- Department: Music
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
This module will explore the history and development of remixes, linking with contemporary remix approaches. It will also give students the opportunity to explore and produce their own remixes.
Prerequisites: Students MUST have good experience of sequencers and DAWs (specifically Logic, Ableton, FL Studio, or Cubase only). Module will be assessed in Logic and/or Ableton only. No additional support will be given to students on basic DAW or sequencer operation. A reasonable grasp of music theory (rhythm, key, melody etc.) is recommended.
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 2 2024-25 |
Remixes are everywhere… but they’re nothing new. Remixing, and its associated skills (sampling, sequencing, audio processing etc.) have been a key aspect of popular music for over half a century. The term, whilst originally associated with disco and dub, has come to encompass electronic dance music and its various genres, rock, indie, hip hop and commercial pop. Remixing techniques are not merely limited to post production approaches, but can be vitally important for any music producer at any stage of the production process. This module will provide an introduction to remixing and its associated practical skills.
In this module, conceptual and technical approaches to remixes will be explored through listening sessions, discussions and skills demonstrations. In these sessions we will pick apart how remixes were created, the artistic and technical decisions that were made, and the challenges faced by remixers in many instances. The second strand will see students constructing their own remixes from a range of materials. Students will be expected to work within an electronic dance music style, but the genre and specific approaches they take will be at their own discretion. Students will be provided with advice and tutorials to improve their practice.
By the end of the taught part of the project you should be able to:
Summarize the historical development of remixing and its associated techniques
Differentiate between and analyse possible technical methods deployed in remixes
Justify your own approaches to creating remixes from given material, with a view to critically analysing its effectiveness and quality.
Select appropriate audio elements to utilize within a remix
Produce a remix that employs substantial portions of given material treated and processed with purpose
Third years: On completion of the module, in your independent work, you should demonstrate learning outcomes C1-6 and, depending on submission route, C7, C9, C10 and/or C12. https://www.york.ac.uk/music/undergraduate/modules/learning-outcomes/
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Essay/coursework | 0 |
None
You can choose from two options:
Option 1:
Option 2:
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Essay/coursework | 0 |
You will receive written feedback in line with standard University turnaround times.
Allen, J. Anthony. Music Theory for Electronic Music Producers: The Producers Guide to Harmony, Chord Progressions, and Song Structure in the MIDI Grid. United States: Slam Academy, 2018.
Brett, Thomas. The Creative Electronic Music Producer. United Kingdom: Routledge, 2021.
Gunkel, David J. Of Remixology: Ethics and Aesthetics After Remix. United Kingdom: MIT Press, 2016.
The Routledge Companion to Remix Studies. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2014.
Navas, Eduardo. Remix Theory: The Aesthetics of Sampling. Austria: Ambra Verlag, 2014.
Roads, Curtis. Composing Electronic Music: A New Aesthetic. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2015.