56 Remixing
Tips
by RUI DA SILVA, Timo Maas, Jack Dangers, and Simon Thornton, for Future Music
Magazine.
article featured on Futuremusic.co.uk
01 "Before you start loading your files to your hardware/software sampler find the original tempo of the song as well as the original key, spend the first day just loading up the files and finding the right samples that you might want to use. Decide on the tempo of your mix and move to timestretching if you need change the original files. I personally use the built-in one in Logic and for some more serious work I do like my old Time Bandit even tho' it takes a full night still on a fast G4."
02 "Get the right groove going. Also start doing new overdubs and
putting the original samples in. I do like to use more than just the vocal from
the original. Sometimes this can be a hook or any sound."
03 "No matter what software you use I think one of the most useful
tools is the rubber. Deleting should be as easy as recording and always remember
to save everything and that includes the samplers, effects, synths and everything."
04 "It's always good to run different takes of the remix with no
vocals, and some parts muted. Once you get the mixes on to the master make sure
you label everything right and back up all the files to CDR."
05 "About money, remember that if you play any of your own original
material (samples you've created or basslines/melodies you've written) you should
be entitled to a share of the PPL income on that particular remix, as long as
your name is credited properly on the commercial release."
TIMO MAAS
Timo Maas works in the studio with Martin Buttrich. His new solo album,
Loud, is out now on Perfecto.
06 "Have no real techniques or secrets! We approach each track differently."
07 "However if we are asked to remix a vocal track we will always
start by layering the vocal on to some beats, and see what fits. In truth I'm
sure we don't approach this any different than most remix teams, and in fact
we probably use very traditional structures. What makes us different, I believe,
is the sounds that we use. Martin [Buttrich] spends a long time seeking sounds
from every possible source, and we use Universal Audio Blackphase and Manley
compression, a lot of analogue effects and pay extra close attention to the
relationship between the beats themselves."
08 "If the beats are right on their own then the rest of the track
will fall into place from there."
09 "It's important to retain the feel of the original track in some
way, while still stamping your mark or style on to it."
JACK DANGERS
Jack Dangers, otherwise known as Meat Beat Manifesto, has produced his own
tracks and remixed others for years. His remix album, Pro.File 1, is out now
on Brooklyn Music (reviewed on p78).
10 "A good cover version is one which surprises you, makes you wonder
what is going to happen next. I try to apply this to my remixes. Do the unexpected."
11 "If it's a remix for clubs (as opposed to radio), give a good
32-bar intro or plenty of time for the DJ to cue."
12 "If your mix is on vinyl, always try to hear a test pressing.
A lot can change in the mastering and cut of a record. If you can, try to attend
the cutting, and ask for an acetate so you can walk out with a disc to check
out on different systems."
13 "You're only as good as your last B-side."
A1 PEOPLE
Simeon Bowering is one third of A1 People with Matt Early and DJ D-Zine,
but also writes stuff under his solo alias Pentatonik. A1 People have a single
out in March on Hydrogen Dukebox called Casio Rock, also the name of their club
night in Brixton. Their new album, Freaky Deaky, is out soon.
14 "When you receive the parts for a track, pick out the riffs and
sounds that really grab you, don't get hung up on details too early on."
15 "Give yourself time to really get under the skin of the tune
you're mixing. Remember it's your job to reinterpret the feeling of the track
you're remixing, not just write one of your own! Bear in mind that the original
artist will probably listen to the mix and want to hear at least part of what
they wrote originally."
16 "In A1 People we have a collection of grooves that we have written
over the last few months, which we often fly the remix parts over these to see
if we get any happy accidents!"
17 "Try and understand a bit about why you've been asked to do a
remix. Different record companies want different things, so if they know you
for your electro sound, don't go and do an ambient mix (unless you think it's
absolutely amazing). However..."
18 "...don't be afraid of experimenting. Plug-ins are a remixers
best friend! Try them out on the main parts, especially things like vocals where
you can keep the original performance but change the context of the sound."
19 "Make sure you have fun. That's what it's all about in the end!"
FILA BRAZILLIA
Steve Cobby is one half of Fila Brazillia with Dave McSherry, and they've
produced remixes for many artists including Radiohead, Busta Rhymes, Sneaker
Pimps, Lamb, Freakpower, the Egg, Fluke, DJ FOod, UNKLE, Moloko The Orb, Simple
Minds, James and Soulstice.
20 "Remixing a track you don't actually like can sometimes be a
lot easier than remixing one of your favourite bands. If you get handed a track
you really love, you end up thinking, 'Well, what the hell can we do with this?'
But if it's a track you're not so keen on, you can immediately get stuck in."
JUSTIN ROBERTSON
Justin Robertson has remixed hundreds of artists under his Lionrock alias,
and his new album Revtone is out now on Nuphonic.
21 "Often there will be time restrictions, so if an idea isn't working,
fuck it off!"
22 "A remix should complement the original but don't be afraid to
follow your instincts and radically change the original."
23 "Over-using the latest techniques in an obvious way may date
your mix quickly."
SIMON THORNTON
Simon Thornton is studio engineer for Fatboy Slim and has worked on countless
remixes. He's currently working on his first solo single, Move To The Moon.
24 "It's very tempting, with remixes especially, to try to cram
in everything possible. You've got all the original parts, plus all the new
bits you've worked so hard on but every now and again just check you haven't
overdone it. Take everything but the drums and vocal out and see what you really
need to add back in. You might be surprised how little you actually need."
25 "Many remixes do away with the original chord structure of the
track and add in a new set. Do make sure they actually fit in a reasonably pleasing
way. If you have some doubts, try to find a friend who has a musical ear and
play it to them. If they make strange faces when certain chords are under the
vocal line, it might be wrong."
26 "If you're doing a remix for a client, for real money, don't
forget to run of an instrumental version too. You might think there'd be no
real use for it, but you'd be surprised how useful it can be. Many a radio edit
has been glued together from both a vocal and instrumental mix. For another
six minutes of your time, it'd be silly not to run an instrumental off."
HOWIE B
Howie's new single, Skelf, was released in in January, and he's set to do
a gig at the Barbican in London on 5 April.
27 "First I usually decide whether a remix is going to be for the
club or the bedroom. If it's for a club, it has to get me moving. If I don't
move with it, no one else will!"
28 "If there's a voice involved, don't bring it in before 40 seconds."
MJ COLE
Following the massive hit with Crazy Love, MJ Cole has been in demand worldwide.
29 "The end goal is to make a record that the original artist could
be proud of."
TOM HARDING
Hard house DJ Tom Harding used to write for Future Music but now DJs round
the world and has a residency in Amsterdam. His new single, written with Chris
Hampshire, We Are Coming For You is out now, while his remix of Ferry Corsten's
Dance Valley 2001 Theme is out on Tsunami.
30 "Always refer to the original. Don't simply make your own record
with a token part from the original 'tacked on'."
31 "Try and use some trademark sounds which will mark the remix
as your own. I usually try to use percussion or bass sounds for this."
32 "Be realistic. There is little point in trying to do a techno
mix of an R&B track."
33 "Try and be creative with each remix. A formulaic remixer is
as boring as a formulaic producer."
CHRIS HAMPSHIRE
Chris Hampshire, owner of Interflow Sounds label and studios, is currently
working on a techno-inspired track - Two Pound Coin - with The Energy UK DJs.
He wrote and remixed Story Reel by Interflow featuring Anna Robinson to be released
in April.
34 "Get as many of the original parts and samples as you can. MIDI
files are excellent as they let you quickly and easily alter the pitch and sound
of any original riffs you choose to use in your mix."
35 "Find out what parts you are getting before you agree your fee.
Time is money, and if you're expected to 'reinvent the wheel' it should be reflected
accordingly."
36 "Find out what type of mix is expected from you. Unless you are
an A or B list producer, you have probably been asked to do the mix based on
one or more of your previous productions. Find out what it is they like about
what you do. This is especially important if your repertoire covers more than
one style. If you get it wrong you'll either have to re-do it or it won't get
used and you won't get paid."
37 "Insist on a remix agreement. This can be as simple as a letter
confirming agreed deadline dates and the usual clauses indemnifying the label
against the use of illegal samples."
38 "Try to push for 50 per cent of the fee to be paid upfront."
39 "Make sure you either like the track you are mixing or that it
at least inspires you. Early on in your career it is tempting to take everything
you are offered but if you hate the tune, it'll come across in your remix. A
bad remix released with your name on is worse than no remix at all."
40 "Concentrate on your own material. Once you start having regular
releases, even more remixes will start to come in. Pushing out promotional copies
of your tunes to people you would like to do mixes for does help. People have
to get to know you exist before you will get offered anything!"
41 "Should you do remixes on spec? That is, should you ask to remix
something for no money on the assumption that if you do a great job and it gets
released that you will get paid then? This is a difficult one. Obviously it
can be a foot in the door if it gets used. On the other hand though, if it's
not used, you have spent time and energy that you could have been spending bringing
one of your original pieces up to a standard that will bring in remix work anyway.
If the potential benefits look worth it then go ahead, but be careful of chasing
rainbows. Remember, if your material is good and you work hard to put it out
there, you will get noticed and the remixes will come."
ANDY PICKLES
One half of the infamous Tidy Boys, Andy Pickles founded the Tidy Trax label
and does loads of remixes for various artists.
42 "It's not always what you put in, it's what you leave out, don't
overcrowd a track. In hard house, clubbers dance to the kick and bass. People
try and pile a lot of stuff on top, but keep it simple and effective."
DJ SPOONY
DJ Spoony is one third of Radio One's The Dreem Teem and has remixed Shola
Ama and All Saints among others.
43 "The temptation is to remix everything you can get your hands
on and get as much money as you can. However, it pays to be selective so you
don't overkill your sound or lose the spirit or essence of what you do."
ALAN BRANCH
Alan Branch is a professional engineer and in his time has produced remixes
for Death In Vegas, Depeche Mode, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Dub Syndicate Primal
Scream, Eternal, The Cure, De La Soul and loads more.
44 "Use Sonic Foundry's ACID to help decide the final tempo, as
a vocal can be stretched in real time while trying out different beats. For
finished quality timestretching, we use Wavelab or Logic."
45 "When a lot of samples are being timestretched, use the batch
processing function from Wavelab. Work out the original tempo and the new tempo,
select all the samples, set up the timestretch process, and the computer does
the work."
46 "As the bassline is what the remix is going to sit on, a firm
foundation is very important. The bass will determine the feel and pace of the
track and therefore the sound of the whole remix."
47 "Once I've loaded a selection of beats and noises in my sampler,
I concentrate on the nitty gritty of the song, laying out all the original audio
parts in Logic's Arrange page and seeing if any processing with plug-ins or
outboard is needed. I'll try anything, from disguising the vocal with a ring
modulator to phasing the piano."
48 "With a good mix, all the sections should tie together, and usually
vocals are the most important part. Keep it exciting and make sure it'll work
sonically in a club or on the radio. Use some CDs for comparison, to give an
idea of how bright it is or how much bass you want pumping."
JOEY NEGRO
Joey Negro has done some classic disco remixes of Diana Ross, Lionel Richie,
Artful Dodger, Sheena Easton and more.
49 "To make sure I haven't been getting tired ears, I always take
CDRs home. I then try to check a remix by comparing it with something I've done
before that I'm happy with, preferably something from a different genre."
ALEX JAMES
Alex James has just released a track with Simon Eve called Old Skool Beat
on Fevah Records, and The Last Laugh on Feersum Records. Alex is also working
on a top secret "radically different funky house project that should have
New Order fans bouncing all over Ibiza this summer." He said it!
50 "It's possible to do a remix using none of the original parts
and just reproducing melodies on synths, but I wouldn't recommend it."
51 "Before you even start making decisions, load up all the samples
into the digital domain and name them. Even if you don't plan to use them all,
it's always useful to have them. You can guarantee you'll suddenly decide to
use that brass stab... then realise you binned it."
52 "In the interest of good time management, I'd suggest that effects
are best left until the track is pretty much written."
53 "If you really want to layer on the reverb on a lead line, EQ
some of the bass out of it. You won't lose any of the effect, but you will keep
your mix clean."
54 "When it comes to the full mix, there are two types of sound:
those that blend into the sonic landscape from which to build, and those that
grab your attention. Remember this when setting levels and EQ, so you don't
end up making every sound stand out in the mix."
55 "Parametric EQ can target specific frequencies. Use the Q control
to make targeted and less intrusive adjustments."
56 "It's controversial, but when mixing down, steer clear of exciters,
compressors and graphic EQ, leave that to the experts. Even if you ignore this
advice, at least record one version with and one without, so the pro engineer
has a choice." FM
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thanks to FUTURE MUSIC magazine!