Tips on Starting a Remix

Do you have trouble finding a starting point for a remix you want to make?

Is it hard for you to think of a melody or chord progression that will fit with the stems you have?

What If I told you that the easiest starting point has already been given to you through the stems you have already downloaded or received. Whether it be the melody or the vocal stems that you want to use, they will already have a song structure, time signature or BPM. You can use these to your advantage as you already have a base to start with. With some minor adjustments you will be able to tweak the parts of the song you like and use them to your advantage.

Creating a plan or mapping out in your head what you want your remix to sound like is crucial. This way you can refer back to your plan if you ever get stuck for inspiration. For example, I started a remix this week of the song Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division. This song has a BPM of 120, is in the key of E Minor and has a 4/4 time signature. I have chosen to use a BPM of 140, it will be in a B Minor key scale and has a 3/4 time signature. Very notable difference in song specifics, so I need to find a way to make it work to my advantage.

How did I do this?

I didn't take into consideration how the song had been previously composed, and by doing this I have allowed myself a fresh start on such a classic piece of work. Disregarding the tempo, key and BPM I am trying to create something that is new and different from what is already known. Doing this can allow more creative flow for a producer and it won't restrict you from what you can and can't create in your remix. As a starting point, I simply chose a small section of the vocals that I like, looped it, added time based FX and used a few production techniques to make those stems my own.

note the differences below.

Original -

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My Version -

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looking forward, I have a blank canvas with vocals that I have made to be my own, the world (or DAW) is now my oyster. Through the use of a Vocoder, Compressor, Reverb, Distortion, Warping and Subtractive EQ'ing I have generated a futuristic and robotic sound which I can now go forward with to shape my melodies and drums around. A Vocoder is useful in this situation to change the key of which the stems are already in (E Minor to B Minor key scale).

Now, from here spend some time on your melodies, chords and other FX you wish to use in your project. Try and keep some familiarity in your version whilst also bringing something new to the table, whether it be keeping prominent vocals or re-engineering a melody from the original track but with your own sound, whether it be synthesised or not. People want to hear what YOU can do to the song, so finding a balance between familiar sound and new sound will be a tricky step.

For the first part of my remix I have chosen to use the vocals as the recognisable point and for the second section I chose to use the melody for reference to the original all while keeping a fresh approach to it.

Section 1:

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Section 2:

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Sometimes things may not always work out and other times they will click instantly. The key to producing a good song is through research, time, creating a plan and trial and error. This article was not intended to tell you how to make a good remix every time, from start to finish, it is only my view on aiding how to get a start for producers who struggle to find inspiration. The truth is that not all songs should be remixed. I like to follow the idea of only making a remix if you believe you can open that song up to a new fan base or you are able to make it better then the original. If you want any help or have further questions on how to find inspiration for songs feel free to contact me through the contact tab on the home page.

References:

Key & BPM/Tempo of Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division | Note Discover. (2019). Notediscover.com. Retrieved 17 February 2019, from http://www.notediscover.com/song/joy-division-love-will-tear-us-apart

Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart, 1995 Remastered Version (Official Video). (2019). YouTube. Retrieved 17 February 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=674KGKRQBPE