What is Remix?

Remix is defined on Wikipedia as "an alternative version . . . made from an original version. Remixing is the adoption, alteration, and recombination of preexisting cultural texts (songs, literature, paintings, etc.) to create something new." Remix can be done professionally by the group that produced the original. For example the original song "Umbrella" by Rhianna was remixed and reproduced to create the "Umbrella Remix". Remix can also be done by third parties, where the original material was used to create a new product. As an example a clip from the news about a bed intruder was remixed into an auto-tuned into an overnight sensation. Remix isn't just limited to music and viral videos. The film industry has been using remix for years. The story lines from plays like Shakespeare's Hamlet have been remixed into films such as including The Lion King. Literature as well has been bitten by the remix bug. A good example would be Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice being remixed into Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

To get more information about remix and remix culture read Lawrence Lessig's book Remix. It is a great resource. In his book he discusses how the digital age has created two different cultures. The Read-Only culture, which is information provided by a professional source (traditional book), and the Read/ Write culture, which is a reciprocal process between producer and consumer to enhance the original product (remix). The Read-Only culture is more like passive consumption and the Read/Write culture actively consumes and then takes the original and gives it a new or enhanced purpose. Lessig says that the Read/Write culture is the one expanding capabilities and projecting us  into the future with the technological resources we all have access to. Lawrence Lessig says that good remix isn't stealing other people's work, but using someone else's idea or product to give enhance the meaning, give it new meaning, or as a catapult to produce a new idea.