Guide
Medley vs mashup
Both put several songs into one performance, but they work in opposite ways.
The short answer
- A medley plays songs one after another, joined by transitions.
- A mashup plays songs at the same time: the melody of one over the chords or groove of another.
Medley
A medley takes the best part of each song, usually the chorus or the hook, and links them so the music never stops. Each song keeps its own key, tempo and feel, and the transition does the work: a key change, a drum fill, a stop, or a short bridge.
Good for: wedding and party bands, school and community concerts, choirs, tributes, finales, and any time you want to fit many requests into a short slot.
How hard is it? Easy to moderate. The songs stay as they are; you only write the joins. See how to make a medley and medley transitions that work.
Mashup
A mashup needs songs that fit together harmonically and rhythmically. That usually means the same or a similar chord progression and a tempo you can match. The classic recipe is the vocal of song A over the backing of song B.
Many pop songs share the I–V–vi–IV progression, which is why mashups of them are popular.
Good for: showcases, viral videos, a cappella groups, and moments where you want the audience to say "I never noticed those were the same".
How hard is it? Harder. You need to change keys and tempos so both songs line up, and the arrangement has to stop the two melodies from fighting.
Which one to choose
| Question | Medley | Mashup |
|---|---|---|
| Songs in different keys and tempos? | Fine | Hard |
| Want to play many songs in 5 minutes? | Yes | No, usually 2 or 3 |
| Young or amateur players? | Yes | Risky |
| Want a surprise moment? | Sometimes | Yes |
You can also combine them: a medley that ends with a short mashup of two of its songs makes a great final chorus.
Planning either one
Write down the key and tempo of every song first. For a medley, the medley key planner suggests the order and the transition between each pair. For a mashup, look for songs whose keys are the same or a semitone apart and whose tempos are within about 5%.
Let Medley Writer do the transcribing
Upload the songs, choose the parts and the order, and get a full arrangement for your band with the transitions written in. Free during the beta.
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