Monday

Nifty Gifts III

Looking for a personalized gift that you can make for cheap (and at the last minute...)? Individualized CDs and/or mp3 compilations are unique, expressive and perfectly legal if you only make one copy.

You will need a few things to make a CD: Digitized music (like, duh), a CD burner, blank CDs, jewel cases, inserts, labels, a color printer, and a CD Stomper (or the equivalent). Making mp3s is even easier, but since there are a lot of ways to make a play them, I'll concentrate on making the CDs and the mp3ers in the crowd only need to read the section on music. I'm not going to talk much about the software or hardware; ask a teenager for help.

Finding the music to give as a gift is easy, but finding the right music is trickier. You can, of course, simply buy a CD. To make a special CD for a special person, you have to do some planning. What kind of music do they like? What kind of message do you want to send? Grandparents can cobble together music they listened to as a kid, to pass it down to the grandkids. Kids can make CDs of their favorite songs for their 'rents, and if they do it right they a) show them it's more than just noise, b) have something to talk about and c) have something you can all listen to in the car. Married couples can share the songs they fell in love with. Put all the football songs on one disk and give it to the guys you hang out with on Sunday. Put all the cooking and food songs on a disk to play in the kitchen. Take their favorite-song-on-the-car-radio songs and give it to the person who drives you to school/work/soccer practice. Or simply put all your favorite songs together to share your taste with a friend.

If you have the songs you want on CDs (or as mp3s), making the compilation is trivially easy, especially if you have a Mac. I won't go into the specifics of the software, but the iTunes that comes with the Mac is pretty good, and the PC has a bunch of software you can get (and probably have). Unless you're want to do some editing (remove the spoken intro, make a change the volume level, etc) you don't need an full editing program (which are more expensive), just the basic CD burning software. Some, like Toast, come with a whole package including labels and a applicator. Pretty much, what you do is open the program, drag the songs you want into the proper field, arrange them as you please, and burn the CD. It's easier if you transfer the songs to your hard drive (so you don't have to keep changing CDs). Most programs will convert mp3s as well as burn CD .aiff files. Most of these also come with software that let you make inserts and labels, but I never use it (more on this later).

Okay, now the fun part: Hard-to-find music. There are essentially two types: Already digitized (such as wavs) and music still in its analog state (such as records or tape). If you can find music through some of the exchange sites, probably in mp3 format, fine. Napster was great for finding really odd stuff, but many of the current sites skirt legality, so I won't recommend them, but some are legal, like Rhapsody, though they charge for the service. On the other hand, there is a LOT of music on the net that is impossible to find on a published CD. Do you know the name of a specific song? Type it in Google (in quotes); if you know the artist, even better. If you're trying to find tv theme songs, explore sites like TV Party or look for specific shows like Astroboy. Often, newer (or struggling) artists have samples of their CDs on their web sites; if you liked someone in concert and don't have their CD, see what they have up as promo.

Meanwhile, one of the things I like to do is haunt the used bins. Find a good used CD store in your area and spend some time flipping through the selections. Remember, you're not really looking for a CD, you're looking for one song to add to a mix. More than one song is gravy. Compilation CDs are great for this. There are a lot of in-store promotion CDs that are given out by the record companies that you can't buy new (I've tried) and often have a little sticker that says For Promotional Use Only. I bet the holidays are a good time to visit a used CD place, as people sell older music to pay for gifts, or clear out room for expected new CDs. Some of my favorite songs have come from buying on spec. You can also pay attention at yard sales, or if a radio station is having a Record Sale. Or you can simply borrow a CD from a friend. Lots of ways to expand your horizons, song by song.

Do you have a favorite album on vinyl that isn't out on CD? Do you have a cassette of your child singing that you want to give to them now that their kid is that age? Again, this is pretty easy if you have the proper software, and you might. Plenty of sound recording software is out there, such as QuickTime or WinAmp; the simple versions are probably already on your computer. You hook your stereo up to the computer (via the 1/8" sound input plug; you may need an adapter), set up the software to record from the sound input, and drop the needle. If you want to do more (edit the length, boost the bass, remove static) you'll need a more sophisticated program. Frankly, for larger jobs and if you're not an audio computer geek, just look in the Yellow Pages and find someone nearby that will do it for money.

Okay, so you've got a bunch of songs. Now, you need to burn them on a CD. For this, you'll need a CD burner and some blank CDs. Most new computers come with a burner included, notably the iMac. If not, you'll have to get an external burner (or borrow one). I'll leave that specific to you. Most CDs these days are 80 minutes. You don't have to use all that time (and most software will let you add songs in more than one sitting, until you're ready to finish), but I like to fill them up as much as possible. There is a big debate among geeks as to where to get blank CDs. Frankly, this is no longer an issue for me; it used to be true that the best prices on bulk CDs were in computer stores, not CD stores, and that they were of better quality. Now, the CD stores have figured out that people burn CDs all the time and the prices have gone waaaay down and the quality has gone up. Indeed, I would say that the overall quality of blank CDs is better at a retail outlet than buying in bulk from a computer store: Geeks are used to a bad burn or two, but your average yuppie will go back to the store and complain bitterly at the least provocation. On the other hand, there are only three or four places in the world that make the actual CDs (there may be more now), and buying a brand name, while still recommended, isn't quite the guarantee of quality it used to be. Keep your receipt in case you have to bring them back.

The disk is only part of the package. To make the present really special, add your own personal touch. You'll need a case for the disk, a label and an insert to go into the case... and a way to apply the label. Now, a lot of the CDs you get at retail outlets come in nifty colors and you can buy CDs in the cases. If you're lazy, you can simply burn a CD, use a permanent marker to write "Merry Christmas Bobbi", slip it into thin case, wrap it up and put it in a stocking. Sure, whatever. I like to make it look presentable, and maybe even professional. The thin cases are pretty good, and make a nice, small package, but you can only make an insert for one side. They also make jewel cases that hold two (or sometimes 4) CDs. Your choice.

One of the other advantages of simply going into a retail store to get disks is that they have the jewel cases and inserts and labels right there. Yes, they will be more expensive, but not by that much. If you want to go to a computer store and wander around a bit, you'll probably do better (especially if you need more than ten or so).

All of the ancillary material is sold by the company that makes the CD Stomper, but almost anyplace will have a lot of it, including the stomper. To generate your own, you can use the software that comes with the burner, but I generally use Quark (almost anything will work, including Word, but layout programs are easiest). I've made a template for the most common labels and inserts; that requires a bit of trial and effort: Print a copy out and hold the paper to the perforated insert template, just to check.

Printing professional quality labels is easy, especially with a color printer. Name the CD, add a picture or any other information you want, choosing readable fonts and bold but readable colors. Same with the front Again, a test printing on plain paper as a test is recommended. For smaller kids, a picture of them on the label (and/or the insert) is fun. If you're making more than one CD for a family or individual, pick different colors for each CD, but keep the same basic formatting. When you use the stomper to press the label on the CD, you don't need a lot of pressure, but make sure the label is on evenly. If you have a really nice picture, consider using the glossy label paper.

Now you have a bit of a choice, which boils down to how much work you want to put into your present. I'm a stickler for annotation, and always include a song list with artist and times. Sometimes, you can cut and paste from the list you generated to burn the CD, though you'll need to tweak it. If not, you'll have to type it all in. If you're using a slim case, where you only have the space to put an insert in the front, you can print both sides, or simply just print the front with the name of the disk and the songs. My standard practice is to put the name of the CD and the songs on the front, and a personal greeting and e-mail address on the inside. For standard jewel cases (or doubles), you have to print a back insert (remember to place the name of the CD vertically on the left and right spines), pop up the plastic CD holder (a small screwdriver works great) and carefully put the insert in before putting the holder back in. This is where the pre-perforated inserts prove their worth: The come with to the exact size, with the outer and inner spines folded just right.

Generic hints: a) Make a bunch of them at once. Even with different songs, just keep the programs open and they'll get easier to use with practice, especially the labels. b) Be personal and whimsical with CD titles and pictures, but don't go for the cheap laugh that won't be funny the fifth time around. c) Pay a bit of attention to song order. Have a good first song and end strongly. d) Unless it's for a special purpose, pick songs you like to listen to (or at least songs you can stand listening to while watching a face light up). Chances are good that the person opening the present will insist on playing it right away, with you around. e) Feel free to personalize the gift even further by putting something extra in twith the CD. For example, slip some cash into the Big Band disk you're giving your college student child. Or an envelope addressed to you, with a stamp. Or a picture. Be creative; peanut butter is right out.

And there you have it. You've spent a lot of time but very little money to make a gift that will be treasured long after the Game Boy is obsolete. Better than a Christmas card.

Last Night

Bill Clinton In Rotterdam

Masterpiece Theater

Al Gore

'About Schmidt'

Elton John

Donald Saunders

Chicago

'Lennon-McCartney'

Gordon Lightfoot

'Profiles From the Frontline'

Jon Bon Jovi

'80s Pop Culture

Chiune 'Sempo' Sugihara

Tommy Lee

Carlene Carter

Scott Stapp

Melissa Alexander

Kalluk