Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow (Gabi Vegas Remix)

Beginner's Guide in Making a Music Remix

"The basic idea behind what we have, has been around for far longer than many realize. Its roots are in Jamaica, where in the late 60's, producers like Lee "Scratch" Perry and King Tubby started releasing dub versions of tracks to occupy the B side of 45s. These would usually be made to sound different than the original by adding effects (spring reverb, tape delay, flanging, eq, etc), and by cutting and rearranging the individual parts.

In a remix, it's possible to change the style, feel, even the emotional meaning of the track by changing the context of sections, reharmonizing melodies, adding additional elements, etc. Though the remixer has a foundation of existing material to build on, they are not restrained in any way. You're free to take that foundation, shift it around, and make it raise the roof!!

Steps:

• Select the right track. This is very important; since this is a derivative art form (you can't remix a nonexistent piece of music). You'll need, at the very least, a complete mixdown of the original track (taken directly from the CD). If you can get separate tracks (especially for vocals) directly from the recording artist, it will make your remix better, and your work easier.
• Try to identify what you will contribute to the track. This can range from changing the feel by adding new rhythm tracks, to total destruction. Think about what sections you like best; what would you keep intact, and what will you change? This is an important stage, because it will shape your workflow throughout the project.

• Dissect the track. Take the materials you have to work with, and do most of the slicing and trimming up front. You can do this in an audio editing suite, especially when it comes to cutting loops (see below for tips and links).
• Experiment! Try all the available effects in your DAW/audio editing software to see how they will sound on each part! There are plenty of things to choose from ... delay, phaser, chorus, flanger, filters and other eq, reverb, amplitude modulation, ring modulation, frequency modulation, timestretching, pitch shifting or correction, vocoding and more.
• Reconstruct (remix). First, set the BPM (tempo - beats per minute) and time signature (usually 4/4 in popular music) in your looping software. Next, import your loops. Once they are imported and time corrected, you should be able to choose any tempo you like, with very little loss of quality. (Note: If you are using Ableton Live, be sure to select a time correction method that jives with your sample type. Beat mode is fine for drums, but may not be great for vocals. Texture mode is fine for many samples, but will often affect the pitch of the sample slightly. Tone is usually good all around.) Now you can start to reconstruct the track. A safe and easy way would be to follow the form of the original (intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, and chorus) but you can also completely change it and make it your own. You can layer the vocals from the verse over a portion of the chorus. You can take a verse as-is, cut individual measure of vocals, and superimpose them reversed. You can reharmonize the vocal or lead lines by introducing completely different elements. Have fun, and experiment!

• Export your creation (mastering). When your remix now has a start and finish, and you are satisfied with it, you should export. Save all or export to a WAV or AIFF file (don't encode an MP3 just yet). Load this into your audio editing software, and normalize it to 99%. This will ensure that your levels at their highest point reach almost the maximum volume. In addition, you can make your remix seem louder by applying a compressor effect to it before normalizing.
• Distribute your remix. Convert this file to MP3, using Lame, or your favorite MP3 converter, and send it all around!

Tips: 

• Watch your quality settings when you convert. 128 is the usual default bitrate, but produces noticeable audio flaws. At minimum, one should encode at 192, but a lossless format such as FLAC is the best choice.
• Remixes show up in nearly all styles. In the pop world, it is usually a functional thing rather than an expressive one - converting pop or rock tunes to be club-ready. The important thing, whether in dub reggae, hiphop remixes, house remixes of pop tunes, or whatever, is that the remixer adds their own personal touch to the track - bringing some important elements of the original, while adding their own recognizable style.
• If you are remixing a song that you do not own the copyright of, do not distribute your song without permission from the owner. Serious actions may be taken by the artist, but they probably won't unless your song becomes extremely popular.

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Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling (Kazmo Remix)

"They've transcended their vigilant hip-hop roots and have become a global phenomenon, the likes of which the music world has rarely seen. Ever-curious and ever-confident, that group is The Black Eyed Peas, and after energizing crowds 'round the globe with the monster-stomp of Elephunk, it's time for the quartet – William, Fergie, apl.de.ap and Taboo to get down to business – Monkey Business, that is.

2003’s Elephunk was a breakthrough album for The Black Eyed Peas, vaulting them to a level of success unparalleled by any other hip-hop group. The accolades are quick to recite: 7.5 million albums sold worldwide, 4 Grammy nominations, 1 Grammy award, and an unforgettable performance on the 2005 broadcast. But fitted with loose rhymes, buoyant anthemic funk and an ebullient live spirit, the album also heralded a new sound for the modern age – one that is inspired by hip-hop, eschews boundaries and inhibitions, and cuts across ages, races and backgrounds. It is a sound that can be described only as One Nation Under A Black Eyed Peas Groove. But if Elephunk was the group being crowned prince of the castle, then Monkey Business, their fourth album, is The Black Eyed Peas conquering the throne to become King. It is an album that further intensifies their passion for making music together, for connecting with their audience through the most fundamental ways: making people have a good time. It is a credo that has inspired the group since they formed in the late 1990s, earning their keep in the nurturing environment of Los Angeles' vibrant hip-hop underground. Even then, the group possessed a magnetic spirit that helped them establish a worldwide following through their first two albums, 1998's Behind The Front and 2000's Bridging The Gap.

Singer Justin Timberlake joins the group again for the song, "My Style." He first sang on the song, "Where Is The Love?," the breakout single from Elephunk. "We get along real well," says will.i.am, "and he sees music in a very similar way. Plus, he's just a good dude." The song was produced by famed beat-maker Timbaland. "I like experiencing things I've never experienced before," will.i.am says. "It brings you out of your comfort zone and that can be creatively inspiring. And Timbaland is an incredible talent."Other collaborators join The Black Eyed Peas on this album, too, like Sting on "Union." Neo-folk singer, Jack Johnson is sampled on the song, "Gone Going." The Peas also got to live something of a dream when they hooked up with the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, for the song, "They Don't Want Music." "That was just stupid, man," will.i.am says. "Being a fan of hip-hop and knowing that the music's backbone is based entirely on James Brown – the concept of hitting the beat on the "one," it's an otherworldly experience." The Black Eyed Peas remain one of only a handful of select groups that have been able to collaborate with Funk's inventor. "We met in the UK, at the Mojo Awards, and we talked about working together. I remember when we recorded; I played him the beat all nervous and everything. We all sat in the room and he nodded his head and grunted in approval."

That song is reflective of the Peas' fluid funk that can run from generation to generation – and is one of the reasons why the group is beloved and respected worldwide. "I think the fact that we just have fun with music is the reason why it works for us," says will.i.am. "We love music and melodies and don't try to distinguish ourselves from regular music fans. It's really that simple." "Source & full article available at www.blackeyedpeas.com.