Cebu Producer Calls Out Lazy “Sped-Up Remixes” Creators with New Plugin

Featured image of Gil Andrie’s home studio

What if you could create a remix with just a press of a button and publish it on Spotify? Cebuano music producer Gil Andrie, a skilled music producer, created the TikTok Knob plugin with a satirical intent to playfully challenge the prevalent trend of sped-up remixes.

Gil Andrie also known as Driean, a music producer and DJ from Cebu, has created a plugin for DAWs called the TikTok Knob. The plugin quickly went viral, with many people praising it for its simplicity and effectiveness to make a sped-up remixes. However, Gil Andrie says that the plugin was actually created as a mockery of the “speed up songs and slowed + reverb thing” that has become popular on TikTok. He made a clear distinction between the practices of speeding up or slowing down songs with minimal alteration and the art of remixing and original composition in this Q&A.

“I thought it would be funny to make a plugin that could do it with just one click,” Driean said in the Q&A regarding the TikTok Knob “I also wanted to make a statement about how easy it is to make these kinds of songs, and how they don’t really require much skill or effort.”

Driean says that there is nothing wrong with making speed up songs if they only stay on YouTube or TikTok. However, he believes that it is an insult to the hardworking producers who actually put in the time and effort to create original music when people start licensing them and uploading them to music stores like Spotify.

“Speeding up or slowing down a song with reverb is not really producing music,” Driean said. “They only modify the pitch and tempo, so where is the remix? How can they call themselves producers if all they change is the key and tempo?”

Driean says that he and other producers make every effort to tweak and design everything to make their music sound different from the original music. They might change the arrangement, add new instruments, or even change the melody. They want their music to be unique and to stand out from the crowd.

The TikTok Knob plugin has certainly struck a chord with many people, and it has sparked a debate about the value of creativity and originality in music production. Only time will tell whether the plugin will have a lasting impact on the industry, but it is clear that it has already made a significant splash.

In addition to the TikTok Knob plugin, Driean has also created a number of other popular music production plugins. He is a passionate advocate for creativity and originality in music production, and he is always looking for new ways to help producers make their music sound unique.

Producers like Driean are always pushing the boundaries of music production. They are not afraid to experiment with new trends and technologies, and they are always looking for new ways to create innovative sounds. Although the TikTok Knob plugin was created as a mockery of the “speed up songs” trend, it is still a great example of how producers can use technology to manipulate sounds, spark conversation, and challenge the status quo.

Take a listen to the newest release by Driean, titled “Always Loved You,” where he takes on both the production and vocal duties.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH DRIEAN

What was the idea behind the TikTok knob plugin?
When the “speed up songs and slowed + reverb” thing became the new industry standard, I thought it would be funny to make a plugin that could do it with just one click. I also wanted to make a statement about how easy it is to make these kinds of songs, and how they don’t really require much skill or effort.

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How long did it take you to make it functional?
Fast enough to end the tiktok speed up producers career HAHA just kidding bro, BTW I think I made it for 2hours

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It was more of a mockery of those so-called sped-up producers. What’s wrong with them?
There is nothing wrong with making speed-up songs if they only stay on YouTube or TikTok. The only issue here is that they licensed it and uploaded it to Music Distribution to license it to Spotify and other music stores with ease, which is a major insult to the hardworking producer. Remixing a song is okay, but when you want to license it and make it as an official remix, you need at least permission from the label itself. I also asked one of my artist friends from Spinnin Records, and he said that mashup songs and speed-up songs are just for YouTube or TikTok. It appears that what they did was upload it to Spotify to dodge copyright and lease it, and they were lucky enough that the management did not sue them.

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Don’t you agree that it’s a bit of an insult to those who actually put time and effort into producing music?
I’m not sure about others, but most producers feel that speeding up or slowing down songs and adding reverb is an insult. It’s as if they’re always asking the same questions. They only modify the pitch and tempo, so where is the remix? How can they call themselves producers if all they change is the key and tempo?

Not saying that we are jealous about it. We can do it if we want, but for us, it is forbidden to do such a thing. We producers, when we remix a song or create an original song, make every effort to tweak and design everything to make it sound different from the original music.