REMIXED SPEED DATE

Dance music producers have always used samples, but it's increasingly hard to find some good original sample sources to use. The fact that an original artist can take a sizeable chunk of your track's royalties if it's successful and detected, and that sample packs can lead to everyone using the same sounds means that producers need to start going one step further to keep originality in their productions.

The London Remixed Festival this month has come up with a unique idea — the Remixed Speed Date. This is where electronic producers and traditional musicians meet up in a 'speed dating' environment with a view to potentially working together in the near future. So a producer wanting, for instance, some sitar sounds for some tracks doesn't have to dig through crates in charity shops or at yard sales for old albums featuring a sitar — all they need to do is come along to the Remixed Speed Date and meet some real-live musicians from London's melting pot. Potential musical mates could include flamenco, Latin, African, gypsy, Arabic, Asian — a wide variety of musicians are already attending.

This will similarly benefit musicians, having their sounds manipulated into new forms, so it's a win-win situation. The event takes place on 22nd November at 4pm at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA. It's free, but registering at londonremixedfestival.com guarantees you a place.

The same day, from lunchtime onwards there are also a series of masterclasses on legal issues, funding, social media and so on at Rich Mix, featuring former Freakpower man Ashley Slater from Kitten & the Hip (pictured) talking about the history of the remix in dance music, expert on sampling law Dean Marsh, people from the Arts Council and the PRS and others. Then, the following night, the London Remixed festival takes over five venues in Shoreditch to showcase emerging talent. More details HERE.