ABSTRACT

Be True To Yourself 4HEGENRES YOUCHOOSE TOWORK INWILL LARGELYBEDICTATEDBYYOURPERSONAL TASTESANDPREFERENCES-ANYPRODUCERSAND REMIXERSWORKEXCLUSIVELY INONE GENRE&OREXAMPLETHEYWOULDCONSIDERTHEMSELVESAhHOUSEvORhTRANCEvPRO DUCER4HISNORMALLYISNTACONSCIOUSDECISIONASMUCHASANATURALGRAVITATION TOWARD THEKINDOFMUSIC YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO ANDMOST LIKELYMAKE 4HERE ARE OF COURSE MANY OTHER PRODUCERS WHO WORK IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT GENRES AND SOMETIMES THEY DO THIS UNDER DIFFERENT ACT NAMES OR WITH PSEUDONYMS PURELYTOAVOIDBRANDCONFUSION4HISMAKESALOTOFSENSEBECAUSEULTIMATELY THE HOPE IS THAT YOUR hNAMEv AS A REMIXER WILL BECOME RECOGNIZABLE AND IN DEMAND )FYOUBECAMEKNOWNFORMAKINGTRANCEREMIXESANDTHENALLOF ASUDDENYOUSTARTPUTTINGOUTHOUSEREMIXESUNDERTHESAMENAMEITCOULD

CAUSECONFUSIONANDULTIMATELYCOSTYOUWORK4HATISNTTOSAYTHATITSIMPOS SIBLE TO MOVE BETWEEN GENRES UNDER ONE PSEUDONYM BUT IT IS MUCH MORE LIKELYTOWORKIFITISAGRADUALEVOLUTIONRATHERTHANASUDDENCHANGE

4AKINGTHATINTOACCOUNTITISCLEARTHATTHISWIDERGENREYOUWORKWITHINATLEAST UNDERONEPSEUDONYMORACTNAME ISPRETTYIMPORTANTANDITHASTOBESOME THINGYOUFEELCOMFORTABLEWORKINGIN2EMIXINGISOFTENABOUTWORKINGTOTIGHT DEADLINESSOYOUWOULDNTWANTTOTRYSOMETHINGNEWWHENYOUAREUNDERPRES SURETOGETAREMIXDONE%XPERIMENTINGINOTHERGENRESISBESTDONEUNDERANEW ARTISTNAMEWITHINWHICHYOUCANBUILDUPYOURCONlDENCEANDTHENLOOKFOR WORK4HEOBVIOUSDOWNSIDE TO THIS IS THATWHATEVERPROlLEYOUHAVEBUILTUP UNDERYOURORIGINALARTISTNAMEWILLBELOSTWHENYOUSTARTUSINGAPSEUDONYM WITHINANEWSUBGENRETHATINCLUDESANYBRANDRECOGNITIONYOUHADTHISCOULD MAKEYOULESSSELLABLEORVALUABLETOTHERECORDLABELCOMMISSIONINGTHEREMIX 4HATSAID THEDANCEMUSIC INDUSTRYDOESALLOWAHUGEAMOUNTOFmEXIBILITY TO THOSEWORKINGWITHINITBECAUSEOFTHEPOSSIBILITYOFWORKINGONMULTIPLEPROJ ECTSUNDERMULTIPLENAMESANDINMULTIPLEGENRES)FYOUHAVETHEABILITYAND THEDESIRETHISCANBEAGREATWAYOFWORKINGBECAUSEITGIVESYOUCREATIVEOUTLETS FORPRETTYMUCHWHATEVERDIRECTIONYOUWANTTOGOINCREATIVELYWHILEALLOWING YOUTOFOCUSEACHINDIVIDUALhBRANDvTOITSOWNMARKET

But Don’t Limit Yourself 4HESECONDCONCERNABOUTYOURCHOICEOF STYLE INVOLVESEMBRACINGmEXIBILITY !SMENTIONEDPREVIOUSLYAGENRESUCHASHOUSEHASWIDEVARIETYOFSUBGENRES ANDWHILEYOURPRODUCTIONREMIXINGBRANDMAYBEIDENTIlEDASHOUSEORPER HAPSEVENMORENARROWEDDOWNTOSOMETHINGLIKETECHHOUSE BECAUSEOFTHE LARGENUMBEROFVARIATIONSOFSTYLEITISLIKELYTHATYOURREMIXESWILLATTIMES CROSSSOMEOFTHEBOUNDARIESBETWEENTHESUBGENRES9OUWILLMOSTLIKELYGET AWAYWITHTHISWITHOUTSURPRISINGANYBODY3OBEINGCONSISTENTINYOURSTYLEIS GOODBUTDONTFEELYOUSHOULDBEtooCONSISTENT4HEREISADEGREEOFmEXIBILITY OPENTOYOUWHENCHOOSINGHOWYOUWANT TOAPPROACHEACHREMIXANDYOU WOULDBEWELL ADVISEDTOTAKEADVANTAGEOFTHIS

!LL OF THE GREATEST REMIXES HAVE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT MAKE THEM GREAT 4HERES THE TECHNICAL QUALITY OF THE REMIX ITSELF EG %1 LEVELS CHOICE OF SOUNDSMIXDOWN THEORIGINALITY AND CREATIVITY ANDlNALLY THERES A CERTAIN hSYMPATHETICvQUALITYTOTHEREMIXORTHECHOICESTHATWEREMADEANDHOWWELL THEYSITWITHTHETRACKITSELF0ERHAPSITWASTHELYRICSOFTHETRACKTHATINSPIRED THEREMIXERPERHAPSITWASTHEMELODIESORPERHAPSITWASTHESINGERSTONEOF VOICEBUT THERE IS ALWAYS THE IMPRESSION THAT THESE REMIXES hGELvBETTER THAN OTHERSBECAUSETHEYfeelLIKETHEYARERIGHT!SAREMIXERITISCOMPARATIVELYEASY TO COME UPWITH CHORDS SOUNDS GROOVES ANDMELODIES THAT do lTWITH THE VOCALSBUTTHATDOESNTMEANTHEYARENECESSARILYTHEBESTCHORDSORSOUNDSOR GROOVESTHATYOUCOULDlNDTOGOWITHTHETRACK

3OBEFOREWEHAVEEVENREALLYGOTTENSTARTEDWECOMEACROSSTHElRSTOFMANY SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE A JUDGMENT CALL BASED ON THE INTERESTS

ANDEXPECTATIONSOFOTHERS9OUHAVEYOUROWNGENREANDYOUROWNhSOUNDv THAT THE REMIXWILL lTWITH BUT THEREWILL ALSO BE THE REQUESTS OF THE RECORD LABELANDSOMETIMESTHEARTIST)FYOUWORKINAPARTICULARGENREYOUMIGHTBE ASKEDTOREMIXATRACKINYOURSTYLEANDYOUMAYFEELTHATTHETRACKJUSTWONT WORKWITH YOUR hSOUNDv )F THAT HAPPENS YOUHAVE TOMAKE A DIFlCULT DECI SION BETWEEN COMPROMISING WHAT YOU NORMALLY DO AND DOING SOMETHING THATDOESNTREALLYWORK)HAVEHEARDMANYREMIXESTHATHAVEOBVIOUSLYBEEN DONESIMPLYTOAPPEALTOTHELATESTMARKETTASTEMOSTSOUNDDREADFULUSUALLY BECAUSETHEVOCALLYRICSMELODYVOICETONE JUSTDOESNTSEEMTOlTWITHINTHE GENREOFTHEREMIX

3OMETIMESYOUHAVETOEMBARKONAPROJECTBEFOREYOUREALIZEITSWORKINGOUT OKAY FOR YOU 4HEREHAVEBEEN TIMES ) HAVE STARTEDON A REMIX FEELING THAT ) WOULDNT BE ABLE TO GET THE VOCALS TO SIT COMFORTABLYONLY TOHAVE AmASHOF INSPIRATIONHALFWAYTHROUGHTHEMIXANDIT TURNOUTTOBEONEOFMYFAVORITE REMIXES"UT THEREMAYBE TIMESWHENYOU FEEL THATYOUWOULDNTDOAGOOD JOBONTHEREMIXANDASHARDASITMIGHTBEYOUHAVETOBEABLETORECOGNIZE WHENTHATISTRUEANDNOTBEAFRAIDTOTURNWORKDOWN)TMIGHTSEEMCOUNTER INTUITIVEGIVENTHATSOMUCHOFTHISINDUSTRYISABOUTRAISINGPROlLEANDAWARE NESS BUT SOMETIMES TURNING WORK DOWN IS BENElCIAL .OT ONLY BECAUSE A hBADvREMIXWILLDAMAGEYOURPROlLEANDREPUTATIONBUTALSOBECAUSEITGIVES THEIMPRESSIONTHATYOUAREPROFESSIONALANDCAREABOUTWHATYOUDO4HEREIS ALSOSOMETRUTHTOTHEIDEATHATTHELESShAVAILABLEvYOUARETHEMORETOSOME EXTENT PEOPLEWILLWANTYOU$*ANDPRODUCER%RIC0RYDZSUFFEREDFROMAFEAR OFmYINGFORMANYYEARSTHATPREVENTEDHIMTOURINGOUTSIDEOF%UROPEBUTTHE MOREHETURNEDDOWNGIGSTHEMOREPEOPLEWEREDESPERATETOBOOKHIM4HE MONEYHEWASOFFEREDTOTRAVELTHENWENTUPANDUP/FCOURSEAFEAROFmYING ISVERYDIFFERENTFROMTURNINGDOWNWORKBYCHOICEBUTTHISEXAMPLEJUSTILLUS TRATESHOWTHINGScanWORKINTHEOPPOSITEWAYTOWHATYOUMIGHTEXPECT

4HE&REEMASONSHAVEHADAMASSIVELYSUCCESSFULREMIXINGCAREERANDTHEYTURN DOWNFARMOREWORKTHANTHEYTAKEON4HEREAREMANYREASONSFORTHISBUTTHE FACTTHATTHEYTYPICALLYDOLESSTHANTENREMIXESPERYEARGIVESTHEIRWORKACERTAIN hEXCLUSIVITYv IT SIMPLYWOULDNT HAVE IF THEY DID EVERYTHING THEYWERE OFFERED 4HEREAREALWAYSALTERNATIVEAPPROACHESANDSOMEPEOPLEAREVERYSUCCESSFULBY DOINGTHEEXACTOPPOSITEANDBYWORKINGONASMUCHASTHEYCANTORAISEAWARE NESSOFTHEIRWORKBYTHESHEERVOLUMEOFIT"OTHAPPROACHESCANBESUCCESSFUL ANDITISCERTAINLYWORTHCONSIDERINGWHICHYOUFEELMORECOMFORTABLEADOPTING

!S YOU CAN SEE THERE AREMANY FACTORS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE DECIDING HOWTOAPPROACHAREMIXINTHEBROADESTSENSE-ANYEARLYREMIXESWEREVERY SIMILARINSTYLETOTHETRACKSTHEYORIGINATEDFROMBUTITDIDNTTAKELONGBEFORE PEOPLEBECAMEMOREADVENTUROUSANDSTARTEDTAKINGTHINGSMUCHMOREOUTOF CONTEXT(OWFARyouAREPREPAREDTOTAKETHINGSREALLYDEPENDSONYOURCON lDENCE AND YOUR CREATIVITY AND ITWILL VARY FROM TRACK TO TRACK AND REMIX TO REMIX "UT THERE ARE USUALLY COMMON FACTORS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT 4HE LYRI CALCONTENTOF THE TRACKBEINGREMIXEDISOBVIOUSLYAbig FACTORBECAUSE IF THE

ORIGINALVOCALISVERYPOSITIVEANDUPLIFTINGTHENITMOSTLIKELYWONTFEELRIGHT IN THE CONTEXTOF AMUSICALLY AND SONICALLY hDARKv REMIX )TdoesHAPPENAND PEOPLEcanGETAWAYWITHITBUTTOMETHATISTHEEXCEPTIONMORETHANTHERULE 4HEOPPOSITEALSOAPPLIESOFCOURSEIFTHEORIGINALTRACKHASAVERYSOMBERAND hDOWNvVOCALITJUSTWONTFEELRIGHTINAHAPPYBOUNCYhUPvREMIX

9OU ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THEMELODIC STRUCTURE OF THE TRACK )F THE ORIGINAL SONG HAS VERY ELABORATE AND COMPLEX CHORDMOVEMENTS THEN A MONOTONE BASEDGENREPROBABLYWONTSUITTHETRACKASTHEVOCALWONTSITOVERAREPETITIVE CHORDSTRUCTUREAMORECOMPLEXCHORDSTRUCTUREWOULDNTWORK IN THEGENRE 4OSOMEEXTENTTHISCANBEWORKEDAROUNDIFTHERECORDLABELISHAPPYFORYOU TODELIVERAMIXTHATDOESNTUSETHEWHOLEVOCALBUTFORTHEPURPOSESOFTHIS DISCUSSIONLETSASSUMETHATYOUAREREQUIREDTODELIVERAVOCALMIX

&INALLYTHEREISTHETONEOFTHESINGER)FHEHASADARKBROODINGANDGRAVELLY TONEOF VOICE THEN CERTAIN STYLES OF PRODUCTIONWILL SUIT THATMORE THANOTH ERSANDVICEVERSA)HAVETOMAKETHEPOINTHERETHOUGHTHATWHAT)AMTELL INGYOUARENOThRULESvMERELYSUGGESTIONSANDOBSERVATIONSFROMMYPERSONAL EXPERIENCE)FYOUFEELTHATYOUCANBESUCCESSFULINTAKINGSOMETHINGWAYOUT OFCONTEXTTHENPLEASEGIVEITATRY

-OSTOFWHATWEREDISCUSSINGWILL SOONBECOME SECONDNATURE TO YOUANDAS TIME GOES ON AND YOU GAIN EXPERIENCE YOURE BOUND TO BECOMEMORE DIVERSE WITHIN YOUR GENRE 4HEMUSIC SCENE CHANGES RAPIDLY AND ALONG WITH IT YOUR TASTESCREATIVITYANDABILITIES)OFTENLISTENTOWORK)DIDAFEWYEARSAGOANDAM ACTUALLYSHOCKEDATHOWMUCHMYSTYLEHASCHANGEDBUTIF)LISTENBACKTOTHE REMIXES)HAVEDONEINSEQUENCE)CANHEARTHEDIRECTIONTHATTHINGSMOVEDIN

!S ) MENTIONED BEFORE IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU WANT TO BRANCH OUT INTO OTHER GENRESTHENYOUSHOULDDElNITELYDOSOTHEREISNODOWNSIDETOITTHAT)HAVE YET SEEN ASSUMING OF COURSE THAT YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNTWHAT ) SAID EARLIER ABOUThBRANDINGv

7ECANTREALLYTALKABOUTCHOICESOFSTYLEWITHOUTATLEASTTOUCHINGONTHEISSUEOF INSPIRATIONVERSUSIMITATION7ITHTHESHEERVOLUMEOFDANCEMUSICAVAILABLETHESE DAYSANDTHEINCREASINGLYNARROWGENREDElNITIONSITCANBEDIFlCULTATTIMESTO BEORIGINALWHILENOTSTRAYINGTOOFARFROMWHATISPOPULARATTHEMOMENT.OTTO MENTIONTHATASAREMIXERYOUWILLGENERALLYBEWORKINGTOEXTREMELYTIGHTSCHED ULES4HEREMAY EVENBE TIMESWHENYOUARE GIVENANOTHER TRACK AS A REFERENCE TRACKFORYOURREMIX)TCOULDBEONEOFYOURPREVIOUSREMIXESORPRODUCTIONSOR ITCOULDBEAREMIXFROMSOMEBODYELSEBUTIFARECORDLABELORARTISTALREADYHAS ADIRECTION INMIND THEN THATMAYPOSSIBLYHELPWITH THAT INITIAL CREATIVE SPARK )NGENERAL THOUGH IF THISHAPPENS ) RECOMMENDONLY LISTENING TO THEREFERENCE TRACKONCEORTWICEJUSTENOUGHTOGETAFEELFORITBUTNOTLONGENOUGHTOGETIT INGRAINEDINYOURMINDBECAUSEATTHISPOINTITISVERYEASYTOENDUPWITHAREMIX THATSOUNDStooCLOSETOTHEREFERENCETRACKORWORSESTILLCOPIESIT

/NE lNAL THING TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IS THAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND ESPECIALLY PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT POCKETS OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY OFTEN USE DIFFERENT

LANGUAGE TO CONVEY THE SAME MUSICAL IDEAS 3OMETIMES EVEN MORE CONFUS INGLY THEYWILLUSE THESAME LANGUAGEBUTMEANSOMETHINGDIFFERENT/VERA PERIOD OF TIME OF DEALINGWITH PEOPLE REGULARLY YOU LEARNWHAT EXACTLY THEY MEANWHENTHEYTRYTOCONVEYANIDEABUTIFYOUREWORKINGWITHANEWCLIENT ANDYOUREHAVINGPROBLEMSUNDERSTANDINGEACHOTHERASIMPLEREFERENCETRACK CANGOALONGWAY9OULLALSOlNDTHATASYOUESTABLISHYOURREMIXINGIDENTITY PEOPLEWILLBEMOREWILLINGANDHAPPYTOJUSTLEAVEYOUTODOYOURTHINGAND LETYOUDECIDEWHATISBESTFORTHETRACK$ONTASSUMETHATWILLHAPPEN OFTHETIMEHOWEVERINMYEXPERIENCEITJUSTDOESNT

.OW THAT YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHICH DIRECTION TO TAKE THE TRACK YOU CAN GET TO WORK STARTING ON THE REMIX $EPENDING ON WHICH SOFTWARE YOU USE YOUMIGHTBE ABLE TO SET UP ANUMBEROF DIFFERENT TEMPLATES TOWORK FROM ) USE!PPLE ,OGIC 3TUDIO AND THIS ALLOWS YOU TOHAVEMULTIPLE TEMPLATES !S ALREADY MENTIONED REMIXING PERHAPS MORE THAN PRODUCING YOUR OWN TRACKS ISMOREOFTENTHANNOTONAVERYTIGHTDEADLINESOOVERTIMEYOUWILL lNDWAYSTOIMPROVEYOURWORKmOWANDGENERALLYSPEEDTHINGSUP3AVINGA FEWMINUTESHEREANDTHEREINTHESETTINGUPOFTHINGSMIGHTNOTSEEMLIKEA LOTBUTITCANSOONADDUP)WILLCOVERTHISINMOREDETAILLATERBUTFORNOW IFYOUHAVE THEABILITY TODOSO ) STRONGLY RECOMMENDCREATINGAT LEASTONE TEMPLATEWITH SOME FAVORITE SYNTHSPRELOADED INTO THE CHANNELSWITH SOME hINSPIRATIONv SOUNDS SET UP 0OSSIBLY A BASS SOUND A PAD SOUND A PIANO ALWAYSGOODFORWORKINGOUTCHORDSTRUCTURE)lND ANDACOUPLEOFOTHER SOUNDS RELEVANT TO THE GENRE YOU ARE WORKING IN ARE GOOD PLACES TO START )ALSORECOMMENDHAVINGATTHEVERYLEASTAKICKDRUMSYNTHESIZEDORSAM PLED AVAILABLEFROMTHEGET GOASTHISISOFTENTHEVERYlRSTTHINGYOULLWANT TOPUTINTOTHETRACK

4HE FACT THAT THESE hTEMPLATEv SOUNDS ARE PRELOADED DOESNT MEAN THAT YOU HAVETOKEEPTHEMINTHElNALREMIXBUT ITWILLGIVEYOUAMEANSTOQUICKLY SWITCHTOANOTHERTRACKTOTRYOUTANIDEA3OMETIMESIDEASWILLPOPINTOYOUR HEAD AND IF YOU SPEND TOO LONG LOADING UP A SYNTH ANDTRYINGTOlNDTHATREALLYNICEBASSSOUNDWELLTHEY MIGHT JUSTPOPONOUTOF YOURHEADAGAIN4HE REASON ) SUGGESTHAVINGMULTIPLE TEMPLATES IS THAT YOU CAN SET UP A DIFFERENT SET OF THESE PRELOADED SOUNDS FOR A FEW DIFFERENTVARIATIONSWITHINTHEGENREYOUAREWORKINGIN ASWELL ASHAVING TOTALLYDIFFERENTONES IF YOUWORK IN DIFFERENTGENRES #HANCESARE THAT THESE TEMPLATESWILL CHANGEASYOUGOALONGˆSWAPPINGSOUNDSFROMTIMETO TIMEˆBUTREMEMBERTHEYAREONLYTHEREASABASICSTART INGPOINTTOHELPINSPIREANDGETTHINGSMOVINGQUICKLY

%ACH PERSON WORKS IN A DIFFERENT WAY 3OME PREFER TO GETAGROOVEHAPPENINGWITHDRUMSANDPERCUSSIONAND THENlGUREOUTABASSLINEORABASSGROOVEEVENIFTHEY SUBSEQUENTLY HAVE TO ADAPT IT SLIGHTLY TO lT THE KEY OR

THE CHORD CHANGES OF THE REMIX 0ERSONALLY ) HAVE FOUND ITMORE PRODUCTIVE ANDINSPIRINGTOHAVEATLEASTSOMEBASICIDEAOFCHORDSTRUCTUREINMINDBEFORE )STARTWORKINGONTHEGROOVE)HAVEFOUNDTHATYOUCANSOMETIMESHITUPONA GREATGROOVETHATJUSTDOESNTWORKTHATWELLWHENYOUHAVETOMAKEITFOLLOW APARTICULARCHORDSEQUENCEYOUPUTINLATERON!TTHATPOINTITCANBEHARDTO lNDSOMETHINGELSETHATYOULIKEBECAUSEYOUHAVEGROWNACCUSTOMEDTOTHAT lRSTGROOVEWHICHNOLONGERlTS7HICHEVERWAYWORKSBESTFORYOUISWHATis BESTFORYOUBUTAS)TENDTOWORKOUTBASICCHORDSASABAREMINIMUMlRST THATISWHAT)WILLBECOVERINGNEXT