I was recently asked how I did something from this, so I pulled up the session to review it for the first time in years. It may not sound like it, but it was SO much work! Well over a thousand edits and a few weeks worth of work. Remember, this was BEFORE Ableton and other programs were magically changing and locking BPM’s. Every song was a different key and BPM. I worked from the multitrack sessions the label sent. The total size of the session was over 60GB and was created and mixed in MOTU’s Digital Performer.
At no time (except the “Toxic” bit at the end) are there any less than 3 Britney songs running at the same time. The goal was, of course, to make a smooth/seamless piece of work that played like a single composition. For my own entertainment, though, I put in parts and elements from songs other than the one your are hearing the vocal for. For instance, when “Oops, I Did It Again” is playing, there are musical and drum parts from “Crazy,” “Stronger,” “Toxic,” and “One More Time.” All of this running with my own keyboards, drum programming, and sound design.
This was a long and brutal project, but it was really rewarding when finished. The songwriting and original productions are so solid that I never tired of hearing them when I was working in the studio. I’ve done a few projects for Britney, but this was by far the most fun and gratifying!
