Remixing & sampling...what does it do to the original track?

[sympathetic | DIVISION]

In a recent discussion on the boards on the intent of a track the conversation went off into a discussion about what a remix or sampling of a song does to the original piece of music. Does it add to the original or does it detract from the original? Or even worse...a simple re-hashing of a vastly superior song?

In recent years I have rarely come across a remix that has made me sit up & go "WOW! That was cool! I wonder how they did that?". While sampling is so over used in many songs that the track might as well be called a cover-version! While I'll admit I use samples in my tracks I try to use as little as I can & I totally believe samples are of great use in music. It's just that sampling has become too easy & it's sadly sapping the soul out of music!

What are your thoughts guys? Where are the good remixes?

[SAVO]

As far as sampling goes in Hip-Hop culture, the way I like to see it is that an old record is like a snapshot of the past, like an audible photograph. So its simply taking that "snapshot" of the past and reusing it in a different context for attracting the next young generation to see/hearing it, and eventually liking it.

As for dance remixes in general, I think u have to remember is that its always good to have at least 2 versions of the same song for multiple reasons....different DJs have different tastes playing to crowds of different taste.

For example, I made a new Norwegian friend (Waterfly Music, top myspace friend) who makes Trance - a maximalist genre. I did a rmx of his track called "Air" which I remixed into a minimal/deep house genre making the same tune (hopefully) attractive to totally a different crowd...simple as that. I'd say thats why remixes shall always be favourites for many.

Its just also the whole idea of an artist being able to do a different take/approach/interpretation on the same thing...because you have to remember INTENT is only half the scope of the game, the other half is PERCEPTION as we mentioned in the previous discussion, therefore making remixes not useful but vital if u want to raise your chances of being successful artist. Sometimes the original track just never gets percieved right by most people.

[John Koch-Northrup]

Interesting thoughts... Remixing and sampling are both art forms and some people are great at it and others aren't. A dance remix is, well - intended for a club and in the hands of a good dj - one mix may completely transcend the original due to the tracks around it and the audience.

It's kind of like a live concert - many utterly amazing concerts "if you were there" - sound a bit lifeless on a recording sitting in your living room.

I don't tend to like a lot of songs that liberally pull huge chunks of old songs and someone raps over it... That kind of sampling doesn't impress me.

But someone that takes a snippet from here and another from there and melds those old snapshots into something new... That's cool.
Anyway - that's enough tapping out on my blackberry for now!

[SAVO]

about my rmx I mentioned....

Air (SAVO Rmx) by savoaudio