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What's with the whole "remix" thing?

post #1 of 7
10/12/09 at 4:14pm
Thread Starter 
I have been stumbling across various songs on the internet that are "remixes" of songs I know. They all suck. Is there something good about remixing and I've just had the bad fortune to only run into the lousy stuff, or is this the result of someone getting Audacity or Goldwave for their birthday instead of a puppy?
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post #2 of 7
10/12/09 at 4:26pm
There are good remixes out there, particularly of electronic genres where I think the term originated. You're an electronic group, like Ladytron for example, and perhaps Trent Reznor takes your song and makes his own take on it. Like the electronic equivalent of a cover version. Nowadays, though, it mostly refers to hilariously bad electronic mixes of songs you've likely forgotten form the 1980s.
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post #3 of 7
10/12/09 at 8:41pm
I agree; for some electronic genres, remixing is almost like covering a song, because they make their own songs out of other people's material anyway.

I don't think this means they have to be particularly good though. Taking your Trent Reznor example, of most remixes others have made using his songs I don't think they're very good. And I do like some electronic music; even some where obvious samples have been taken. I guess it's just taste, but in general I find electronic remixes like those are just attempts to add an obnoxious dance beat to make the song suitable for club play. Many of them don't progress, and many don't seem to me to have much thought going into their development, though I'm sure there are those who will disagree.
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post #4 of 7
10/12/09 at 8:58pm
yeah, remixing is a common/accepted practice in the electronic world, almost its own genre (from the production end, at least), similar to a "cover" as these other guys pointed out. A really good remix can extend the song in new ways, letting you hear potential in the song that was "hidden" before, until the mixer actualized it.

As far as not liking them, sometimes it's a case where you are just so used to the original that a remix automatically sounds bad, or "wrong." But once you get used to it you can find you actually start preferring the remix to the original.
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post #5 of 7
10/12/09 at 9:14pm
Thread Starter 
Now I see.

I like pretty much all music with the exception of rap. I feel that genre totally sacrifices melody for beat. I've only recently begun to really like what I call electronic music. This is why I wouldn't recognize a remix, because I'm not that familiar with the originals.

It's the older songs I'm finding objectionable. When I heard a "remix" of Symphony for the Devil I said wtf? It's more like paulboy09 says: adding an obnoxious dance beat. Maybe userlander is right, but I didn't like it. I think it would take me a looong time to like a remix of Stairway to heaven, but I may be able to more easily handle Pink Floyd "remixed".

Can anyone point me toward an electronic song and a worthy "remix" I can listen to?
.
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post #6 of 7
10/12/09 at 9:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Justin Uthadude View Post
Now I see.

I like pretty much all music with the exception of rap. I feel that genre totally sacrifices melody for beat. I've only recently begun to really like what I call electronic music. This is why I wouldn't recognize a remix, because I'm not that familiar with the originals.

It's the older songs I'm finding objectionable. When I heard a "remix" of Symphony for the Devil I said wtf? It's more like paulboy09 says: adding an obnoxious dance beat. Maybe userlander is right, but I didn't like it. I think it would take me a looong time to like a remix of Stairway to heaven, but I may be able to more easily handle Pink Floyd "remixed".

Can anyone point me toward an electronic song and a worthy "remix" I can listen to?
.
Check out Thievery Corporation - they really make some great remixes in the sense of making them their own, not just adding a dance beat. Also the album Telegram is entirely made up of remixes of Bjork's Post album. Just two artists off the top of my head. NIN has a lot of remixes, as I think TR encourages them (as does Bjork) - Cocteau Twins "The Thinner the Air" remixed by Massive Attack -- the list is just endless, everything from the Bee Gees to Zappa has probably been remixed, often multiple times.
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post #7 of 7
10/13/09 at 1:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Justin Uthadude View Post
I have been stumbling across various songs on the internet that are "remixes" of songs I know. They all suck. Is there something good about remixing and I've just had the bad fortune to only run into the lousy stuff, or is this the result of someone getting Audacity or Goldwave for their birthday instead of a puppy?
Never really bothered by them before, but now that you mention it, out of the dozens and dozens of them I have heard, I have yet to hear one that makes me sit up and say "Wow, they really added a crapload of value to that original mix!"
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