A remix is a song that has been modified from the original recorded song. The term remix is however not limited just to songs alone. It also extends to other components of cultures such as literature, foods, and beverages etc. The motivation for creating a remix is to create something new from an old work, to give it new meaning and cultural context.
The process that is used to create remixes of recordings is called audio mixing. In general, the new compositions will have new elements added to it, or even some parts removed. Remixes are also made with the fusion of multiple songs. The DJs usually change one or more aspects such as the pitch, the tempo, or dynamics etc, which changes the feel of the original recording. For example, some DJs might give more precedence to the vocal aspect of the song, by upping the singer’s voice. Various other effects are added to the original song to change the mood from the original one. Digital audio workstations are most commonly used to add these effects.
A remix artist may have a number of different goals such as:
• Creating a better version of an originally popular or unpopular song
• To add sound effects to an old recording for modern settings and digital effects
• To apply a different music genre to the original song
• Extending the song to suit people with different tastes
• To create alternative versions of a song, so they it can be added as a bonus tracks. These are usually called B-sides or fillers
• To use popular songs as a platform for new artists by creating artistic connections
• Altering a song to suit a different artistic senses
Remixes are different from edits. While remixes are mostly done for artistic purposes, edits are done for convenient broadcasting and marketing. Editing simply involves shortening the original song by removing parts of the track, so they can be played on radio or television for promotional purposes.
Remixes are also different for covers. Covers are an almost identical recreation of the original song, with a different singer. Remixes, on the other hand, tend to separate different pieces of the song, recombine them in different ways, and create a new version of the original.