The making of A-ha’s – Take On Me remix
Back in the days I found the original version (1985) intriguing, especially due to the revolutionary music video. It took Michael Patterson 3,000 sketches and the total crew 4 months to complete it. I was browsing some a capellas when I found the Take On Me vocals in January 2017. I imported them in my […]
Check the true quality of your MP3 files
There is a way to check if your audio files really are the quality they say they are. A low quality MP3 file – for instance, with a 128 kbps bitrate – can be converted to a higher quality file with a 320 kbps bitrate. This upscaled version tricks you into thinking you have some […]
Cubase: routing FX to a group track
In Cubase 7, I was able to route all my virtual instruments and audio tracks to Group tracks – or the so called ‘buses’. But it seemed impossible to route a Send Effect track (or: FX channel) to a Group track, where I’d like to process all Send Effects together, before it would hit the […]
My remix approach
Remixes have been around for a while now and seem to have an increasing impact on the success of a single. With several interpretations and variations of a song being published, the audience can enjoy the version they like most. I’ll explain how I come to my remixes in this article.
Acoustic treatment
My homestudio needed acoustical improvements. Sound reflections were coming from the walls, the bass tended to accumulate in the corners and my listening position wasn’t very centered. An easy step to test reflections in your own room is to clap in your hands and listen to the reverb tail. It should be non-existent in a […]
Centric omni-channel soundtrack
I composed and recorded the soundtrack for a new Centric commercial, which was produced by NewMade. The video was shot in South Africa and deals with the omni-channel concept for retailers. After receiving the storyboard, script and attending the meetings with Centric and NewMade, I started composing. It was clear that the first section of […]
Intronaut – Valley of Smoke remix
My remix for Intronaut’s “Valley of Smoke” contest on Indaba.com finished 2nd, that was a close call. I think I didn’t win because I only used some of the supplied guitar and drum samples of the original song, made an unrecognizable arrangement compared to the original and last but certainly not least: they were obliged […]
Nick Carter – So Far Away remix
My entry ended 2nd in the Nick Carter remix contest on Indaba.com. Who would’ve thought that, since all I did was fiddling around on the piano for just two nights? This meant I received a cash prize and a signed CD. As a bonus, my remix will be included on the official release of Nick’s […]
Janelle Monáe – Tightrope remix
I listened to Janelle’s ‘ArchAndroid’ album for two months and was curious if any acapellas were available. Bingo. Having found her ‘Tightrope’ acapella, I went ahead and made my own version. I started with trying different chords during the chorus and verse and wanted to do a different style when Big Boi came in at […]
Armin van Buuren remix
I entered the ‘Armin van Buuren – Touch Me’ remix contest which was held by Interface magazine, but didn’t win. I did however end up as one of the 9 entries which the jury liked, there were 116 participants.
