax with slower melodies. Road trips will usually require songs that keep you in the mood to sing along and not lull you to sleep, especially if you are the one driving. Are you going on a vacation to get over a break-up or celebrate a new phase of life? Design your playlist around positivity in change and around the journey you are taking.
Decide Whether Order Matters
One of the key differences between a playlist and a collection of songs is whether the listening order is vital to the theme or mood of the list. If your girls’ weekend out needs a mood listening list, then hitting the shuffle button on a collection of your favorite songs about friendship and fun can set you up for the drive. However, if you are heading for seclusion with a writers’ retreat, then a playlist of songs taking you through the narratives of your current piece can help you write that next chapter.
Take a Test Drive
It is crucial to try out your music list before you head out on your vacation and possibly limited internet connection. Pulling together a friend or two and hitting the play button can help you feel whether the songs are hitting the mood or theme you are going for. This test listen can also show you if shuffling the list will have a better effect or if some of the transitions will be jarring if played out of order.
Making the perfect list of music for your next vacation can help stave off boredom during the travel phase and set the mood for the activities you are looking forward to at your destination. To get the best results from your playlist, be sure to consider your audience and destination first. You can then decide on a theme or mood and whether you want a determined order or a good shuffle. Be sure to take your playlist for a trial run before you hit the road, so you do not have to make last-minute changes on the way or even be stuck with a jarring mix of songs.