The Extended Remix MefiSwap 2012-1

November 25, 2011 8:53 AM

Happy Friday! It's time to sign up for the no-stress extended remix MeFiSwap!

So you make a mix. Of music. (On the already-antiquated CD-R medium.)
And you mail it out to 5 other MeFites.
And those 5 do the same thing, so 5 mixes show up in your mailbox soon.

And everyone's happiness is increased by 5 mixes.
[THIS IS GOOD.]

Swap Guidelines:
• Swapsets consist of 6 people. You mail out 5 copies of your mix to the other swapset members, and in return you get 5 different mixes mailed to you.
• We swap audio CD-Rs. Your swapmates should be able to put the disc you send them into just about any CD player and have it work. If you want to swap data discs (loaded with .mp3s) or tapes or 8-tracks or something and enough are interested, I can set up a side-swap. Please do not send any media other than a music CD-R without running it by your swapset first.
• If you signed up to participate last time but didn't mail out your mix, you are not invited to swap again you damned mooch. Maximum pukka is attained through 100% participation. If you sign up to participate this time, do so with the full intention of mailing out at least 5 mix CDs within ~6 weeks from today. If you didn't get all 5 mixes in a previous swap, feel free to email me so I can keep track of who's eligible to swap again and who's not.
• You will probably have to send at least one piece of mail overseas, and if you live outside the USA, you will most definitely be asked to mail most of your packages to foreign countries. Special requests regarding mail should be included in your sign-up email.
• Communication is important so if you can't get your mixes out by the mailing deadline (see below), let me or the other members of your swapset know.

Schedule
• Sign-ups close in ~2 weeks on Saturday, December 10. Swapset assignments will go out shortly thereafter via email.
• The mailing deadline won't be until the first weekend in February: Saturday, February 4th That's plenty of time, even accounting for the Holidays, right? (Happy Holidays!)
• However, the sooner you mail out your mixes, the better!

Some FAQ
• What should I put on my mix? → Music! Music you love! Music you think people should hear. Music that sounds good!
• Is there a theme? → Yes! It's music! I mean, no! There's no theme except the one you choose. Even though swapset names might have a theme, that shouldn't necessarily dictate the theme of your mix.
• How do I package and mail these mixes? → Padded mailers work best (and recycled ones even better!) but, as long as you can rest assured that your delicate CD-Rs will arrive at their destination in playable condition, pretty much anything goes.
• Do I need to include liner notes? → You don't need to do anything other than mail 5 mixes to your swapmates, but putting some effort into making it look nice is certainly not discouraged. ;)
• Can I be in more than one swapset? → Sure! Just mention it in your sign-up email and I'll put you in two swapsets. You'll need to mail out a total of 10 copies of your mix though, so be prepared for that.
• Didn't you just copy and paste all this from the previous sign-up thread? → Mostly, yeah. Hopefully I changed all the dates right.
• If you have any other specific requests or restraints, please include them in your sign-up email. I will honor them the best I can, but no promises. I'll be around here to answer any other questions or concerns.

>>>>>>> To sign up send me:

- YOUR MEFI USERNAME
&
- YOUR POSTAL MAILING ADDRESS at:

tediseasy [at] gmail [doot] com

(PLEASE NO MEMAIL)


I will reply with a form letter confirmation saying something along the lines of 'You're signed up to swap!' and acknowledging any special requests.

Yay, happy swapping!

posted by carsonb to MetaFilter-Related at 8:53 AM (112 comments total)

Mu-ha-ha-ha-haaaaw METAL MACHINE MUSIC FOR ALL OF YOU!!

No, I wouldn't.
posted by not_on_display at 9:02 AM on November 25, 2011 [3 favorites]

Enjoy 40 minutes of me squaking half-remembered lyrics to "Jolene" into a gaming mic, everyone!
posted by griphus at 9:08 AM on November 25, 2011 [5 favorites]

MetaFilter: It's Doot Com!
posted by Wolfdog at 9:12 AM on November 25, 2011

I'm not allowed to participate this year because last year I made my SO listen to four MeFiSwap CDs in a row driving down to my folks' place for Easter.

The result was him shaking his fist at MeFi and suggesting that, in future, if I were to refrain from putting any CD in the player which was at risk of containing "My Sharona", it would greatly enhance the possibility of our relationship lasting beyond the year.
posted by greenish at 9:22 AM on November 25, 2011

Would this be a good time, without naming names, to remind a certain "While the Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" person who had good intentions but informed us he would be sending out his swap VERY late, that he could still do it? And if that guilts the other WTSWTF non-sender as well, so be it.
posted by Glinn at 9:31 AM on November 25, 2011

Hey I would love to take part in something like this - but I unlike the OP I don't live in 1999 but in 2011 where all my music is digital and CD's are to Music - as Ponies are to Automobiles. Is there any interest in a digital swap group where we can exchange music in the medium of the day? (such an option would be no more copyright infringing than the current content btw.)
posted by Another Fine Product From The Nonsense Factory at 9:47 AM on November 25, 2011

I don't know about you, but I haven't found a good, safe place to store my automobiles than ponies; they're so roomy!
posted by griphus at 10:01 AM on November 25, 2011

Hey I would love to take part in something like this - but I unlike the OP I don't live in 1999 but in 2011 where all my music is digital and CD's are to Music - as Ponies are to Automobiles

For me, it's not just about trading music, but also making something physical, like a CD cover (see the MeFiSwap Cover Pool on Flickr), and receiving the same in the mail.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:30 AM on November 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

I know you guys and gals are gonna love my new Extreme Noise Terror, Gwar & Genitorturers mix! Sign me up!
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:38 AM on November 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

On second thought -- I should mellow it out. Dan Fogelberg, America and Seals & Crofts, coming right up!
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:43 AM on November 25, 2011

Oh what the hell. Sign me up again.

It gives me something to do at work.
posted by ShawnString at 10:44 AM on November 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

IN LIKE FLYNN

I am currently running a MeSwap-inspired swap at work, so it's really a matter of making more copies! This is one of the highlights of my musical year.
posted by Shepherd at 11:27 AM on November 25, 2011

I know you guys and gals are gonna love my new Extreme Noise Terror, Gwar & Genitorturers mix! Sign me up!

Eleven.
posted by griphus at 11:33 AM on November 25, 2011

Another Fine Product From The Nonsense Factory, much like Brandon I like physical artifacts and receiving things in the post, but at the same time I consume (not to mention produce and distribute) music through the internet.

If you don't like CDs, fine. But the whole "unlike the OP" talk makes it sounds like you are dissing carsonb, which you shouldn't, because he is a Pretty Cool Guy.

And it's not like you're terrifically original either: the question of doing an online swap has been brought up in every MefiSwap thread since about, well, 1999.

Want to do an online swap? Start one.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:48 AM on November 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

Obviously, I'm in--I'm starting to get emails back from this summer's swapset gang that my CDs (SECOND TRY) are arriving.

Never use the post office in Chicago. Only use UPS or FedEx.

Luckily, since I came up with about five different mixes this summer before deciding on the one I'd ship out, I can burn my CDs right away--plus I have LOTS of CD-Rs and jewel cases just sittin' around....
posted by tzikeh at 12:06 PM on November 25, 2011

Also--flagged as fantastic, to alert the mods that this should go in the sideblog.
posted by tzikeh at 12:09 PM on November 25, 2011

Eleven.

*pride*
posted by Devils Rancher at 12:18 PM on November 25, 2011

Putting the music on a piece of plastic to be delivered by snail mail?

I've hand-picked 21 of my choicest cuts. You can see the track list and a download link here.
posted by Trurl at 12:48 PM on November 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

excellent. been working on my AtoZ Offensive Hip Hop mix since the summer swap.
posted by mannequito at 1:26 PM on November 25, 2011

AtoZ Offensive Hip Hop mix

So does it start with 2 Live Crew and 2 Short, or are they under the "T"s?
posted by Hoopo at 2:45 PM on November 25, 2011

the MeFiSwap Cover Pool on Flickr

Whoa, nice.
posted by twirlip at 2:50 PM on November 25, 2011

Nah, going by track title. Kind of a fun challenge to fit 26 tracks onto an 80 minute cd without sacrificing too much quality.
posted by mannequito at 2:51 PM on November 25, 2011

YAY, as a long-term lurker and new member, I was hoping so hard that this swap still happened YAY!

Now to spend hours trying to whittle it down.
posted by Occula at 2:54 PM on November 25, 2011

I stupidly missed Secret Quonsar but I am IN LIKE FLYNN for this.
posted by immlass at 3:26 PM on November 25, 2011

I totally anticipated this swap and already have a mix ready to go! Yay!
posted by Go Banana at 3:41 PM on November 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

Can I send a CD that is all rap remixes of Michael Jackson songs? Because that's pretty much all I listen to these days.
posted by decathecting at 4:00 PM on November 25, 2011

Yes! Tho' my taste in music has been described as “irritating”.
posted by scruss at 4:13 PM on November 25, 2011

Hey I would love to take part in something like this - but I unlike the OP I don't live in 1999 but in 2011 where all my music is digital and CD's are to Music - as Ponies are to Automobiles. Is there any interest in a digital swap group where we can exchange music in the medium of the day? (such an option would be no more copyright infringing than the current content btw.)

Unlike your fine self, Another Fine Product From The Nonsense Factory, I live in 1983 where all my music is on cassettes - anyone interested in a cassette-only side-swap? I promise to imagine that each and every one of my swapmates is the sweetie I'm trying to impress with a clever selection of tunes and a deft finger on the pause button.

[But I'm in for the CDs too, natch. Still kicking myself for missing the deadline on the last go round.]
posted by Chichibio at 4:29 PM on November 25, 2011

AtoZ Offensive Hip Hop mix

DO WANT
posted by elizardbits at 5:11 PM on November 25, 2011

elizardbits, I wound up straying from the offensive angle a bit since I don't actually have a lot of real gangster rap in my collection, but it is definitely turning out interesting.

I'll see if I can put in a request to share a group but if that's too much trouble send me a pm, I don't mind mailing out a couple extra copies.
posted by mannequito at 5:29 PM on November 25, 2011

I'm in, and my theme might just be 'extended remixes' based on your post title.
posted by mintcake! at 6:09 PM on November 25, 2011

Last time I did this, I gave people rare Italian folk-prog, Hungarian shamanic punk, abstract avant-garde electronic stuff recorded underwater, and the like. High-browish, you know?

Since then, my brow has fallen THROUGH THE DAMN FLOOR. For the last few months, the only thing that's truly made my heart soar is power metal: lots and lots of power metal. And that is what y'all'll be getting, if you're in my swap-set.

[Sings:]
SOUNDS OF TRUE METAL
WE WILL SING
'Till the blood on your sword is the blood of a king.

[Dons leather pants; rides off on armored triceratops.]
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 6:22 PM on November 25, 2011 [3 favorites]

This isn't a contest.
posted by ChuqD at 8:53 PM on November 25, 2011 [2 favorites]

doesn't mean you shouldn't wear leather pants or ride triceratops'
posted by mannequito at 8:55 PM on November 25, 2011 [2 favorites]

I'm in! I plan to send out a mix with throat singing, nordic bit noises various scandinaviana and general mayhemmery.
posted by seawallrunner at 9:11 PM on November 25, 2011

Any reason we aren't using megaupload or whatever instead of snail mail?
posted by jeffburdges at 10:55 PM on November 25, 2011

'Cause getting anything in the mail that can't be classified as Bill or Junk Mail is basically the best thing ever. Super awesome music is just a bonus.
posted by addelburgh at 11:51 PM on November 25, 2011 [5 favorites]

I'm torn on the whole mail/net thing. I agree that giving and receiving something physical, and in the mail, is really neato. On the other hand, for me especially it increases the difficulty of the enterprise hugely and creates a high bar for participation.

Has anyone seriously discussed a net version of the swap?

I assume that there are three significant concerns. First, even though (as mentioned above) it's no less infringing on copyrights than is burning and gifting a CD-R, it does seem somehow riskier. I'm not sure how to answer that concern. Second, many people might have some trouble sending and receiving large files (I assume, zipped, about 350MB), though there are numerous services that answer this need. Third, just a bunch of songs isn't as fun and so there needs to be a requirement to make it a burnable CD in, say, ISO format and to include a cover and back images, and possibly liner notes making it equivalent to a CD-R mix swap.

Any thoughts? I'd be happy to be involved in starting an electronic swap if these three concerns could be adequately addressed and there was interest. I'm assuming that, if so, then there would be considerably interest because there must be others like myself who would be much more likely to participate if it didn't require sending packages through the mail.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 12:24 AM on November 26, 2011

Just fyi, there are plenty safe friend-to-friend sharing tools like OneSwarm. All the major bit lockers should be safe enough for encrypted zip/rar files.
posted by jeffburdges at 12:39 AM on November 26, 2011

To those of you who don't see the immediate, visceral appeal -- the absolute delight -- of making this a swap of carefully crafted physical objects through the mail, I only have this to say: pbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbt.
posted by .kobayashi. at 4:28 AM on November 26, 2011 [7 favorites]

I've hand-picked 21 of my choicest cuts. You can see the track list and a download link here.

Thanks Trurl! Listening to it as I type.

Yet...

...while I appreciate that I can just *zwwwoooop!* download Trurl's mix, I'll add my voice to the throng that feels that this swap without the snail mail element isn't quite as fun. It's nice to get mail from strangers bearing gifts, and the handcrafted element is a sweet bonus.

If people are that interested in net-swapping I'd happily join in (and something like OneSwarm looks like a useful tool for the job) but I think it should be a separate activity - and since the admin burden is lifted, certainly one that doesn't have to be bounded by time. So cheers to carsonb for taking this on and keeping the old tradition alive, I say.
posted by Chichibio at 4:29 AM on November 26, 2011

Or, what .kobayashi. said.
posted by Chichibio at 4:30 AM on November 26, 2011

I've been doing soundtracks to novels for a while, but I think I'm abandoning that this time around for a concept best described as "skronk-a-ma-phone." Probably. We'll see.
posted by .kobayashi. at 4:38 AM on November 26, 2011

"pbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbt."

I do see the appeal of doing it with physical objects through the mail. It's just a big deal for me to go the post office and send packages and such. And even if someone isn't in the same circumstances that I'm in, it's still the case that for many people it's enough of a bar to entry that they won't get involved.

"If people are that interested in net-swapping I'd happily join in (and something like OneSwarm looks like a useful tool for the job) but I think it should be a separate activity - and since the admin burden is lifted, certainly one that doesn't have to be bounded by time."

I entirely agree that a net mix swap should be separate (and in addition to) the traditional mail mix swap. And I do think, as I wrote, that to keep it special enough to be interesting and worthwhile, it should still be mixes in a CD format with covers and such. That's a bar to entry, too, but I think it's sufficiently low that it won't deter that many people compared to doing the whole burning and packaging and mailing (internationally, in some cases) thing.

Also, I think there should be some administration of it. I think it should be done the same way as the mail swap, including limiting it to something like six mixes each and randomization and such. It shouldn't be a free-for-all of music exchange—why do that when it'd be just like peering new music on the net? I think it should be as close to possible as the mail version, just with the transfer electronic.

I wouldn't mind building some tools to do this. Some sort of web interface for enrollment and administration, maybe some kind of utility to make an image of an audio CD, bundle it up with the cover graphics and liner notes (if any), then compress that and place it somewhere online to await password-protected distribution to the six people it's intended for. You know, all that for tech novices, if necessary. None of that would probably be necessary, but it's do-able if it were.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 5:33 AM on November 26, 2011

Yay! I didn't flake out an miss sign-ups this year!
posted by likeatoaster at 6:15 AM on November 26, 2011

Is most everyone making a mix of wacky genre music? I'd be more interested in signing up if that was not the case.
posted by 23skidoo at 6:31 AM on November 26, 2011

23skidoo, I've done this several times and I get a total mish-mash. About half are just mixes of stuff a particular Mefite thinks is good, and the remainder are genre or themed. It tends to skew electric/less mainstream. Out of a pool of five, I'll usually receive three or four CDs, and I'll really like two or three of them. Totally worth it in my book.
posted by PercussivePaul at 6:41 AM on November 26, 2011

Is most everyone making a mix of wacky genre music?

This time around, I'm going simple, just a collection of songs I really like, no matter the genre. Yeah, it'll be called "Favorities", how did you guess?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:45 AM on November 26, 2011

Also, since the singularity happened and music became ethereal, the only physical CDs I have left are a steadily growing pile of Mefiswap contributions. It makes for a pretty neat library.
posted by PercussivePaul at 6:47 AM on November 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'm in again, but this time I'm only doing one swap-set. It's not that I'm too lazy or cheap to send out 10 CDs- it's that I literally haven't finished listening to the ten CDs from the LAST swap yet.
posted by showbiz_liz at 7:36 AM on November 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'm in! I haven't made a mix CD in years and this suddenly seems to be a huge loss. I'm looking forward to getting the CDs through the post too - as well as the obvious bonus of fun new music, it will be like the internet coming to real life.
posted by daisyk at 8:26 AM on November 26, 2011

I literally haven't finished listening to the ten CDs from the LAST swap yet.

Yeah, the CD player in my car crapped out this spring (fortunately not with a MeFi CD in it) and I need to rip all the ones I haven't listened to yet.
posted by immlass at 8:42 AM on November 26, 2011

Is most everyone making a mix of wacky genre music?

Good lord, no. We ended up with over 180 people this summer, and I don't think I received a wacky genre music among the bunch, and I was in three swapsets.

Everyone comes at it differently.
posted by tzikeh at 9:08 AM on November 26, 2011

Oh, sure. I'll do it.

*blows cobwebs out of MacBook's optical drive*
posted by spitefulcrow at 9:25 AM on November 26, 2011

Yay!
posted by shinyshiny at 10:25 AM on November 26, 2011

Excellent. I was introduced to some cracking new music through the summer swap. I'm in.
posted by garrett at 10:45 AM on November 26, 2011

If I sign up for this and get a wacky genre mix, I am flying to someone's house and toilet papering all their neighbor's houses.
posted by 23skidoo at 11:11 AM on November 26, 2011

Greatest Accordion Bagpipe Yodeling From the Steppes of Mongolia, coming right up!
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:15 AM on November 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

Greatest Accordion Bagpipe Yodeling From the Steppes of Mongolia, coming right up!

I dare someone to find a way to make this music.
posted by tzikeh at 11:36 AM on November 26, 2011

For anyone who is interested, I've converted a mix I'd already made into something like what I had in mind for a "Remix MefiNetSwap". It's listed and linked in my profile, where you'll also find the site and archive passwords necessary...I'm being very cautious and this won't be available but for a few days, at most. (I'm not paying for a huge amount of bandwidth for my hosting; but what I do pay for, I'm not using. So I can handle this being downloaded by a moderate number of people, though no more than that.)

I downloaded and tested OneSwarm. Its user-friendliness is overstated, I think. I guess it could work if a) there was an explicit walkthrough of sharing a mix written up, and b) enough people became a mefi "friends" community on it and kept the seeding/peering going. I don't know...there might be better solutions.

Finally, I think that perhaps doing this in the form of CD images is unnecessarily space/bandwidth intensive. Many people will, like me, be using lossy formats like MP3 to master the CD anyway, so there's no audible benefit. I'd forgotten that PCM data doesn't compress very much (well, d'uh, that's the whole raison d'etre for lossy compression formats) and so a single CD makes a large file, depending upon whether it's used to capacity. My example mix I made is actually two CDs in length because the original mix was that long (I don't think in terms of physical CDs anymore, though I still think in terms of "albums"). So, anyway, I just ended up using MP3 after all, though I did divide them up into two albums, which is how I had already re-written all the liner notes and had made the labels and such.

This is more info than is probably appropriate for this particular thread. But this doesn't seem to me—yet, anyway—to warrant its own MeTa thread.

(If anyone downloads my mix, I'd appreciate you letting me know—via email or memail—and what you think of it. You can just follow the link and look at the track listing and liner notes before you decide you want to actually download the archive.)
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 11:39 AM on November 26, 2011

For anyone who is interested, I've converted a mix I'd already made into something like what I had in mind for a "Remix MefiNetSwap".

I can't unzip the file with the latest version of the Mac OS, so that kinda sucks.

Having to jump through all these hoops just to download a file from the internet isn't very user friendly. Downloading is supposed to be straightforward and simple, this seems overly complicated. Maybe get a Dropbox account? You get 2 gigs for free and upload the zip file there for public download if you give people the URL.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:13 PM on November 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

Sorry, I intentionally made those hoops for this particular purpose to keep that mix from getting out into the wild. If we did the thing for real, something easier would be arranged. Dropbox allows 2 gigs for free, but the file size is limited to 250MB, and the bandwidth is also limited. It wouldn't have worked for this single mix, even.

You couldn't unzip it because I encrypted it with AES instead of the easily-cracked encryption that possibly your Mac's zip utility handles. Windows's own zip function can't decrypt the file, either. But I went ahead and used AES because there's numerous free utilities out there for Mac/Win/Linux that can handle it. iZip is apparently free and will unzip the file.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 3:42 PM on November 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

Hooray!

I have been immersed in Middle Eastern music for years, and love to share!

I'm a bellydancer, so I get to cover my ass in shiny things and shake it for all I'm worth. I hope someone else will get the same happiness I do from hearing this stuff!
posted by MissySedai at 6:40 PM on November 26, 2011 [3 favorites]

How have people handled being in multiple swapsets? Is it poor form to send the same mix to each set? Also, do people come back here afterwards and discuss the mixes? Because if I can't come back here and read how great everyone thinks my mix is, then what's the point? (...kidding!)
posted by isnotchicago at 7:08 PM on November 26, 2011

isnotchicago -- I was in three swapsets last time and I sent the same mix to all of them. I just considered it one big swapset. And yes, people do talk about the mixes when they get them (and the artwork on the covers or whatever comes along with the CDs).

It's all great fun!
posted by tzikeh at 10:28 PM on November 26, 2011

How have people handled being in multiple swapsets?
Generally with aplomb.

Is it poor form to send the same mix to each set?
No! If you're in multiple swapsets, I do my best to assure that you'll be swapping with ten different people.

Also, do people come back here afterwards and discuss the mixes?

I post a mailing deadline reminder about a week beforehand, and that thread generally becomes the place to discuss what you've received and enjoyed.
posted by carsonb at 10:42 PM on November 26, 2011

Oh, also, sorry I haven't gotten back to anyone after about 10 today. Internet was completely down at work and I only just got home a while ago. If you've emailed me today and haven't heard back yet, my apologies but you'll hear back from me tomorrow.
posted by carsonb at 10:43 PM on November 26, 2011

I'm in. It's gonna be murder songs.
posted by Bookhouse at 10:56 PM on November 26, 2011

Oooo but how will I ever choose...
posted by DisreputableDog at 11:22 PM on November 26, 2011

I'm in! Again. Like Flynn. So let's begin!
posted by rhiannonstone at 11:30 PM on November 26, 2011

This is more info than is probably appropriate for this particular thread. But this doesn't seem to me—yet, anyway—to warrant its own MeTa thread.

probably should be.
posted by mannequito at 3:00 AM on November 27, 2011

Austrian rap for everyone! Woo! Ok maybe not...but Skero is still awesome.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:35 AM on November 27, 2011

NKM Disc 1
NKM Disc 2
(No password protection or encryption; MediaFire downloads for those of you who'd like to enjoy The Brother Karamazov's mix without the hassle.)
posted by saguaro at 7:31 AM on November 27, 2011

Well, that's nice of you to shoulder whatever risk there is in doing this, saguaro. :) If the track list looks interesting to people, then I'm glad that they can more easily check it out.

I was thinking earlier that I was probably being way too paranoid about it. But, you know, despite all my years of activity on the net and stuff, I'm pretty paranoid about this sort of thing. Also, I was worried about MeFi's exposure, too. I dunno. I bittorrent, but I use a peer blocker and I extra-super-duper lock things down when I torrent something that I think the lawyered-up are carefully watching. And I wanted to just put up my mix on my hosted web server for the higher-bandwidth for those who wanted to download it, but at the same time didn't want to risk getting in trouble with my hosting service (which I've had for, gosh, almost eight years now).
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 7:53 AM on November 27, 2011

You're missing the forest for the trees on this one, IF. I've bought more music as a result of swapping mix discs with MeFites than likely any other person would have spent on tunes in the same amount of time. (I'm an anomaly as I've managed to be in a position to cheaply and legally acquire music nearly all my adult life.) I could probably point to several comments to that effect that have been posted to previous swap threads. These swaps aren't impinging on anyone, they're promoting the music and prompting people to seek out more.

I understand that it isn't just you missing that distinction and that technically the law may see it another way, but in the four or so years that I've been running this publicly on the Internet I have never once been contacted by authorities or artists. Nor has anyone else that I'm aware of. Has anyone?

If you love the music you hear swapping with MeFites, go out and support the artists you've been shown. I don't think I've ever said that explicitly before, and it's certainly not a requirement of participation, but it feels good to put it out there. It's just another positive end result of a process that already has so many.
posted by carsonb at 8:45 AM on November 27, 2011

Oh, I definitely agree with you, carsonb.

I'm extremely risk-averse when I don't feel that I fully understand the level of risk. I've never publicly shared music on the web before and it made me nervous.

What do you think about how a net music swap would work?

In my view, if a mix were technically publicly available but not publicly advertised (that is, the link doesn't appear in public), then I wouldn't worry about sharing a mix that way. (Well, assuming that the six people I was sharing it with could be trusted to not post the link to it somewhere or something.) I've done this with friends in the past. In fact, that's originally how the NKM mix came to exist was distributed to a few of my friends.

With me setting up this example, I was thinking in terms of how MeTa is indexed by Google (but MeFi profiles aren't; I think Matt set up the robots.txt that way) and that an unencrypted archive would also likely have its contents (eventually) indexed, as well. That's too public for my comfort.

But, yeah, as for how mixes work in the real world, they're like mixes have always been...they unambiguously encourage new music purchases as opposed to the opposite. On the other hand, it's not like the rightsholders are rational about this stuff.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 9:05 AM on November 27, 2011

What do you think about how a net music swap would work?

Cheap an easy. I prefer the tactile participation element of mailing people physical objects, so I haven't really thought much about how to do an online swap. Plenty of other people have though, and come up with stuff like mixparty and spotify. MeFi has already come up with a zillion ways to share music online (including a subsite), so a quick browse of the MeTa archives will probably do you right. But there's really just MeFiSwap for those who want to be a little old fashioned about it. Or who just like getting mail. It's a niche that doesn't really call for much expansion, but I'm ok with that.
posted by carsonb at 9:12 AM on November 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Ivan Fyodorovich: This is more info than is probably appropriate for this particular thread. But this doesn't seem to me—yet, anyway—to warrant its own MeTa thread.

mannequito: probably should be.

Seconded. Discussing how to create and maintain an entirely different project in a thread about this one dilutes them both. Start another MeTa thread about a possible digital swap, and take suggestions/discussions there.
posted by tzikeh at 6:26 PM on November 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

I'm in -- and the Feb. 4th deadline is close enough to March for my standards that I'm leaning towards something thematic.

(Not what you're thinking -- think more Pogues and Thin Lizzy than Chieftains and Bothy Band. And NONE of that damn "Celtic Woman" crap, don't worry.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:27 AM on November 28, 2011

EC, I like the cut of your jib.
posted by immlass at 9:50 AM on November 28, 2011

Mefi Swap inspired my plans for Christmas gifts for my friends. I'm going to give them the CD I made for the summer swap, plus one of the discs of the artists I used on the swap. It'll also feed my evil plans to promote Chicago musicians and get more of my friends to come to shows with me. Thanks carsonb and MeFi!
posted by garlic at 10:39 AM on November 28, 2011

Never done this before but I am SO IN

*puts on headphones*
*starts scrolling madly through iTunes tracklist*
*strokes beard ominously*

DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN
posted by Doleful Creature at 11:04 AM on November 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

gursky convinced me to participate at the recent vancouver meetup. so, blame her.
posted by beepbeepboopboop at 11:36 AM on November 28, 2011

AWESOME. I have been looking for an excuse to assemble all my bootleg Paul Weller holiday tracks ("We Three Mods," "We Wish You A Merry Vespa," etc.), and this is it! GET READY, MEFITES.
posted by scody at 7:52 PM on November 28, 2011

scody: my near-certainty that you're kidding does not diminish in any way my desire to hear a song called "We Wish You a Merry Vespa." Not one iota.
posted by .kobayashi. at 5:55 AM on November 29, 2011 [2 favorites]

What .kobayashi. said. Though maybe a tiny bit less so now that I've re-read it and realized you said PAUL Weller, not PETER Weller.
posted by rhiannonstone at 6:53 AM on November 29, 2011 [2 favorites]

Oh, man, I am IN. I haven't made a mix CD in about five years.
posted by gauche at 8:21 AM on November 29, 2011

bootleg Paul Weller holiday tracks

That should totally be the music.mefi challenge for December.
posted by jbickers at 2:19 PM on November 29, 2011

from your keyboard to god's mod's carson's ears.
posted by scody at 2:38 PM on November 29, 2011

er, that should have been cortex's ears. Even though I know he doesn't run the music challenge. Messed up my own damn joke. May the Modfather have mercy on my soul.
posted by scody at 2:41 PM on November 29, 2011

It's easy to confuse since my username adheres to the now-irrelevant CVCCVC convention. I'll pass on any wishes to the appropriate entity however, no forwarding charge necessary. ;)

We're up around 90 participants at this point, with quite some time left to sign up.

If you think you signed up but didn't get an email back from me saying 'You're signed up to swap!' then something is amiss and I'd ask you to get in touch with my email account so we can figure out how to proceed.

I just realized I forgot to change the banner in my profile. Oops!
posted by carsonb at 3:59 PM on November 29, 2011

hey carson, when's the deadline for joining this swap? I'm moving Monday so wanted to wait until I could submit my new address.
posted by mannequito at 12:30 PM on November 30, 2011

The last day to sign up for this swap is Saturday, December 10th. Good luck with your move, mannequito!
posted by carsonb at 12:48 PM on November 30, 2011

Carsonb: have you sent out the sign up emails yet? If you did I didn't get one.
posted by ShawnString at 1:35 PM on November 30, 2011

The only thing that would make this better is if I could record music directly from the radio and send out cassettes. Trust that I would if I had the equipment.
posted by Eumachia L F at 1:17 AM on December 1, 2011

Having never done this before, is there any etiquette I need to observe regarding song content? I.E. no explicit lyrics or anything like that?
posted by Doleful Creature at 8:33 PM on December 1, 2011

Doleful Creature, I usually try to remember to let my swapmates know if there's going to be any objectionable stuff included, and on which tracks, but often don't. Remember, that is.

There's no rules of conduct except to be awesome and to mail out your mixes.

For everyone who's emailed me today or yesterday and not heard back, I'll get back to you tomorrow. Today was craaaayzy.
posted by carsonb at 10:13 PM on December 1, 2011

I actually make SWATHS of mix CDs, and somehow never signed up for a MeFi swap! The temptation to send out something I've already crafted is heavy, but I shall not cheat myself. A new mix is afoot! For a theme, I think I'll go to dictionary.com and see what their word of the day is... hmm.. collop. Well, you suckers are in for a weird ride then, because this actually fits perfectly with my vast reservoirs of 'thinly-sliced-meat-hop-core'. Slim Slab and the Salty Rashers, here you go...
posted by FatherDagon at 9:47 AM on December 4, 2011

I've not even gotten the names of people who are in my swap yet and I'm already perfecting my mix (it's turning into a "virtual concert" version of an annual event a local musician holds here for St. Patrick's Day weekend, and is turning out to be HELLA fun). Hee!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:28 PM on December 4, 2011

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ::runs to make mix cd's and covers::

Huzzah and Hurrah. I am so in !
posted by Faintdreams at 9:03 AM on December 8, 2011

Another reminder, signups close tomorrow!

If you think you should be signed up but don't have in your email inbox a recent email from me saying "You're signed up to swap!" (one that has a mailing deadline in February 2012), make sure you email me soon so we can sort it out.

Sometime next week—I hesitate to specify as there's a lot of sorting out to be done—swapset assignments will be emailed out. After that you've got until February next year to get those mixes mailed out. You can mail out any time after swapsets are assigned, so if you wanna get it out of the way ASAP, that's totally fine, and if you'd rather wait until after holiday/new year madness hopefully there's time for that too. (Hence the low stress Extended Remix nature of this swap. ;) Careful though—that mailing date can sneak up on you.

Right now we've got about 120 participants! Huge!
posted by carsonb at 2:00 PM on December 9, 2011

If you're interested and still haven't signed up, I have room left for 2 or 3 more swappers. I'll update when all spots are filled.
posted by carsonb at 2:01 PM on December 10, 2011

3 spots filled! Sign-ups are closed!
posted by carsonb at 9:47 PM on December 10, 2011

I am totally making up the dreadful artwork for mine *right now*
posted by scruss at 7:43 PM on December 16, 2011

OK! Swapset assignment emails are sent! I'm almost 100% positive that there were no errors made by me in the process, so if something looks amiss blame someone else and the let me know so I can fix it.

Assignments were based on a randomish process, and I couldn't be arsed to cross check to see if anyone was in a swapset with someone they've already swapped with. (If anyone knows of a way to do this easily I'm all ears.) There should be six people in every swapset, six recipients of each swapset assignment email, and six addresses listed in each swapset assignment email. I sent the emails to the address you used to sign up. If you're in two groups, there shouldn't be any one else in both of your swapsets.

I'm sure I'll think of something else to add soon. Oh yeah! Here's the whole list of swapsets:

The Aliquot Sequences
The Avogadro Constant Approximations
The Chopin's Preludes
The Chromiums
The Dedekind Eta Functions
The Enharmonic Equivalents
The Golay Codes
The Harshad Numbers
The Highly Totients
The Kissing Number Problems
The Kobes
The Modular Discriminants
The Monstrous Moonshines
The Nonagonals
The Odd Primes
The Orders of the Garter
The Self-Dual Convex Regular 4-Polytopes
The Semi-Meandrics
The Semiperfects
The Steiner Systems
The Tirthankaras
The TrueColors
The Unimodular Lattices
The Whitey Herzogs
posted by carsonb at 11:58 AM on December 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

The Tirthankaras

Fitting, actually, for the theme I'm working on. Prepare for mutual enlightenment, fellow The Tirthankaras!
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:06 PM on December 17, 2011

Awesome! My secret quonsar recipient is also in my swapset ... so I have two (2!) chances to make a random stranger smile. I love you, MetaFilter.
posted by scblackman at 1:15 PM on December 17, 2011

There's so much awesome math in those swapset names... Look up monstrous moonshine if you've never heard of it before...
posted by kaibutsu at 4:57 PM on December 17, 2011

Also look up Kobe Bryant. KOBE!
posted by carsonb at 5:16 PM on December 17, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome... the Non-McNugget Numbers!!
posted by not_on_display at 5:25 PM on December 17, 2011

Uuurggh I missed the deadline! Next time.
posted by stompadour at 12:26 PM on December 20, 2011

the kissing number problems could NOT be more perfect! i kinda planned on a valentines day theme. weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee - this is gonna be fun!
posted by lapolla at 7:26 PM on December 22, 2011