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So you want to create a sweet new techno remix of the song you just heard at the club. You’re stoked to recreate that feeling the song has by splicing it in with a new baseline and throwing in some cool pop cultural references from sound clips in movies and whatnot. Sounds amazing. But now you have to get your hands on some audio mixing software that doesn’t break the bank. Fortunately, there are some great programs out there that are FREE and allow you some great flexibility in working with audio files.
First there is a program called Audacity, which is marketed as a professional mixing program however it’s user interface is very intuitive and easy to get the hang of. It’s great for someone not too familiar with the ins and outs of audio mixing. It allows you to export your completed remix to an MP3 player as well so you can quickly take it to show to others.
Ultramixer is a free edition of the larger program that’s great for putting together quick and easy remixes. It’s a bit more technical so it helps to have a working knowledge of audio mixing going in however it’s not difficult to get the hang of. Also, they’ve recently updated the program to be better able to handle a larger audio library. So you can work with more tracks and source music without getting slowed down by lag.
Finally there is a program available for free called Opensebj that only works on Windows computers. It’s very eclectic in the variety of remixing tools available at your disposal. Not bad for first timers and allows for great flexibility for the more experienced remix DJ. AVS Audio Editor is another free program similar to Opensebj that allows a good deal of batch editing and manipulating multiple sound files.
Depending on your computer, operating system, and internet connection, some programs will work better for you than others. Just try out several different freebies to find the one that’s right for you. Get that techno remix out there, my friends!
First of all, let’s try to understand what a techno remix really is. The essentials of a techno remix are basically taking a pre-existing song or media clip, something that can be edited with editing software, and remixing, re-cutting, or mashing up the various elements that make it what it is. A remix isn’t just a regurgitating of the original song or video, it’s actually a brand new version that has been re-imagined and assembled to capture some new element of the music or video.
There are a few different programs you can use to create amazing techno remixes. The strictly audio-based programs are things like Fruity Loops, Audacity, or Ultramixer. These allow you to load in a song – say you want to remix Celine Dion’s latest smash hit or some other trite garbage to make it way better—and the song is laid out in front of you in a visual way. Usually you see blocks of sound and different rhythm sections stylized as individual tracks.
You can then isolate the good parts of the song or the silly lyrics and repeat them to create a new baseline beat. Throw in some riffs and base drum hits to keep the tempo pumping, of course. The goal is to find a brand new song hiding inside the original one. Perhaps you’re going for humor or maybe you just want to make a song more badass for the club.
It’s like sculpture. Michelangelo, the famous Renaissance artist responsible for the Statue of David once talked of sculpting like uncovering the hidden work of art inside the block of granite. Rather than approach that huge stone as something to be shaped into art, he took the approach that there was already something amazing hidden inside and his job was simply to uncover it or let it out.
So see that song as a block of granite and find the hidden gems lurking inside. Even Celine Dion’s songs can make a bang-up techno remix, thus saving them from SUCK.