The world of music evolves by leaps and bounds as it goes hand in hand with technology. This is clearly seen in the field of electronic music and EDM. There are so many ways to combine, modify, and fuse songs and styles that more and more new concepts are needed to label the creative processes.
Concepts like bootleg, remix, or mix might sound familiar to you, as many of these appear quite frequently in song titles and, of course, on YouTube; probably the internet portal where the most music is consumed and the most variety exists.
Meanwhile, concepts like mashup, flip, medley, VIP, extended mix, or edit are easy to understand if the differences are explained, but few actually know them unless you work (or want to work) in the field of music.
Differences: remix, bootleg, mashup, cover, and others
There are quite a few related concepts, sometimes with blurred distinctions. Below we will try to describe concepts like flip, medley, or bootleg (among others), hoping that with a bit of luck, people will start using these terms correctly.
1. Remix
Probably the most used term on our list. It is also very well-known and used in its Spanish translation as "remezcla."
The concept of remix is quite broad and is used quite indiscriminately, which makes its definition and distinction from the rest difficult. To begin with, we can say that there are several types like the Mashup and the bootleg, which we will see below.
The central premise of the remix consists of taking an existing song and modifying some of its elements to achieve new effects and a somewhat changed aesthetic. Additionally, other more or less simple elements can be incorporated to complete the process, but always based on the original song.
To add some music to the atmosphere, we bring this remix by Cat Dealers and RAWA of the famous Arctic Monkeys song: R U Mine.
R U Mine (Cat Dealers & RAWA Remix)
2. Remake
Despite the thin line between remix and remake, and between the latter and cover, the truth is that at theoretical levels, it is clear. The remake doesn't use the base of the selected song to modify it, but the process focuses on adding completely new things without modifying what exists.
Anyway, it could be said that a remake is the same as a cover (which we will see below), although there are subtle and important differences for music connoisseurs.
3. Cover
While it is rare to find a cover in electronic music, it is one of the most used concepts in the field of music in general, as many singers start by doing covers or simply enjoy doing them throughout their careers.
When a singer (for example, unknown) takes their guitar and performs (in their own style) a classic (or not) like Wonderwall by Oasis, they are doing a cover. In contrast, the remake focuses on reproducing the song with the same style and being as faithful to the original, except in some parts of the song where (maintaining coherence) new things are added.
However, the remake would involve taking the song exactly as it is and (for example) adding one more verse, maintaining the style, musicality, and other attributes of the song.
To continue with the example, a cover could be performing the song Wonderwall with a style closer to jazz:
Wonderwall (jazz version)
4. Bootleg
The bootleg is very similar to the remix (we could even consider it a subtype), so much so that people confuse them, but the truth is that there are distinct nuances between both concepts. But we warn that you have to get a bit technical to understand this concept.
In the case of the remix, the person has the small parts of the song, from the bass, the vocals, and all the sounds that appear separately. In the case of the bootleg, the person doesn't have these separate elements but has the file as you and I can have it on our mobile.
This greatly limits the use of software to create something new through the existing song. In fact, the vast majority of remixes on the internet are actually bootlegs, as a normal person at home usually doesn't have the stems (the small and numerous sounds that make up the song), because only the original composer has this on their computer.
For this reason, the concept of bootleg is usually considered an unofficial remix, for not having the consent of the owner of the original song.
5. Mashup
Basically, they consist of what we could colloquially call "copy and paste." The new track arises from the combination of already existing fragments with others. The most common is to find the vocals of one song with the essential sound of another, or take a complete half of one song and place it right before the half of another, something not complex at all.
6. VIP
We all know that VIP means Very Important Person, but in the world of music, these initials mean something quite different.
VIP versions are usually made by the authors of the original song. Basically, they are versions a bit different from the original that the author had and decides to release some time after the original version. As if a film producer decided to release the version of the movie they were about to launch but ended up modifying.
But it doesn't have to be prior to the release; sometimes, the author of the original song, after the release, decides to perfect some element of the song and releases this new version as VIP.
7. Flip
Originally, it comes from when artists used vinyl, where each side had a version or directly two different songs. The remixed version was usually found on the B-side of the vinyl, also called the flip-side.
From this origin, it has curiously evolved to mean a remix of another remix. That is, when a DJ or producer makes a remix of a song that has already been remixed, they are actually making a flip.
Below we show a clear example of a flip. The original song is by Nero, the remix is by Skrillex, and in the video, we have the flip by Quix. The latter has made it so that from minute 3:10, it sounds with a completely different trap style compared to 1:08, which would be Skrillex's dubstep version.
Nero - Promises (Skrillex Remix) [QUIX FLIP]
8. Edit
The edit is very similar to the already mentioned VIP. This case occurs when an artist, upon listening to a song, thinks they can improve it by changing some detail (for example, slightly increasing the bass or making the vocals sharper). The changes are usually small, so it could not be labeled as a remix, bootleg, or remake.
9. Mix
This concept really refers to a process rather than a type of song. The mix is when you put together all the components and small fragments to make a production. Therefore, whenever you take parts from here and there, or even when you are the one creating all the sounds, the step of putting them together is considered "mix."
That's why we often talk about "vocal mix," "essential mix," etc. It's because in each mix, some elements have been put together (in the first, it is noted that vocals are present), or others (in the second, only the essential elements).
10. Medley
Making a medley is very simple. Just take a group of songs and put them one after the other with subtle transitions so there are no cuts in between. The most common is that the songs are of similar styles and with very similar or identical rhythms.
11. Extended Mix
One of the most common mixes. They are always longer than the original versions, with more extended beginnings and endings. It could be said that extended mixes are less commercial than the original versions due to their length.
As an example of an extended mix, we bring Summer by Calvin Harris, as everyone will know this song. This way, we will easily appreciate the 30-second introduction and the 40-second outro of this extended version.
Calvin Harris - Summer (Extended Mix) [Audio]
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