Making music

[TheTourist]

I want to mix songs partly using samples from other songs but dont know how people do it. Artists use parts of songs like the bassline or the drum beat, but having the full song how do I get these separate samples? Is this something which requires you to be in the music business or is there software that separates the vocals and the separate melodies and instruments in an mp3 you put into it?
Thanks for any replies.

[mormess]

These are often sampled from a clear part of the track, e.g. when the drums are on their own, or like in Fatboy Slim's 'Praise You', the vocal is taken from an old song where the intro is vocals only.

Remixes using samples are often endorsed and commissioned by the original artist so they give their multitracks - seperate tracks of drums, vox, etc, to the remix producer and they use what they need.

You can't really just seperate out the different tracks from an MP3, and if you could it wouldn't be clean sounding.

Beware that if you want to remix stuff you have to get the permission of the person who wrote the song and the people who performed it. You could end up getting sued if you release a remix without their permission.

There are many many sample CDs available with copyright-free samples - drums, vocals, riffs etc. On Reason, which is sequencing software, for instance, there are loads of drum loops from famous DJs and bands and they've given their permission for people to use them in their own mixes.

What kind of musical setup do you have at the moment?

A really good starter application is eJay which you can get for �20 and it lets you drag in blocks of samples and loops to make your own track. You can even record in your own vocals.

Good luck and watch the copyright!

[dannykay]

Yes most artists wanting to use a sample from a particular track would first have to get permission from the record company that holds the rights to the song. Then they would most likely use the master tape to take the sample down and produce it in a studio.
There is editing software available to "bootleg" or white label your sample separate from the rest of the production. Go onto any of the DJ mixing sites and you will find it.

[TheTourist]

thanks a lot. i expect that u had to be in the biz to get the separated tracks. im not doing anything serious just having a go, tried ejay, numark cue and other things before its just i struggle to separated different parts out so i just get too many layers or 2 different vocal tracks then what i want is 1 and 2 different melodies.

[squarebear]

There is software out there that claims to be able to remove vocals etc from songs but from my experience they are poor at best. I compare it to baking a cake then trying to take the flour out. Once it's all mixed in, it's impossible.

[mormess]

Good answer squarebear! That's why they're called mixes. You really can't seperate things out but you can use EQ and filters to make certain elements quieter.

If you want to use a riff from a certain song, say the horn part or the drum part, if you have a sequencer like Reason or something you can reprogramme the part - replicate it rather than sample it.

Basically, you can't seperate, but you can replicate or you can get samples for the purpose of remixing.

I reviewed a CD once called Sampled - it was all the original songs that so many people have sampled for newer hits. Absolutely classic - included the Labbi Siffre (SP?) song that was sampled for My Name Is by Eminem. Far far better!

[TheTourist]

mormess - thanks for ure help. downloaded a version of reason but have no idea how to use it to either create any new music nor edit tracks i already have. its only a demo version but i cant seem to do anything so i was wondering if u would be so kind as to teach me some basics of reason. im reasonably computer literate but i would be very grateful if u could help me start, i just cant get any sound in the timeline at the bottom.
whats ure interest mormess? and ure setup? do u mix music or ru a dj?

[mormess]

Hi Tourist

I was just checking back through my old answers and found yours! Sorry I never replied. I run a recording studio and compose music myself. I use ProTools and Reason. I can't teach you the basics on here - I'd have to know your setup - but there are great music forums that help newbies, as well as great magazines like Computer Music. Or get a Reason handbook.

Good luck!