About this template
The Cassette Tape template is a retro letter built like a cassette J-card: a tracklist sidebar holds your contact details, body in mono Space Mono with handwritten Sharpie titles, two-tone palette of magnetic-tape brown and label white. The mixtape nod is immediately readable without rendering the letter illegible — the grid stays strict under the retro decor.
Who is it for?
It suits candidates in indie music labels (Sub Pop, Matador, XL Recordings, Domino UK, Stones Throw, Ghostly International), vintage radio (NTS Radio London, KCRW LA, BBC 6 Music), audio engineering, retro game studios (Limited Run Games, iam8bit), lo-fi podcast networks (Maximum Fun, Radiotopia) and analog-synth communities. Sound designers, A&R, music journalists, mixtape DJs — anyone whose personal brand reads as '90s indie'. Not for orchestral classical music, finance or formal sectors.
How to use it
Use the tracklist sidebar for the contact block: name, email, phone, city, SoundCloud or Bandcamp if you have a public audio presence. The handwritten Sharpie titles work for paragraph subtitles ('Production', 'Mixing', 'Touring') and add character without breaking readability. For label applications, open on an artist signed or produced (no flattery, with a fact: 'Mastered the latest EP for X at Capsule Studios, released February 2026'). For game-audio sound designers, mention the tools (Wwise, FMOD, Reaper, Pro Tools) and the shipped titles. Export to PDF — magnetic-tape brown renders better on screen than in print. The 'indie music cover letter Sub Pop XL' niche search is small but highly targeted.
Frequently asked questions
Should I list my musical references in the pitch?
Yes for label and music-journalism applications — anchoring taste in two or three precise references ('Sublime Frequencies catalogue', 'Steve Albini school for live mixing', 'Daniel Lopatin approach to ambient sound design') signals genuine culture. Avoid overly general references ('I listen to rock'). For technical applications (sound engineer, game-audio sound designer), keep references to tools rather than artists.
Does the template work for a radio application?
Yes for indie and thematic radio (NTS, Rinse FM, KCRW, WFMU, BBC 6 Music). For NPR Classical or BBC Radio 3, the template looks too subcultural — prefer a more institutional template (ATS Garamond or Newspaper Column). For indie podcasts (Gimlet legacy, Radiotopia, Maximum Fun), Cassette Tape is perfect: the visual signals the audio culture you want to join.
Should I attach a Bandcamp or SoundCloud link?
Yes, always for musician, producer, sound-designer and audio-journalist profiles: the audio signature proves more than a thousand words. Put the link in the tracklist sidebar under the email-phone line, as a short URL. For A&Rs and label managers, attach instead a Spotify or Apple Music playlist of the managed catalogue. Avoid YouTube, which reads as mainstream for this template.
