Remixing Songs

[John_Dope]

I've been searching online everywhere, but it seems I can't find an answer. Maybe I'm not asking the questions right, I don't know. Anyways... I want to remix a song but I don't know "how". Do I need to get permission from the original artist? Do I create the song again and change it up the way I want to? Where do I find the instruments for the song? Does the artist release a file that I can edit? I'm pretty confused on this one. Can anybody help me? Because google and keywords aren't.

[JBE]

http://www.wikihow.com/Remix

That's pretty much what a remix entails.

[dickman69]

there is a government run website that has label contacts where u can send them a request & theyll send u the original recordings of the instruments

[3hunna]

JBE, thats a horrible article.

John_Dope, when professional producers release a remix, they (most often) acquire the stems (all the instrument tracks seperated into individual files, for example they may be tracked out and given to the remixer in a folder with files like leadsynth.wav, vocals.wav, bassline.wav, drums.wav, etc.) from the artist who made the original tune. sometimes artist do remix competitions, like usher and beyonce recently, where they put the stems up for their singles on a website for anyone to download. but what is way more common is pop/r&b/rap artists releasing acapellas (just the vocal track) for their hit singles. despite what anyone tells you, you cant simply EQ or filter out vocals or a particular instrument from a song. if you have a file of a song, and also have an instrumental version of said song, it IS possible to use phase inversion to create an acapella (these are called DIY acapellas and can be found in various places on the internet) but they still sound like shit most of the time.

[Ficticious]

Also midi conversion if possible. That really helps.

[mthrfnk]

Really?

[Ficticious]

Really?

can't tell if sarcastic or serious or who that's aimed at.

[JBE]

JBE, thats a horrible article.

John_Dope, when professional producers release a remix, they (most often) acquire the stems (all the instrument tracks seperated into individual files, for example they may be tracked out and given to the remixer in a folder with files like leadsynth.wav, vocals.wav, bassline.wav, drums.wav, etc.) from the artist who made the original tune. sometimes artist do remix competitions, like usher and beyonce recently, where they put the stems up for their singles on a website for anyone to download. but what is way more common is pop/r&b/rap artists releasing acapellas (just the vocal track) for their hit singles. despite what anyone tells you, you cant simply EQ or filter out vocals or a particular instrument from a song. if you have a file of a song, and also have an instrumental version of said song, it IS possible to use phase inversion to create an acapella (these are called DIY acapellas and can be found in various places on the internet) but they still sound like shit most of the time.

Actually that Wiki page answered literally every single question the OP asked. It was also simple and didn't use terms like "phase inversion" without an explanation, which someone asking such a question would most likely have no idea about.

[mthrfnk]

Really?

can't tell if sarcastic or serious or who that's aimed at.

The OP and his continuous tirade of pointless threads. Even people who don't produce know what remixes are and how they're done..

It's like asking "I wanna write a song but I don't know how" dafuq.

Inb4 I get flamed for this

[Ficticious]

Really?

can't tell if sarcastic or serious or who that's aimed at.

The OP and his continuous tirade of pointless threads. Even people who don't produce know what remixes are and how they're done..

It's like asking "I wanna write a song but I don't know how" dafuq.

Inb4 I get flamed for this

Nah I agree it's pretty obvious.

[syrup]

that article was indeed pretty bad

[John_Dope]

If you don't ask questions you don't learn. Thanks for the help guys

[mthrfnk]

If you don't ask questions you don't learn. Thanks for the help guys

I guess I've been going about learning the wrong way, with all this internet research & manual reading I've been doing. Thanks for the pro-tip man, hopefully I can become a real big time producer now

[Ledger]

ALWAYS ask questions, EXCEPT for when they have already been asked hundreds of times and throughout the years before you.

[Artie_Fufkin]

If you don't ask questions you don't learn. Thanks for the help guys

manual reading I've been doing.

where is the manual for remixing songs, then?

OP: If you want to remix a song and have the tracks(usually called stems when referring to remixes) of each instrument from the original song at your disposal, look for remix competitions or contact the producer(it's worth a shot).
If this fails, you can try using the the mixed song itself. You can try filtering/eq to isolate some parts. You can also try a process where you cancel out the center panned sounds. What you do is separate the stereo track into two mono tracks, invert one of them(doesn't matter which) and then combine those together and you get a mono track of what is panned on the sides. This works best if you have a lossless rip of the song.
If that doesn't work for you, you might try recreating all the elements of the track yourself. You might be able to find a midi file of the song on the internet to take care of all the melodies/chords/rhythms/etc for you.
I'm pretty sure you only need the permission of the artist if you want to use your remix for commercial use? If it's copyrighted anyways.

If there's anything I'm missing, I hope someone will actually make themselves useful. I'd be interested in learning anything beyond this.

[mthrfnk]

If you don't ask questions you don't learn. Thanks for the help guys

manual reading I've been doing.

where is the manual for remixing songs, then?

Way to quote out of context ....

internet research

I just Googled "how to remix a song" quickly, okay that shitty Wikihow article comes up - but then there's 1000s of other pages, 4 YouTube tutorials got instantly recommended and Google provided 7 further related searches. Now aside from Google, this forum has a shit ton of info about remixing if you bother to use the search. Like sofar said - it's fine to ask questions, but you know - don't keep asking the same basic shit over and over, expecting people to rehash the same old shit when a simple 20 minutes browsing the internet/this forum will probably give you all the answers you seek plus more, especially in regards to something as basic as creating a remix.

Oh but since you asked
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com/cw/lang ... 240814582/
http://www.amazon.com/Remix-Manual-Simo ... 0240814584

Can you turn a soulful ballad into a hit dance track, or make any Billboard hit your own? With this all-in-one guide to remixing, you can! Whether you're a professional DJ or producer, or are just beginning to mix tracks, this step-by-step guide will bring you through the entire process of making your own professional-quality remixes. Author Simon Langford, a renowned producer/remixer with over 300 remixes and chart-toppers under his belt, shares his years of experience and expertise in the most in-depth guide on the market. The Remix Manual covers creative processes, technical, legal, and contractual issues, and includes a unique remix "walk-through," and useful contacts and links. The companion website provides source files that illustrate all stages of the remix, as well as additional interviews, additional "walk-throughs," a "Buyer's Guide," and video tutorials and demo versions of the hottest mixing software.

A working musician and remixer, Simon Langford provides up-to-the-minute information on all aspects of the remix process, from the latest software tips and tricks to timeless artistic advice. While technical aspects are explained in detail, you also get a pro's advice on how to produce outstanding tracks by being aware of the original's message, style, and emotion. The creative side of remixing is explored from all angles, as a wide variety of industry insiders weigh in on key issues in exclusive interviews and quotes.

> A one-stop guide to remixing from making creative choices to understanding contracts
> Author has chart-topping remix experience and over 300 remixes to his name; get a pro's advice on how to produce outstanding tracks
> Website includes samples and example tracks, illustrating the various stages of the remix.

There's your manual

[dickman69]

somehow everyone else on this board has miraculously found answers to these questions without asking them

[Mason]

everyone asks questions but non-retards ask them to google first

[charles1]

holy shit just let the kid ask the question. these questions aren't so numerous that they're crashing the website's servers or anything. maybe it's a dumb question and if you don't like it just ignore it and move on.

there's really no reason to complain about it until they start crashing servers or taking up too much room in the forum

[mthrfnk]

holy shit just let the kid ask the question. these questions aren't so numerous that they're crashing the website's servers or anything. maybe it's a dumb question and if you don't like it just ignore it and move on.

there's really no reason to complain about it until they start crashing servers or taking up too much room in the forum