Remix Competition 1 - warm up!

Neurojazz

Please refer to THIS thread if you don't know why we pick non-vocal tracks and don't use stems!

Here are your files:-

Pure midi and a text file containing a youtube link to original.

Post your FINALS by next Saturday night, before I get up on Sunday 26th HERE.

Here's the challenge. This is to be remixed into the current Sounds/trends that are around - feel free to totally mess with the flow of parts if you don't like them - the original only has to hinted at.

Current trends include the main genres - House, Techno, Minimal, Trance and Electro.

Why these limitations? - because this is to get you up to speed with delivery of remixes to the expectations of a typical label.

If you feel this is demanding, welcome to the real world - normally this would be due by Wednesday - so a piece of advice, Get Going! - start and most importantly Focus!

If you need help with current trends, hit the DJ forum and ask for help there and I suspect they will be more than helpful. Or if you need general advice (but not on actual mixes), feel free to PM me or ask on this thread.

Good Luck all.


Next weeks will be harder but include a prize of some use to you.

red dave

Gentlemen....start your engines

Hey Jazz, is drum n'bass allowed? Not that I'll be doing that genre but just in case?

Neurojazz

red dave wrote: »

Gentlemen....start your engines

Hey Jazz, is drum n'bass allowed? Not that I'll be doing that genre but just in case?

If it's still a current thing, go for it. It's more to make people go check latest sounds to practice watching current trends and ripping them (and then going a little beyond

Anima

Sounds good, I'll make an attempt. I'm very bad for finishing things so maybe this will be a good exercise.

Is there any kind of length restrictions or whatever is fine?

eeloe

Excellent, Working now until Tuesday, have an original track i wanna get done.

and a few other bits i'd like to get done, but once im "off" on tuesday, this is getting raped!

krd

Is that Ableton file in an Ableton 8 format? I've only got 7.


Is it just the Midi file broken up anyhow?

Neurojazz

krd wrote: »

Is that Ableton file in an Ableton 8 format? I've only got 7.
Is it just the Midi file broken up anyhow?

Yep ableton 8 sorry, but is the same as midi file except in separate tracks... so nothing amazing.

No restrictions on length, but think about the current things around - it's even possible to do radio edits (2:30mins) if you're into that.

Rockshamrover

Stupid question of the day.

How do I get this midi track into Logic? I can play it as an audio file on the net but Can't get it into my DAW.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

krd

Neurojazz wrote: »

Yep ableton 8 sorry, but is the same as midi file except in separate tracks... so nothing amazing.

No restrictions on length, but think about the current things around - it's even possible to do radio edits (2:30mins) if you're into that.

No, it's fine. When I dragged the midi file into Able 7 it split the midi tracks for me automatically. (the only thing I have to fix was the patch on the clips - it took me a while to fine that.


Now what to do with it. A Club friendly mix? (wish I actually knew how to do that)

No, I already have an idea or two what I'm going to do with it - What are 4 min edits called?

krd

Rockshamrover wrote: »

Stupid question of the day.

How do I get this midi track into Logic? I can play it as an audio file on the net but Can't get it into my DAW.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

Try just dragging the midi file from your desktop into a logic midi track. Or into it's pane. Or just try opening it. All DAWs generally recognize midi and split it.

When I did it in Ableton - Ableton automatically created new midi tracks and split the file for me.

red dave

Rockshamrover wrote: »

Stupid question of the day.

How do I get this midi track into Logic? I can play it as an audio file on the net but Can't get it into my DAW.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

I clicked on the link to save it to desktop and then from there used import option in FL to open new project with them

Rockshamrover

Thanks KRD and Red Dave, I'll give it a go.

Rockshamrover

That worked:)

Cheers lads.

electrogrimey

Hmm...Downloading the .als file just gives me a .html file for some reason. MIDI and text files downloaded file, not the Ableton file.

Also, is nu-disco allowed? Definitely one of the biggest trends at the minute.

Neurojazz

electrogrimey wrote: »

Hmm...Downloading the .als file just gives me a .html file for some reason. MIDI and text files downloaded file, not the Ableton file.

Also, is nu-disco allowed? Definitely one of the biggest trends at the minute.

Go for it - lots of people having weirdness with the Ableton one... i'll just stick midi only next time

lazyatom

cripes. this is hard. :eek:

do you mind if i ask what the difference is between the 3 main melody sections? they're the exact same essentially, aren't they (barring the fact that they midi notes are off by a few measures each)?

it's just that when you listen to the original there seems like an awful lot going on... and then when you look at the midi files... well, there really is only three bits (piano, bassline and melody) and, uh... well, it's kinda hard trying to make it sound like anything...



i'm only moaning cos... it's what i do best!

Neurojazz

lazyatom wrote: »

cripes. this is hard. :eek:

do you mind if i ask what the difference is between the 3 main melody sections? they're the exact same essentially, aren't they (barring the fact that they midi notes are off by a few measures each)?

it's just that when you listen to the original there seems like an awful lot going on... and then when you look at the midi files... well, there really is only three bits (piano, bassline and melody) and, uh... well, it's kinda hard trying to make it sound like anything...



i'm only moaning cos... it's what i do best!

This is usually a *lot* more than people get - the next remix will just be a link to an original where all data would have been lost or unavailable - that test will get your ears wired to what's going on big time

krd

lazyatom wrote: »

cripes. this is hard. :eek:

do you mind if i ask what the difference is between the 3 main melody sections? they're the exact same essentially, aren't they (barring the fact that they midi notes are off by a few measures each)?

it's just that when you listen to the original there seems like an awful lot going on... and then when you look at the midi files... well, there really is only three bits (piano, bassline and melody) and, uh... well, it's kinda hard trying to make it sound like anything...



i'm only moaning cos... it's what i do best!

Of the main melodies - if you listen to the original track echo is used to flesh out the main riff. So the guy who made the midi made a midi track where the same notes are off (they're not all off) - to create the echo effect. Play around with what basses you have - you'll notice it then.

I'd like to actually merge some of the midi tracks but don't know how to in Ableton. If it can be done - I suppose I could just copy and paste.

And yes it is hard. But it's the only way you'll learn. And it's really the only way of up'ing your game.

I've been hacking at it since Sunday - I definitely have more than I can chew. I've learned quite a bit in the process. (I actually got started on a Deep house track that I really like that has nothing to do with the competition but came together really quickly just from trying to focus on getting the competition thing to work)

The whole thing has been like being handed a college project - thinking you can do it - then realising you haven't really done your homework all term long.

I'll definitely have something for Sunday - but it will be a mutant child - full of poorly executed half baked ideas.

But next time around - I'll know what homework needs to be done in advance.

Neurojazz

krd wrote: »

but it will be a mutant child - full of poorly executed half baked ideas.

Awesome

dasdog

If the net result is going to have a corresponding midi file does this mean loop samples are out of bounds? For example, drums loops are not to be used but instead every kick/snare/hat that's played should have a corresponding midi hit than could be imported to any DAW and mapped it's own drum machine(s) in a general midi kind of way?

The main song isn't a problem for me but I haven't programmed drums (or breakbeats at least) in years so this aspect I'm finding tricky. Learning isn't the word it's like an intensive crash course.

Neurojazz

dasdog wrote: »

If the net result is going to have a corresponding midi file does this mean loop samples are out of bounds? For example, drums loops are not to be used but instead every kick/snare/hat that's played should have a corresponding midi hit than could be imported to any DAW and mapped it's own drum machine(s) in a general midi kind of way?

The main song isn't a problem for me but I haven't programmed drums (or breakbeats at least) in years so this aspect I'm finding tricky. Learning isn't the word it's like an intensive crash course.

Do what you can to your ability - I'll be giving marks with advice after, so will have action plans for people needing it!

Clanket

Damn it I forgot this was starting on Sunday and just seen this thread.

Doubt I'll make it but sure I'll give it a go...

Neurojazz

Alofthedunnes wrote: »

Damn it I forgot this was starting on Sunday and just seen this thread.

Doubt I'll make it but sure I'll give it a go...

I suspect that most people will start on Saturday... like 2 hours before the deadline

cloudydsound

genuinely not trying to be arsey but wouldn't a label look for people who are known for producing "the main genres - House, Techno, Minimal, Trance and Electro."

"this is to get you up to speed with delivery of remixes to the expectations of a typical label."

would someone who's style is not one of the mentioned genres be asked to remix a track like this by a label?

this is kinda leaving those out who don't make these genres imo

or am i missing something?

Neurojazz

cloudydsound wrote: »

genuinely not trying to be arsey but wouldn't a label look for people who are known for producing "the main genres - House, Techno, Minimal, Trance and Electro."

"this is to get you up to speed with delivery of remixes to the expectations of a typical label."

would someone who's style is not one of the mentioned genres be asked to remix a track like this by a label?

this is kinda leaving those out who don't make these genres imo

or am i missing something?

We'll find out when people send the mixes out to labels


If you want to be ground breaking/unique, then you'd not be giving a flying monkeys about some forums remix competition and getting out there plugging your own material - also some basic psychology (without getting a head rammed up arse), people like identification, recognition, patterns, symmetry - so the clever people wanting complete musical freedom can take the route of remixing and twist it a bit to get their foot in the door.

I mean, look at me - a complete metal head who has his dream guitar and can make music all day from doing some Trance - so ummm... works for some.

This competition is really about being able to hone skills to do anything - being original is EASY, I can do Jackson Pollock in a DAW but more interest in helping majorities kick back or dance their tits off..

There will be more challenges based around peoples abilities in the DAW, and maybe some tests for being able to re-create sounds that already exist.

This may seem like an artistic travesty, but imagine walking down the road and hearing/imagining a sound and then being able to go home and re-create that sound/effect.

All got to start somewhere, and usually with rudiments.

If the mixes people send in have some blazing talent, then I'll up the game and have something even more challenging - please remember I can get this heard by some decent ears in the industry for much better feedback.

We can have a 'freak out' session soon though - I lost my best piece ever, so can't be bothered to try again - but will arrange for a suitably left field experiment to make you sweat.

cloudydsound

im not trying to be groundbreaking/unique at all...i was just simply wondering why the remix had to be limited to certain genres is all i was on about

im purely into music making for pleasure and not plugging my material for commercial reasons atm ie sending stuff out to labels, hence my interest in the comp

just having people hear my music who normally wouldn't hear it is good enough for me

i had my heart set on some hardcore gabber tho

nah, im fine within those genres....as i said i wasn't trying to be arsey, just wondering

Android 666

Mine'll be up on soundcloud tonight or tomorrow as I have a friend coming over from England with her child for the next few days and over the weekend so I won't be able to work on it then. Haven't seen her in about 2 and a half years so it wouldn't be too polite pissing off and working on this…

Just remember, the right side probably sounds better than the left!

red dave

Android 666 wrote: »

Mine'll be up on soundcloud tonight or tomorrow as I have a friend coming over from England with her child for the next few days and over the weekend so I won't be able to work on it then. Haven't seen her in about 2 and a half years so it wouldn't be too polite pissing off and working on this…

Just remember, the right side probably sounds better than the left!

I'm sure she would have given you an earfull if you didn't see her :P

Android 666

red dave wrote: »

I'm sure she would have given you an earfull if you didn't see her :P

Ah, she wouldn't ear of it!

She's actually staying with us so its kind of unavoidable.

Neurojazz

Next it will be 'Dog ate my homework sir' ;P

Cool, If mixes are not finished that is fine... at least people have tried and we can move on once i've been through everyones with maybe a few others input i can drag in

Android 666

Neurojazz wrote: »

Next it will be 'Dog ate my homework sir' ;P

Cool, If mixes are not finished that is fine... at least people have tried and we can move on once i've been through everyones with maybe a few others input i can drag in

But he did eat it!!!

Tbh, I think I saw this straight after you put it up on Sunday morning (aren't kids and early weekend mornings great!) so I've been tinkering away whenever I get the chance for the past couple of days knowing I'd have to most likely finish up this evening. It'll be a finished track, good or bad.

I think this remix competition is a great idea that's why I wanted to try and get something in for it.

krd

I think I'm losing my mind. I have two clearish ideas - but I need to nail stuff that's - Actually, I need to nail a lot of stuff.


Which is the best way to do drums in Ableton? Operator or the Drum rack? - I've been using operator for months because it was simpler to use.

I don't want to clutter my DAW with separate tracks for each drum - it's not laziness - it's a fear of losing control.

The clap sound on the original recording has been driving me nuts - What is it? Is it some kind of noise - is the attack funny on it - is it dead on 2 and 4 or is it off. I know I've heard it a thousand times before - I know it's really common but I've never created it.

Something Emma Bunting, Baby Spice, once said that now comes to mind; fail to prepare - prepare to fail.

Damn

Android 666

So here's what I managed to get done over the last few days. Chopped the melody in half and kind of went from there:

http://soundcloud.com/android-78/duderstadt-sunrise-android-78s-boards-of-management-remix

Looking forward to hearing everyone else's!

krd

Android 666 wrote: »

So here's what I managed to get done over the last few days. Chopped the melody in half and kind of went from there:

http://soundcloud.com/android-78/duderstadt-sunrise-android-78s-boards-of-management-remix

Looking forward to hearing everyone else's!

And I did the video - President Android Vs Duderstat - Sunrise of the Androids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6KIIQSqHkY

It makes more sense once you've seen the video.

Bet you're wondering where I found the time to do this when I should be working on my mix. ...So am I.. so. am . I.

Anyway - that was fun - wondering why my Ableton Warp is off by 3 32ths' isn't.

Android 666

krd wrote: »

And I did the video - President Android Vs Duderstat - Sunrise of the Androids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6KIIQSqHkY

It makes more sense once you've seen the video.

Bet you're wondering where I found the time to do this when I should be working on my mix. ...So am I.. so. am . I.

Anyway - that was fun - wondering why my Ableton Warp is off by 3 32ths' isn't.

Ha, ha Brilliant

Just one small thing - President Android is lazy atom's nom de plume and his stuff is way, way better than mine.

Neurojazz

krd wrote: »

Which is the best way to do drums in Ableton? Operator or the Drum rack? - I've been using operator for months because it was simpler to use.

Damn

IMPULSE



Trust me!

eeloe

Yeah, i've completely given up on this now!

I just can't get anything decent sounding!

I've about 2-3 minutes of it done, can't get anymore, i'll upload that over the next few days and take criticisim from there

seannash

just looked at the midi files now.

for some reason the volume had been fixed to be at +1.9 db when i dragged it into logic,easy to fix i guess.

interested to hear what people make of it

lazyatom

krd wrote: »

And I did the video - President Android Vs Duderstat - Sunrise of the Androids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6KIIQSqHkY

awesome video! that's great. the track works really well with it! pity it isn't mine..

Android 666 wrote: »

Ha, ha Brilliant

Just one small thing - President Android is lazy atom's nom de plume and his stuff is way, way better than mine.

uh, many thanks for the compliment but you do talk a load of bollocks as well it has to be noted!

Android 666

lazyatom wrote: »

uh, many thanks for the compliment but you do talk a load of bollocks as well it has to be noted!

Well, bollocks talker is my middle name. I had cruel and unusual parents…

lazyatom

well, here goes...

http://soundcloud.com/lustbader/duderstadt-sunrise-lustbader-remix

i was about to upload earlier when a mate mentioned that the kick was lost in the mix. considering i had layered 8 different kick sounds, scooped out all extraneous frequencies, compressed the crap out of it, with an added limiter to boost the damned thing PLUS had sidechained the sh!t outta everything in order to get it 'loud' in the mix, that came as a bit of a bodyblow.

he then suggested i just 'make it louder' which... uh, i did. by increasing the volume. simples. stripped the kick back to a 2kick sandwich and pushed it all the way to eleventy.

for the rest of the track, i took all the energy and loveliness of the original and, uh, well, got rid of them. the result is above.

dasdog

Both so far knock the sh1t out of what I've been doing..good stuff though. I think I'll need to revert from the keep it consolidated and midi only methodology.

lazyatom

Android 666 wrote: »

So here's what I managed to get done over the last few days. Chopped the melody in half and kind of went from there:

http://soundcloud.com/android-78/duderstadt-sunrise-android-78s-boards-of-management-remix

Looking forward to hearing everyone else's!

great track! really liked that. Fischerspooner meets Boards Of Canada. meets Sasha. nice mix of sounds. great stuff.

krd

lazyatom wrote: »

well, here goes...

http://soundcloud.com/lustbader/duderstadt-sunrise-lustbader-remix

i was about to upload earlier when a mate mentioned that the kick was lost in the mix. considering i had layered 8 different kick sounds, scooped out all extraneous frequencies, compressed the crap out of it, with an added limiter to boost the damned thing PLUS had sidechained the sh!t outta everything in order to get it 'loud' in the mix, that came as a bit of a bodyblow.

he then suggested i just 'make it louder' which... uh, i did. by increasing the volume. simples. stripped the kick back to a 2kick sandwich and pushed it all the way to eleventy.

for the rest of the track, i took all the energy and loveliness of the original and, uh, well, got rid of them. the result is above.

You could add a few cymbals and crashes - you have something against cymbals? - there is not a single cymbal in the entire track. They make it sound like something about to happen. So the elements won't sound like they're just drifting into each other.

Anyway mines turning into a real disaster - there's no way I'll get the stuff I want done for Sunday. Spent hours last night trying to get a simple riff to work and couldn't.

lazyatom

krd wrote: »

You could add a few cymbals and crashes - you have something against cymbals? - there is not a single cymbal in the entire track. They make it sound like something about to happen. So the elements won't sound like they're just drifting into each other.

i don't think i've ever used a cymbal crash in any track of mine. ever. so yeah, i guess i have something against them for some reason. i think it's cos anyone i have just sound so cheesy. like, ba-dum-tish cheesy. i never can slot them into a track in any way that doesn't make it all... cheesy.

i do like hats though. they're like cymbals only better, no?

@ Matt; many, many thanks for all your feedback and comments. as a mate of mine pointed out, you'd have to pay good money for professional advice like that. it's really deeply appreciated that anyone takes time out to listen to the tracks let alone make any constructive criticism on them in order to better the music and increase the skills.

i have to agree with every word you say as well... i knew the levels were all over the shop and sounds were fighting. all because i wanted a full-on kick like in the original. ah well, back to the drawing board.

are we allowed to post up re-edits? please say no cos i don't want to look at the damned track again...

Neurojazz

lazyatom wrote: »

i don't think i've ever used a cymbal crash in any track of mine. ever. so yeah, i guess i have something against them for some reason. i think it's cos anyone i have just sound so cheesy. like, ba-dum-tish cheesy. i never can slot them into a track in any way that doesn't make it all... cheesy.

i do like hats though. they're like cymbals only better, no?

@ Matt; many, many thanks for all your feedback and comments. as a mate of mine pointed out, you'd have to pay good money for professional advice like that. it's really deeply appreciated that anyone takes time out to listen to the tracks let alone make any constructive criticism on them in order to better the music and increase the skills.

i have to agree with every word you say as well... i knew the levels were all over the shop and sounds were fighting. all because i wanted a full-on kick like in the original. ah well, back to the drawing board.

are we allowed to post up re-edits? please say no cos i don't want to look at the damned track again...

Don't worry about re-edits - this is exactly what we need to eliminate *Procrastination* - and getting the skills up. The next tests will be a bit different

krd

lazyatom wrote: »

i don't think i've ever used a cymbal crash in any track of mine. ever. so yeah, i guess i have something against them for some reason. i think it's cos anyone i have just sound so cheesy. like, ba-dum-tish cheesy. i never can slot them into a track in any way that doesn't make it all... cheesy.

i do like hats though. they're like cymbals only better, no?

.

I hada big long answer - but my internet connection when funny and it got gobbled up by the magic invisible cat of the internet.

Hats are not really symbols - they and things like shakers - are to act as pedals to drive the music. A symbol can nearly be anything. So if you think one sound is too cheesy just use another. There's a fashion at the minute for not using classic sounding symbols.

Cymbals - and this is true outside of dance or electronic music - are used to announce things like changes or ends or climax things. They make transitions sound smoother less jarring. Also they can just spice things up.

dasdog

I use them a lot. And classical not in the dance sense but as in rolling soft hammers on a cymbal that would sit beside a pair of kettle drums. That and a edge slashes across ride cymbals. I'm looking at Saturday afternoon before posting anything up as I've had two neighbourly complaints in the past couple of months about night time guitars and John Lee Hooker blaring out too loudly and I don't want to mix everything on a set of headphones but I'm getting there.

lazyatom

@ neurojazz: hi matt, you mentioned in your comments that i should listen to some current tracks (N20 and Anjuna...). this shows how little i know and how outta touch i am with what you crazy kids are listening to these days but are those actual track titles or artists? cos they appear as both within Beatport.

any other hints on what sounds hot right now? jeez, just had a weird feeling i was will ferrell in Zoolander just there... <shudder>.

Neurojazz

lazyatom wrote: »

@ neurojazz; hi matt, you mentioned in your comments that i should listen to some current tracks (N20 and Anjuna...). this shows how little i know and how outta touch i am with what you crazy kids are listening to these days but are those actual track titles or artists? cos they appear as both within Beatport.

any other hints on what sounds hot right now? (jeez, just had a weird feeling i was will ferrell in Zoolander just there... <shudder>).

I can probably hint at a few - but there's a lovely DJ forum on boards that you'll find you can ask also what artists and labels are 'current'

N2O is an artist - does some crazy mixes and has a fairly distinct sound - and anjunabeats is a label that is very strict with the sound it signs...

Also check out Marco V for percussion - he's great.

That's mostly Trance orientated, so feel free to go and ask a few DJ up in the other forum for different genres.

Good luck! - have fun with it all.

Android 666

lazyatom wrote: »

@ Matt; many, many thanks for all your feedback and comments. as a mate of mine pointed out, you'd have to pay good money for professional advice like that. it's really deeply appreciated that anyone takes time out to listen to the tracks let alone make any constructive criticism on them in order to better the music and increase the skills.

+1!

Its been great getting detailed feedback like that and it really makes you want to up your game. Cheers for the analysis!