How to Remix a Song Using Mixed In Key Pro, Captain Plugins, and Pilot Plugins
Want to create a professional-sounding remix or mashup inside your DAW? Here’s a step-by-step guide using four powerful tools from Mixed In Key: Mixed In Key Pro, Mixed In Key Live, Captain Plugins Epic, and Pilot Plugins.
For the full video tutorial, which delves deeper into each stage of the process, please watch below:
Tools Mentioned:
Step 1: Prepare Your Source Material
Begin by analyzing the song you want to remix, or mashup, in Mixed In Key Pro. You’ll get the key, scale, tempo, and energy level of the song—plus the ability to separate vocal and instrumental stems. You can also adjust the track’s tempo directly within the software to match your remix style before exporting. This helps you avoid tedious tempo-stretching later in your DAW. In this example, we are remixing so we’ll only use the vocal acapella from the original song.
Step 2: Tune Your Drums
If you’re working with a drum loop, or individual drum one-shots, check that your kick and percussive elements are in key with the song. Mixed In Key Live is great for this. Well-tuned drums lay the foundation for a more harmonically correct production.
Step 3: Align the Acapella
Drag the vocal acapella into your DAW from Mixed In Key Pro and move the starting position until it syncs nicely with your drums. This part may take a little trial and error—shift the audio left or right until the words lock in with the rhythm. Getting this right is essential for a pro-sounding mashup or remix.
Step 4: Create Harmonies with Captain Chords
Use Captain Chords Epic or Captain Play to write a chord progression based on the key you analyzed earlier. Start with the diatonic chords, then try adding passing chords, inversions, or increased complexity depending on the mood you’re going for. Once you’re happy, export the MIDI by dragging and dropping it into your DAW session.
Step 5: Add Movement with Pilot Arpeggio
Open Pilot Arpeggio and audition different patterns or generate new ones. You can keep it simple—just using the chord notes from the tonic—or go with more intricate rhythmic phrases and changes that follow the chords. Export your favorite idea to your DAW. Try experimenting with slower or faster arpeggios until you find what works best with the other elements in your production.
Step 6: Drop in a Bassline with Captain Deep
To add low-end energy and weight, use Captain Deep Epic to create a bassline that follows your chords. Choose a sound preset that fits your style, then customize it as needed. For a polished sound, apply EQ and ducking (sidechain compression) effects to balance the bass with your kick drum and ensure it’s not masking other low- and mid-range elements.
Step 7: Build Your Arrangement
Now that you have the key parts—vocals, drums, chords, arpeggio, and bass—start arranging your track. Think about structure: intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, breakdown. Add FX transitions, vocal chops, and synth layers to fill out the soundscape and aid smooth transitions between sections.
Step 8: Final Touches
Clean up the mix with EQ and leveling. Add sidechain compression where needed, and make sure each element has its own space in the mix. When you’re happy, bounce/export your remix to test in your DJ sets or evaluate on different sound systems—headphones, car, club, or festival main stage.
Your remix workflow starts here. With these tools, remixing becomes faster, more musical, and way more fun.
