Chen and Asante share some of the musical elements of the song “Free Ya Mind,” and ask you to create your own remix of the song using the stems from the recording session.

Your Assignment

1. Watch the video in which Soul Science Lab tracks the evolution of their song “Free Ya Mind.”
2. Note where Chen and Asante make specific decisions about how the song develops. How did the tempo, instruments, and harmony change in the process?
3. Now that you have a sense of the process that Chen and Asante used to create “Free Ya Mind,” take some of the same building blocks they used and create your own remixed piece of music.
4. Select at least four or five audio files or “stems” provided on SoundCloud.
5. Open up SoundTrap or any other digital audio workstation (DAW) and drag your selected stems into your new track. Put your own spin on the stems by changing up different elements:

• You could shorten the stems so they sound different.
• You could change up the tempo.
• You could even add other loops or instruments to it.
• The most important thing is to make your remix uniquely your own creation.

Learning Standards

Aligned with Blueprint for Teaching & Learning in Music and NYS Learning Standards for the Arts. Download a copy below.