ABSTRACT
Mashups unofficially entered existence in the 1970s and 80s as musical performances or recordings where artists would blend melodies or vocals from one song with another. DJs would play the acapellas over other songs as part of their DJ set, similar to what we hear today in pre-recorded mashups. With good use of mashups, you can transform the meaning of an element, putting it in a new context for the listener. The most effective use of this theory is when dealing with vocals, which communicate very little harmonic or rhythmic information on their own. Mashups are a great way of pulling different material together to bring a new energy and interpretation on the tracks. DJ/producers who bring mashups with their own tracks' vocals and melodies to their shows end up putting on a show that feels distinctly 'theirs'. Most DJs who initially have difficulties with mashups struggle with picking the right elements to go together.
