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Remix

arts Maturity 7-9 Next article →

A remix is a way to change something existing to make it new. You can remix a song, a book, a poem, or even a photograph. To remix, a person adds, removes, or changes parts of the original item. This is called appropriation. In music, it is often a type of audio mixing. People remix songs for many different reasons. They might change a song to work better on the radio. Sometimes, they want to make a version for a nightclub. A remix can even help an old song reach a new audience.

There are many ways to perform a remix. Some people simply make an edit by shortening a song. Others create a cover, which is a brand new recording of a song. A true remix recombines pieces from a recording to change the sound. In the 1980s, artists made extended mixes on 12-inch vinyl records. These versions were often six or seven minutes long. They might add new instrument parts after a chorus. Some were as simple as stitching two copies of a song together.

MariahGMA
MariahGMA

Modern remixing began in the dance-hall culture of Jamaica. This happened in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Local mixers would take apart reggae tracks to rebuild them. Producers like King Tubby and Lee "Scratch" Perry made stripped-down versions. They would drop the vocals or add effects like echo and delay. Later, DJs in disco clubs used tape edits to keep people dancing. Tom Moulton was a very important figure in this era. He invented the dance remix and the 12-inch single format.

JessicaSimpsonMay10
JessicaSimpsonMay10

As technology changed, remixing became even more creative. In the mid-1970s, Jamaican immigrants in the Bronx helped create hip-hop. They used techniques like cutting and scratching on vinyl records. This created a style that felt like a live collage. By the 1990s, powerful home computers allowed for mashups. A mashup is an unofficial remix that joins two different songs. Artists like Girl Talk create entire albums using sounds from other music. Some artists, like Björk, even encourage their fans to make remixes.

Melanie Chisholm byte
Melanie Chisholm byte

Today, remixing is a huge part of the music industry. Some artists use remixes to help their careers grow. Madonna is known as the most remixed act in the world. Her album "You Can Dance" helped make remix albums popular. However, remixing can sometimes lead to legal disputes. This happens when people argue about the rights to a sample. For example, Jay-Z had a trial about a sample in his song "Big Pimpin'." Despite these hard jobs, remixing remains a way to explore new sounds. It connects old pieces of art to new ways of listening.

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