Remixing & Mashups Music Theory for Remixers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'chord inversion' and how can it help mashup production?
- Rearranging the notes of a chord so a non-root note is on the bottom, allowing smoother voice leading (Correct answer)
- Playing a chord in reverse order rhythmically
- Flipping a chord's major quality to minor
- Doubling the root note of a chord an octave higher
Correct answer: Rearranging the notes of a chord so a non-root note is on the bottom, allowing smoother voice leading
Inversions change which chord tone is the lowest note, enabling smoother melodic connections between chords from different songs.
Question 2: What interval separates the root and fifth in a perfect fifth?
- 7 semitones (Correct answer)
- 5 semitones
- 4 semitones
- 12 semitones
Correct answer: 7 semitones
A perfect fifth spans 7 semitones (e.g., C to G), one of the most consonant and stable intervals in Western harmony.
Question 3: Which scale mode is most commonly associated with a dark, moody sound used in electronic remixes?
- Phrygian (Correct answer)
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Ionian
Correct answer: Phrygian
The Phrygian mode (starting on the 3rd degree of the major scale) has a distinctive lowered 2nd degree, giving it a dark and Spanish-sounding character.
Question 4: What is a 'pentatonic scale' and why is it popular in remixing?
- A 5-note scale that avoids semitone clashes, making it easy to layer over many chord progressions (Correct answer)
- A scale built from 5 perfect-fifth intervals
- A scale used exclusively in East Asian music
- A major scale with the 4th and 7th notes removed
Correct answer: A 5-note scale that avoids semitone clashes, making it easy to layer over many chord progressions
The pentatonic scale's 5 notes lack semitone (half-step) clashes, so melodies and samples based on it tend to sound consonant over a wide range of harmonies.
Question 5: What does 'harmonic mixing' achieve in a DJ set or mashup?
- Ensures the keys of two tracks are musically compatible so melodies don't clash (Correct answer)
- Matches the volume levels of two tracks automatically
- Syncs the bassline rhythms of two tracks
- Applies equal loudness normalization across the mix
Correct answer: Ensures the keys of two tracks are musically compatible so melodies don't clash
Harmonic mixing means selecting tracks in the same or closely related keys so that melodies, basslines, and harmonies blend without dissonance.
Question 6: What is a 'suspension' in chord harmony and how does it add tension to a remix?
- Replacing the third of a chord with a second or fourth, creating an unresolved, tense sound (Correct answer)
- Holding a chord for twice its normal duration
- Removing the fifth from a chord to create a power chord
- Adding a seventh to a major chord for richness
Correct answer: Replacing the third of a chord with a second or fourth, creating an unresolved, tense sound
A suspended chord (sus2 or sus4) replaces the third with a neighboring tone, creating harmonic tension that wants to resolve back to the original chord.
Remixing & Mashups Music Theory for Remixers 2
What is a 'chord inversion' and how can it help mashup production?