Remixing in logic.

[Electro_Jason]

Yeah so I've heard this really good track that I want to remix but I don't know where to start

 

I've heard that you have to ask the producer for a copy of it but that's only if you're going to make a profit out of it, which I wont. So what file would I need to get and how?

 

Also would I have separate tracks of the sounds with all the plug-ins that have been put on it? Or would it already be bounced?

 

Thanks in advance .

[Electro_Jason]

Okay more info.

 

Simply put these are the things I would like to know.

 

1.What type of file would I need to get to remix.

 

2.How would the layout be structured.

 

And that's really it

[fisherking]

you're asking the (pretty-much impossible), and there's info missing from your post.

 

do you want to REMIX all the original parts? drums, instruments?

or do you want to do a REMIX based around the vocals ONLY?

 

either way, you need the source materials.

you can try things like severe EQ....rolling off the bass, turning up the midrange where the vocal is...

 

 

but realistically....do something of your own. OR...find a cappella vocals on soundcloud, or youtube...for another song, that OFFERS vocals only.

 

and google all of this; google is your friend...

 

good luck dude

[rainstick]

you need to give a link to the track or something or it's a bit of a goose chase...

[tristancalvaire]

Depends on what you wish to do.

 

Take for example, near all of Daft Punk's Discovery. Near every song on there is built off a sample of another song, chopped and spliced up, pitched and looped. And they did it from small snippets of complete, commercial vinyl recordings of the songs. However, most wouldn't really call this remixing so much as taking a song snippet and creating something new from it.

 

Then, take a look at songs like

, Flo Rida's

, Pretty Light's

, and Doi-Oing's

– all of these sample Etta James'

 

Still, most wouldn't call these remixes. Why not? Well, it's all about the intent of the new track. Are any of these new tracks intending to be a re-rendition of "Something's Got a Hold on Me"? Not particularly. They do, however, use one technique of remixing- that of the bootleg remix. A 'bootleg' remix is what all the examples above have done- they take a recording directly from the original track, and create the new song from it. This differs from a more 'professional' remix where the remix artist is given 'stems', or original audio samples, for each individual track in a song.

 

Let's take a look at a more 'professional' remix. Take Skrillex's

This remix was made using stems from Avicii's Levels. Now, why is it important that it was direct stems rather than sampled directly from the actual track? Well, once audio is bounced down and exported to one file, it can be difficult to extract an individual part from a completed work. By getting the individual stems, the remix artist is able to do exactly what he wishes with every part of the audio he wishes to– he doesn't have to spend excess time filtering and EQing a piece of audio to perfectly extract what he wants to use.

 

Let's move on to your remix. What's your goal with it? Are you aiming to create a new take on a song, to create new music around the vocals, or to create an entirely new track from snippets of the song? Can you find stems (again, that's individual audio tracks of the song) for the tune? If it's a professional song, it's unlikely you'll be able to gain access to the stems without being a prolific, well-known artist. If you still wish to continue with your remix, you'll have to bootleg– cut the song into audio parts you want to use, then spend hours filtering and EQing until you've isolated the part you want. It can become very messy if you don't know what you're doing, but the extra frequencies in a bootlegged remix can add some charm.

 

It's also important to differentiate between a cover and remix– a cover is generally a re-rendition of a song via the artists' own instruments, vocals, samples etc– whereas a remix usually draws from actual audio recordings of the original song. A cover can be easier in that you won't have to worry about retrieving stems or extracting parts from a song, but it's unlikely that you can exactly emulate the original's timbre (especially that of a singer- even singers can't perfectly emulate themselves!)

 

Finally, there's the aspect of legality. The legal line for this is very, very blurry; The AHRA worked in the bootleg remixers' favor, but the DMCA brought it back to the 'mans' side. SMG/UMG/WBMG, the RIAA and the rest of their henchmen would prefer you jailed for even attempting a bootleg remix, but they'll only sue you if you get fairly popular or they feel they can sue you for millions as a threat to scare the masses. The golden rule, though, for staying out of most legal trouble is this: Don't try to make any money off it until you've sealed a rights deal. Regarding covers, I believe you can legally do one after a year so long as you make no money and keep the lyrics true to the original– otherwise, it must fall within the realms of satire and parody.

 

Best of luck!

[Electro_Jason]

you're asking the (pretty-much impossible), and there's info missing from your post.

 

do you want to REMIX all the original parts? drums, instruments?

or do you want to do a REMIX based around the vocals ONLY?

 

either way, you need the source materials.

you can try things like severe EQ....rolling off the bass, turning up the midrange where the vocal is...

 

 

but realistically....do something of your own. OR...find a cappella vocals on soundcloud, or youtube...for another song, that OFFERS vocals only.

 

and google all of this; google is your friend...

 

good luck dude

 

Right okay. I will be changing quite a lot of the song, this includes drums-for the intro-, and basically everything for the drop. I would only keep the chords the same. The vocals would also stay the same.

 

And I doubt I would find some vocals. This guys averagely big but not big enough to be widely noticed.

 

you need to give a link to the track or something or it's a bit of a goose chase...

[soundCloud]

[/soundCloud]

 

(I have no idea why this link isn't working )

 

Still, most wouldn't call these remixes. Why not? Well, it's all about the intent of the new track. Are any of these new tracks intending to be a re-rendition of "Something's Got a Hold on Me"? Not particularly. They do, however, use one technique of remixing- that of the bootleg remix. A 'bootleg' remix is what all the examples above have done- they take a recording directly from the original track, and create the new song from it. This differs from a more 'professional' remix where the remix artist is given 'stems', or original audio samples, for each individual track in a song.

 

Hey Tristan ^_^

 

Okay, so when you say "take a recording" does this mean just playing the original and then recording it? I'm not sure if I've got the complete wrong end of the stick here.

Let's take a look at a more 'professional' remix. Take Skrillex's

This remix was made using stems from Avicii's Levels. Now, why is it important that it was direct stems rather than sampled directly from the actual track? Well, once audio is bounced down and exported to one file, it can be difficult to extract an individual part from a completed work. By getting the individual stems, the remix artist is able to do exactly what he wishes with every part of the audio he wishes to– he doesn't have to spend excess time filtering and EQing a piece of audio to perfectly extract what he wants to use.

 

So really this method is a lot more simpler? As you have the plain stems there?

 

This sounds a lot more bearable with than EQing and morphing it all over the place.

 

Let's move on to your remix. What's your goal with it? Are you aiming to create a new take on a song, to create new music around the vocals, or to create an entirely new track from snippets of the song? Can you find stems (again, that's individual audio tracks of the song) for the tune? If it's a professional song, it's unlikely you'll be able to gain access to the stems without being a prolific, well-known artist. If you still wish to continue with your remix, you'll have to bootleg– cut the song into audio parts you want to use, then spend hours filtering and EQing until you've isolated the part you want. It can become very messy if you don't know what you're doing, but the extra frequencies in a bootlegged remix can add some charm.

 

Yes, as I put above I want to slightly change the intro then completely change the drop. This would mean completely eradicating his synths and bass. However the sing would be kept the same just moved.

 

It's also important to differentiate between a cover and remix– a cover is generally a re-rendition of a song via the artists' own instruments, vocals, samples etc– whereas a remix usually draws from actual audio recordings of the original song. A cover can be easier in that you won't have to worry about retrieving stems or extracting parts from a song, but it's unlikely that you can exactly emulate the original's timbre (especially that of a singer- even singers can't perfectly emulate themselves!)

 

Aha that is true. This is most certainly a remix though. I dread to think of all the files I would have to gather for this songs though.

Finally, there's the aspect of legality. The legal line for this is very, very blurry; The AHRA worked in the bootleg remixers' favor, but the DMCA brought it back to the 'mans' side. SMG/UMG/WBMG, the RIAA and the rest of their henchmen would prefer you jailed for even attempting a bootleg remix, but they'll only sue you if you get fairly popular or they feel they can sue you for millions as a threat to scare the masses. The golden rule, though, for staying out of most legal trouble is this: Don't try to make any money off it until you've sealed a rights deal. Regarding covers, I believe you can legally do one after a year so long as you make no money and keep the lyrics true to the original– otherwise, it must fall within the realms of satire and parody.

 

Best of luck!

 

Great, well at least we have one group of people out there trying to help.

 

And no I won't be making or trying to make any sort of money off this. Not unless the remix happens to be a massive breakthrough for a music genre. But I seriously doubt that.

 

I've been thinking though, since this guys not massive, do you think he would give me an original copy of the project? This may be a bit farfetched but you never know I guess .

[rainstick]

well he's more than likely sampled that vocal from somewhere... go digging and you won't need any more permissions than he got. sample the same track, replay the chords then do whatever else you like. I doubt he'll give you the stems, that's not something i would generally give out... maybe he will though, who knows.

[Electro_Jason]

Well he is called "sample Jack" hahaha..uh

 

Anyway what do you mean when you say sample?

 

As a hope shot I will just ask him, if he says no then it's no loss really.

[rainstick]

 

 

etc etc

[Electro_Jason]

Great, Thanks

[rhys]

Why don't you try some beatport comps, this will show you exactly the kind of thing you would get for an official remix, You mostly end up with just 2-3 stems, maybe a lead synth, the main sample and if your lucky some backing instruments. They will come as 24bit audio, you will never get the project file.

 

Infact you may get more stems from a competition than you would in real life for an official remix. Thats it, its usually up to you to create the rest. Usually the bigger the artist the less you get lol.

 

You also mentioned asking this person for the stems, chances are they will ignore you but that doesn't mean don't ask as I sent a question to an artist last week via a Facebook fan page and got an answer today. It was a pretty in depth answer too (about 4 paragraphs) and it was a question I sent thinking it would never get answered due to their popularity, so give it a go.

[Electro_Jason]

That sounds cool, do you have a good site that I could use for it?

 

And yeah that's it, because I suppose remixing gives them more popularity.

 

And that's cool, I will ask him as nicely as possible.

[rhys]

That sounds cool, do you have a good site that I could use for it?

 

And yeah that's it, because I suppose remixing gives them more popularity.

 

And that's cool, I will ask him as nicely as possible.

Yeah beatport.com but you can try remixcomps.com too.

[Electro_Jason]

Okay, thanks will check them out.

 

I also sent a message to him 2 days ago and he hasn't replied..I guess this means no

[Electro_Jason]

Okay, after quite a bit of digging (like rainstick said) I think I finally managed to find the original song. I think it's Hall & Oates - Everything your heart desires.

 

They seem to of just grabbed a bit of the lyrics and used it. Which makes it quite difficult for me, but ah well. So would it be possible to just get the lyrics for this?

 

Also since that Sample jack did not give me the stems, this mean sorting it out just to keep the things I want. Is this a long process with all the EQing and everything?

[rainstick]

they might have found an acapella somewhere... or just mixed it in nicely.

[rainstick]

nice one for digging though

[Electro_Jason]

Haha thanks. I've decide to leave that now tbh. I've entered a remix competition and have got the stems so it's a lot more simple, and enjoyable

[digitalninja]

this is a good way to get better at remixing. Subscribe to some websites that post new remix contests and download them.