THE ART OF REMIXING

Deconstruct the tricks of the trade, and piece together the top genres for yourself,

Where there’s music, there’s interpretation. Ever heard a wiseguy art theorist gloating that “All of human creativity is simply recombining old ideas”? Well in many many ways it’s true – music is formed from the same 12 notes; combined, pulled apart and recombined into a handful of basic chords that crop up in almost every tune you hear, from Bach to Bieber and far, far beyond.

But it’s not just the notes. Rhythms, phrases, techniques and – thanks to technology – recordings themselves, can all be recycled and combined into new forms. With all these tools at our disposal, there’s a whole lot more to be interpreted, re-interpreted, and re-re-interpreted, time and time again. Every big release these days is almost inevitably joined by a crop of remixes to go with it – variations on a theme, different perspectives on the original idea. Remixing has become a vital part of the modern musical landscape, and there are opportunities for producers looking to make their mark.

So what makes a good remix? We reckon there are three factors. First of all, it’s got to contain just enough of the original song to be recognisable as a version of it – not a completely different track that happens to sample another song. Yet at the same time, a remix has to change the original enough for it to be… well, different. And if you can balance these two factors, there’s one more to satisfy: your remix has to stand on its own as a great track, just like any other great track does.

Think you’re up for it? In this huge feature, we’re going to arm you with the techniques, ideas, inspiration and knowledge you need to make great remixes, whether you’re bootlegging in the basement, or getting commissioned by a label. We’ve got videos and tutorial files on FileSilo to help you out, so prepare to step up and express yourself…