Ideal tempo and pitch for two-source mashups

Creating a mashup by combining elements from multiple songs typically requires adjusting the tracks to match harmonically and rhythmically. Unless specifically intended, mashup artists often align the tracks' tempos and keys to ensure a pleasant listening experience. Therefore, mashups usually consist of songs with similar tempos and keys, minimizing modifications and distortions. However, artists may wish to explore more diverse song combinations, invoking the question of how the tracks are adjusted will impact perception of the composition. This study investigates listener preferences for tempo and key in two-source mashups. Through an ongoing survey, participants choose between different renditions of various mashups, combining vocal and instrumental tracks from a selection of 10 pop songs, at different tempos and keys. Preliminary results indicate that listeners generally prefer the average tempo of the original tracks while favoring the vocal tracks’ original keys. This suggests that alterations to the vocal component are perceived as more disruptive, highlighting the importance of maintaining vocal integrity in mashup creation. Further data will enrich our understanding of these trends and their implications for mashup artists as well as automatic mashup algorithms.