Who Can Do a Remix? Can you? Can I?

A skilled remixer was asking for submissions for a cause. I said I’d give it a try.

In the Mix

Remixing seemed like such a fun idea. Take someone else’s song and mess with it until there’s a new version. Doesn’t seem too difficult. At first…

After all, I’ve had plenty of experience arranging other people’s songs. I consider myself rather skilled at creating an arrangement. When I listen to a song, I can often hear other instruments or voices that could potentially enhance the sound.

Remix This

Little did I know that arranging a song and doing a remix are galaxies apart. One involves embellishing and dressing up the music that already exists. The other involves chopping it apart, dissecting bits of it, and then repeating those in a variety of ways. Being good at one in no way promises the ability to do the other.

Well honestly, I’m not great at remixing. It is a category of recording studio work that is quite foreign to me. In the end, I think I created something passable, but I doubt that it will be my “thing”. There are plenty of folk who do this really well!

Learn A Thing or Two

Meanwhile, here’s what I learned on my initial attempt. First, about myself.

• I care deeply about the integrity of the composer/songwriter’s creation. Messing with what they created does not come easily for me.
• Everything in the original composition has meaning. The order of the notes or themes is important; the characteristics of the instrument chosen for each part is crucial; each shift from verse to chorus or from section to section is elemental to that original creation. Changing any of that must only be done with the express approval of the original composer.
• Even an approved remix must be completed with the deepest honor towards the original intention.

Next, a couple of things directly about remixing. This is coming from someone who had no idea how this works until now.

• Listen to other remixes. Think about what is being done in these.
• If possible, take a lesson from someone who is experienced with this process. If not, then at least do your best to mimic what you hear in other adaptations.
• Remember that remixing is a completely different process from arranging a piece.

The Remix

Here’s the project I agreed to become a part of. You’re going to hear some amazingly skilled remixers here. (I’m not one of them.)

Main photo is by https://www.pexels.com/@fortal-fototeca-2910093/