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Want to run a remix contest? We are launching a new site

Edward — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:17:00 +0000

We are getting ready to launch our new remix contest hosting site in a week or two. We are currently on the look out for labels and artists who are looking to run a remix contest to help us launch the site. The site is automated and allows you to run a remix contest to your specifications. We've created what we think is a great set of tools to run your remix contest from start to finish.

The site has...

Quick and easy remix contest creation.
Includes web space to upload your remix stems.
Sponsors can get involved on your contest.
SoundCloud integration for entries.
Tools to moderate, judge and announce your winners.

If you are an artist or run a label and you want to run a remix contest and be a part of launch please contact us. We can let you into the system to see whether it is right for your remix contest before we launch it to the public in a week or two and let you create a remix contest now ready for our launch. We already have a great user base of remixers ready to take part from Remix Comps.

The service is free to everyone, the only thing that we ask is that contest creators release the winning remix on a label as the prize for your contest.

To check out the site showing an example remix contest visit Remix Comps Contests and read about creating a remix contest using the site as a remix contest host here.

How To Download SoundCloud Tracks (Downloads Disabled)

Edward — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:25:47 +0000

Sometimes we see some remix stems or an acapella which have reached it's download limit on SoundCloud meaning that you can't download the tracks and get started on your remix. Or maybe the acapella/remix stems were available for download but now they're not. In this post we will show you a simple way you can get around this and download tracks in the same quality which you can listen to the track in the SoundCloud player all at the click of a button from your browser.

Install Greasemonkey Extension (or Equivalent)
Using Mozilla Firefox you need to install the addon called Greasemonkey or if you are using Google Chrome then you need to install the equivalent called Tampermonkey.These extensions allow scripts to make changes to the websites you see and there are loads that allow extra features to be added to popular websites.

Install the SoundCloud Super User Script
This SoundCloud script can be installed from here. Just click install in the top right hand corner and Greasemonkey/Tampermonkey should take care of the rest and install the script for you.

Now when you go SoundCloud on a page with a acapella or remix stems that has reached it's download limits you can simply right click on the new button that has appeared and choose Save > As. Here is a screenshot of what this new button looks like.

New Features and Improvements - February 2012

Edward — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:05:53 +0000

When we first started Remix Comps back in December 2008, we could only find about 40 remix contests, today as I write this there are 135 remix contests listed on the site. Because of this huge increase in the number of remix contests it can get difficult to quickly go through and find the best of the best. We also realize that not all remix contests are created equally and some don't reward remixers as well as others do.

We wanted to add some updates which make it easier and quicker for visitors as well as making certain remix contests stand out from the crowd when they reward remixers for their hard work with good prizes. We also want to see remix contests start being a bit more open about the amount of royalties that a remixer gets when a remix gets released as many remix contests don't even mention any royalties at all.

When royalty percentage is mentioned we are now highlighting this with a star on the right hand side of the listing. We also have a new section under the prize drop-down at the top which allows you to see just remix contests which say that they are giving away royalties. Plus we have a new way to sort these so you can quickly see the highest royalty percentage paying remix contest on this page, this is available from the new dropdown above called "Top".

Some remix contests give away a cash rewards instead of royalties. So just like with the contests paying royalties we highlight these contests with a star on the right of the listing and we also have another page which sorts these by cash value for the main prize winner on this page and this is also available from the new dropdown.

We also have a new Editor's Picks page where we will be selecting remix contests as they are listed that have a decentgood combination of decent prizes, no "bad" rules and based upon the original track. Editor's Picks are also highlighted on the right hand side of the remix contest.

We hope these improvements help you using the site.

Chuckadile's Cover Song Remix Kits

Edward — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:58:03 +0000

Chuckadile is a recording engineer, producer, musician, recording blogger based in Toronto and he has released some remix kits for covers for famous songs by bands such as Coldplay, Radiohead, The Cure, Florence + The Machine and more. The remix kits can be downloaded from Chuckadile's site along with the original cover version. The covers that are there are well recorded and sound pretty similar to the original tracks. There are no vocal tracks yet, but Chuckadile has provided the ability for people to contribute their own parts, so maybe someone with a similar sounding voice to the original singer will contribute later.

If you've ever wanted to have a go at remixing any of these songs but didn't know where to start you now have a decent starting point. He is also taking requests from people, so if there is a song you've been wanting to remix, you just might be able to get hold of some recreations of the instrument tracks. Chuckadile has told us that he intends to add new tracks every month, so it's worth a bookmark to see which ones comes up. You can also share your new remixes online as long as you credit Chuckadile as co-collaborator and put a link to chuckadile.com.

Visit Chuckadile's remix kit site.

How To Disable Downloads on your SoundCloud Tracks

Edward — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:47:34 +0000

An increasing number of labels running remix contests are asking for entrants to make sure that downloading is disabled when uploading your entries, especially when it is to public SoundCloud groups. Labels are doing this because if your remix contest entry manages to win a release, they know that the download hasn't been spread around already before they get the chance to release it.

Some labels are even going as far as stating that if downloads are enabled then you'll be automatically disqualified from the remix contest. I keep seeing reminders being given out to make sure that people are disabling downloads. So to stop anyone accidentally getting penalized, I thought I'd put together this quick tutorial on how to actually disable downloads.

Disabling Downloads Whilst Uploading Your Track

1. To upload your track to a SoundCloud group or a user's dropbox go to the dropbox page and click the "Choose File" button.

2. Once uploading you should see it being uploaded with an progress bar at the top. While this is happening you can start to put in the details about your track such as the name, genre etc. Under this there is a section called "Settings" that looks like the following image. (Note. If you can't see this then continue uploading as normal and follow the "Disabling Downloads on an Already Uploaded Track." instructions below as we've seen the download option not appear before).

3. Now make sure you click the first tick called "downloads enabled" so that it looks like this and says that "downloaded disabled"...

4. Once your file has finished uploading, click save and your done. But to check just make sure that the SoundCloud player on the SoundCloud widget doesn't have a downward pointing arrow download button is disabled and greyed out. If it is then your done and good luck with you remix contest entry.

Disabling Downloads on an Already Uploaded Track

1. Firstly click the pencil icon on the SoundCloud track you want to edit, this will edit the track details.
2. On the next page you should see all the settings for that SoundCloud track such as the name, genre etc. Scroll down and you should come across a section called "Settings" that looks like this.

3. Now make sure you click the first tick called "downloads enabled" so that it looks like this and says that "downloaded disabled"...

4. Now click save at the bottom of the edit page and your done. But to check just make sure that the SoundCloud player on the for that track doesn't have a downward pointing arrow download button is disabled and greyed out.

I hope these help you disable downloads on your SoundCloud tracks and remix contest entries for those who were unsure on how to do it.

How to Remix with Ableton by The Ableton Cookbook

Edward — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:36:06 +0000

The Ableton Cookbook have started a series on how to remix with Ableton. There are currently 4 articles complete with videos and I thought it would be worth pointing out this on here to those of you using Ableton and wanting to improve their remixing ability or even begin learning to remix.

There are currently 4 articles published at the time of writing this, each complete with their own video.

Here's part one's video...

Visit The Ableton Cookbook for more tutorials, articles and videos for Ableton Users.

Free 500MB DJ MixTools Samplepack from Loopmasters

Edward — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:39:48 +0000

Loopmasters are giving away for a limited time a free 500MB samplepack from their new series of professional samplepacks called DJ MixTools. Each of these new samplepacks contain tracks within a certain style that contain the stems and allow you to add them to your DJ mixes.

Download your free samplepack now from Loopmasters (You'll need a Loopmasters account)

Help Complete The History of Remixing

Edward — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:00:32 +0000

The History of Remixing is going to be a new online resource documenting how modern day remixing came about. You can visit the current timeline here. The site is setup so you can browse through the different eras covered and scroll through events that are important moments in the development of the remixing that we know today, ranging from the 1600s right up to the present day.

Daniel Astley who created this has already done a superb job of putting together an informative timeline. But to make this resource complete and as representative of "the remixing community" as possible, Daniel would like to hear your suggestions of any additions that should be added. So send your suggestions of what you feel was an important point or development in remixing history by either commenting on this post or sending your suggestion directly to Daniel at dma_records@hotmail.com

Filming the Judging Process of Remix Contests

Edward — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 15:14:34 +0000

Audioclef - The people behind the recent Amber Davis Remix Contest put together a video of them going through the judging process between members of the Audioclef team and the producer of the original track Marcus Davis. I thought that this idea of making a video and giving an insight into what the judges thought about the top tracks is a very good one. I think I speak for a lot of entrants of remix contests when I say please remix contest organizers follow this example and do this more often.

Not only does it show that the remix contest was judged properly but gives your future remix contests more credibility It also helps entrants to understand what the judges were thinking and discussing about and understand a bit better as to why certain tracks were chosen. So lets see more of this please remix contest organizers and open up your judging process for all of us to see.

Future for Releasing Remixes Legally? A Look at Legitmix

Edward — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:45:18 +0000

Yesterday I watched a live video webcast from the Future of Music Coalition's Policy Summit 2011. They introduced me to a company called Legitmix who have an interesting idea and product that might make it possible for musicians to release their remixes, mashups and sampled music without going through the time consuming and costly process of getting copyright clearance for releasing remixes.

The way it works is that to release your track which uses samples you specify which tracks your remix, mashup or mix has sampled from and as long as the listener owns the tracks that have been sampled from then everything is 'legit'. The Legitmix software basically checks the listeners machine to make sure that the original tracks are legally purchased. This development could allow remixers to legally release remixes of tracks as well as earn money for their art.

It's an interesting idea, but what I took away from listening to the Future of Music Summit is that it is believed to be all legal by Legitmix's founder but is somewhat still on shaky ground copyright wise. We'll have to watch to see how it develops.

Anyway I thought it would be well worth pointing this out on here as it could be a development for remixers and musician who use samples in their tracks but who aren't in a position to get the necessary licenses currently required to release legally. I also believe to be successful it will somehow have to be integrated into services such as iTunes, but then you have to wonder whether consumers will think it is worth buying multiple tracks to get hold of one remix that they want, especially if it samples multiple tracks.