Musical mashups are also known as "bootlegs."
A mashup is a song that incorporates vocals or segments of music from at least two different songs to create one musical "mashup" or blending of the songs. Music industry professionals typically use expensive software to get this effect, but it's possible to get a decent recording using only the free PC/MAC audio editing program, Audacity. There are a few basics to keep in mind that will help any novice mashup artist get started.
Instructions
PreparationImport Audio" and open the main song you want to work with of the two previously selected.
3. From the menu bar select "Project>New Stereo Track" two times. This adds blank stereo tracks two and three which will essentially be the "clip board" you work from when mashing the music.
4. Select "File>Import>Audio" and open your second song. Opening the file will automatically add it to track four. Next, choose "File" from the menu bar and save your project. The base of your mashup is now formed but there's still some editing to be done.
5. Change the second song's pitch to coordinate with the first song. Audacity features a change pitch processor, which allows users to transpose any song's pitch without causing flaws or adjusting the tempo of the song. There's no easy way to figure out the perfect pitch in Audacity except through trial and error. Simply select track four's left panel to highlight the entire track and then click "Effect>Pitch & Tempo>Change Pitch." Select "Up" or "Down" depending on what your song needs and then click "OK." Move the "Percent Change" slider and test the sound by clicking on "Preview" in the lower left corner. Continue adjusting until the sound is coordinated. It won't be tough to know as long as you can hear the difference between in tune and out of tune.
6. Click on "Effect>Pitch" and "Tempo>Change Tempo" to adjust the tempo of your song if need be. Unless you know the BPM (beats per minute) of the song, you'll simply need to adjust the "Percent Change" slider until it sounds right. If it still sounds off, keep trying different placements on the percent slider.
7. Listen to what you have so far by pressing the "Play" button. Figure out what pieces of the second song you want to incorporate and use the selection tool (shaped like an uppercase "I") to select and delete unnecessary parts. If the clips sound abrupt and don't flow well, use the fade in/out tools located in the top menu bar under "Effect."
8. Play with varying filters and effects in the "Effect" bar in the top menu. This will help blend your song better and create a more natural, free-flowing sound. When finished altering, simply save the project and export as an MP3 to your desktop. Drag the file to your iTunes to save it to the library.
