Tape Notes · How to

How to make a mixtape: choosing, timing and recording a cassette

11 October 2026 · 6 min read

Making a mixtape takes an evening: pick and order the songs, time each side, set the recording level, then record in real time with a short gap between tracks. Finish it with a J-card so whoever gets it knows what they're listening to. Here's how to do each step properly, whether your music is on vinyl, CD or a laptop.

What you need

  • A deck that records. A second-hand hi-fi cassette deck is the best value and gives you level meters. Portable recorders and some new players record too; check before you buy.
  • A blank tape. Normal (Type I) tape plays properly on every machine, so it's the safe choice for a gift. A C-60 or C-90 is the usual length (see C-46, C-60 or C-90?).
  • A lead from your music to the deck. From a phone or laptop, a 3.5 mm jack to two RCA (phono) plugs into the deck's line input. From a turntable or CD player, use your amplifier's tape or record out.
  • The songs, and a pen. You'll want to write down running times as you go.

1. Choose and order the songs

A mixtape is listened to in order, start to finish, so the running order matters more than on a playlist.

  • Open strong. The first song sets the tone. Pick something that says what the tape is about.
  • Think about flow. Move between tempos and moods gradually. Two very different songs back to back can work, but do it on purpose.
  • End Side A well. The listener has to get up and turn the tape over, so give them a reason.
  • Reset on Side B. A fresh start, often with a change of pace.
  • Save a closer. The last song is the one they'll remember.

2. Time each side

Each side has its own limit: 30 minutes on a C-60, 45 on a C-90. Add up the running times for each side, allow two or three seconds for every gap, and leave about a minute spare. If a side is too long, swap a song for a shorter one rather than letting the last track get cut off. Try to keep the two sides roughly the same length, so nobody sits through ten minutes of hiss.

3. Set up the deck

  1. Wind past the leader. The first few seconds of a tape are clear plastic that can't record. Press play and wait about five seconds, then stop.
  2. Check the tape type. Most decks detect normal, chrome and metal tapes by the notches on the shell. Older ones have a switch; set it to match.
  3. Decide on Dolby. Dolby noise reduction cuts hiss, but only if the tape is played back with the same setting. If the tape is a gift and you don't know what they'll play it on, leave Dolby off. Whatever you choose, write it on the J-card. (Our Dolby guide explains B and C.)

4. Set the recording level

This makes the biggest difference to how the tape sounds. Play the loudest part of the loudest song (usually a chorus) and turn the record level up until the meters peak at about 0. For most of the song they should sit between about −5 and 0. Too low and you'll hear hiss when you turn it up; too high and the treble distorts, and turning the volume down later won't fix it.

Recording from a phone or computer? Set its volume high but not to the point of distortion, turn off crossfade and any EQ, and switch on volume levelling (normalisation) if your music app has it, so quiet and loud songs land at similar levels. Then leave the source volume alone for the whole tape.

5. Record

  1. Press record and pause together, so the deck is ready but the tape isn't moving.
  2. Start the song, then release pause straight away.
  3. At the end of the song, press pause. Leave two or three seconds of silence before the next one; that's the gap commercial duplicators use too.
  4. Keep an eye on the counter and your running times. If the last song on a side won't fit, record something shorter instead.
  5. When Side A is done, turn the tape over and record Side B the same way.

Tip: listen to the first minute of each side when you're done. If it sounds dull or hissy, the level was too low or the Dolby or tape setting is wrong, and it's quicker to find out now.

6. Finish it

  • Protect it. Break out the small plastic tabs on the back edge of the cassette so nobody records over it by mistake. A piece of tape over the holes lets you record again later.
  • Label the shell. At least the title and which side is which.
  • Make the J-card. Title on the spine so it can be found on a shelf, the tracklist on the flap, and a dedication or liner notes on the inside panel if there's something to say.

A note on copyright

In the UK there's no general exception that lets you copy music you own, even for yourself: one was introduced in 2014 and quashed by the High Court in 2015. Streaming services' terms also forbid recording what they play. Mixtapes have always lived in that grey area, but don't sell or hand out copies of other people's music. If you're putting out your own songs, our guide for bands and labels covers releasing them properly.

Make the J-card

On jcard.studio, paste your tracklist and the designer splits it into Side A and Side B. Biro Mixtape looks like the handwritten insert on a real home-made tape. Switch on the inside panel for a dedication at the top and notes underneath, then print at 100% and fold it into the case.

Making a tape? Design a J-card that fits the case.

Try Biro Mixtape →

Sources

More Tape Notes