LESSON DEL DIA: HOW TO MASHUP
Ever wonder how or why DJs fuse seemingly opposite tracks? Fransheska y Madonna? Qué qué? Well Boricua DJ duo D’Marquesina are all about it. Mashups are a great way to give listeners a point of reference (remember that Menudo song?), something to grab on to. But they’re not just your regular ol’ mix. Mashups happen when you combine two stylistically-different tracks (think Yanni and Metallica, Vico C and Andrea Bocelli) and fuse them together to create one track. No flip flopping, just constant overlay. Most times, they’ll end up sounding even better than the originals.
D’Marquesina has been creating a myriad of mashups as a Heineken MezclaSonic DJ, touring with Heineken Inspire, a summer-long concert series that will next hit up New York (July 31st) and LA (August 28th). While D’Marquesina’s Héctor is used to sharing the Heineken stage with fellow New Yorkers Nacotheque and Camilo Lara’s Mexican Institute of Sound, here he sat by a serene meadow (ok ok…it’s our patio!) to teach us how D’Marquesina creates their tra tra sound. Watch and learn!
Mashup the D’Marquesina manera. Follow these quick tips and steps to initialize your mashup project.
Step 1: Qué canciones?
This is quite possibly THE most important step (and probably the most fun): what are you mashing? You can have all the tech know-how, but if your songs suck, you might as well just quit.
–Héctor chose Madonna’s “Vogue” and Fransheska’s “Menealo,” two artists that come from two totally different styles and even different worlds.
–Go for the “huh?” factor. Pick songs that seem analogous at birth, this will allow you to experiment more, rather than just choosing similar-sounding songs.
–Usually it’s best to choose a cappella and instrumental versions of songs so they’re easier to mix. You can find these all over the web, just search the name of the track + a cappella. But Héctor went for the full tracks in each with both vocals and instrumentation.
–Just be creative! Reach into your record collections and iPODs (even the so-called guilty pleasures) and have your way with them.
–After you’re set on your songs, the digital nitty gritty begins.
–Happy mashing!
Next time we’ll hear what Nacotheque suggest in their own How To Mashup Guide, coming soon!
Catch Héctor and Glori from D’Marquesina, alongside other Heineken MezclaSonic DJs Nacotheque, Mexican Institute of Sound, and Tito el Bambino in NYC on July 31st. Also catch the three DJs with Babasónicos in LA on August 28th as part of the Heineken Inspire Summer Tour.
Click HERE for more info on how to get tickets, which cover entrance, music, food, beer, Heineken taste testing, gaming area, t-shirt silk screenings, and más!
video edited by Stephen Aiello.