For my Art class, (Soundtopia) we were asked to create a mashup song. A mashup is a mix of two or more songs, making them sound like one. We were visited by professional DJ Carlos Torres. When with Carlos we learned the meaning and how to beat match. After the visit, we had decided on the songs and beats of our own mashup. I learned a lot from the experience. Mostly on what it means to make music, and how to beat match. Below is my artist statement and mashup, check it out!
The purpose of this project was to use two songs, utopic and dystopic, and mash them to create songs that speak to your character. I learned a lot in order to be able to make this mashup, but most importantly, beat matching. Beat matching is the art of matching two beats down to a science. We were visited by Carlos Torres, a professional DJ. While visiting, CT made a mashup with us and showed us how to beat match. This song helped me grasp how to understand how music is made, and how to make music. I picked the songs Problems and Change is Gonna Come. I chose these songs because I wanted to pick a pop related song, and a classic song. Problems is by ASAP Rocky and was only released last year. I feel the contrast in music styles is what makes mashups so great. Essentially, it has never been heard before. The contrast between two clashing styles, when pulled off, can sound like one song.
In my opinion, my final product is utopic. I am a fan of hip hop, and I believe my mashup reflects that. I enjoy beats and mixes that are relaxed and make you dance a little. I feel I did a good job of completing this personal goal. The beat has everything to do with it’s utopic feel. The beat is the floor to every song. In my song, I feel that all of the samples follow the lead of the beat. The beat is very high pitched and moves at average pace, making it sound utopic. I enjoy the process of making a mashup, although it may be difficult. It begins with finding the songs, which for me was relatively easy. I am a fan of both ASAP Rocky and Sam Cooke, and I found they mash up quite well. The next part, and mostly the final part, is cutting and clipping songs to make them sound as if they are one song. This was the longest and hardest part of the project. After you’re finished with these two steps, your mashup is complete.