Professional mashups can use thousands of samples.
A mashup is a musical composition that takes beats and music from one song and adds vocals from another. It alternates quickly among the music, the beats and the vocals to create a constantly changing web of sound. Making a mashup on Apple's GarageBand software requires understanding how GarageBand works and a bit of musical ability. You must at least understand how rhythm and beats work.
Instructions
1. Listen to your music to find the music and beats you want to use. Pick a memorable part of a song, such as a riff or a specific drumbeat. Write down the name of these musical sections.
2. Pick a completely different style of music and listen to the vocals. For example, move to a rap group after you picked a beat from a pop style. Choose vocals that are isolated from musical tracks if possible. Write down the name of these tracks.
3. Begin thinking of the plan for your mashup. Listen to beats and musical sections and think of vocals that may go well over the top of them. Draw out the plan, incorporating the names of your music and vocal tracks.
4. Focus on matching one piece of music to one vocal section. Think of other pieces of music or vocals that may sound good played together. Add these to your plan in the correct spots.
5. Start up GarageBand and plug in your computer microphone. Locate the microphone about 3 inches from your speakers. Turn up the speakers to 3/4 level to get enough output to record your music and vocal tracks.
6. Click on "Track" from the top menu and select "Add New Track." Turn on a music player on your computer and begin playing the first piece of music you want to add. Listen to it until you find the part you want to record.
7. Press the red "Record" button next to your track to begin recording your music. Press the "Stop" button when you are done. Play the music with the green "Play" button to listen back to it. Rerecord if you are unsatisfied.
8. Click on this piece of music and select "Edit." Scroll down and choose "Copy," then click to the left of your piece of music on the track. Press both fingers on the mouse pad to open a copy menu. Select "Paste" to paste the track you just copied.
9. Continue to copy your musical track until it is as long as your plan indicates. Create a new track using the same method you used in Step 6. Play your first vocal track and record it to this track. Stop when you are done recording it.
10. Create new tracks for each piece of "extra" music you add to the mashup. These extra pieces include different pieces of music or extra vocals. Click and drag these through the track area to move them to new positions.
11. Listen to your mashup as you work to see if it sounds the way you want. Click and drag music tracks to reposition them if necessary. Keep building until you are satisfied with the first part of your mashup.
12. Add your second part by creating a new track for your music. Hit the right arrow button on the bottom of the screen to scroll over. Record your second piece of music and then drag it to the right and line it up so that it plays immediately after your first part is done.
13. Record your vocals in the same way and line them up so they start when your second piece of music starts. Add extra pieces of music and vocals in the same way throughout this section.
14. Continue to add pieces of music and singing to your mashup track until you are finished. Play it back to listen to it when you're done. Select "File" and then "Save" to save your work.
