I make a lot of quick demo medleys for my "24-Hour Hits Festival" project. Because I'm only focusing on churning them out and not worried about the quality due to the demo nature, I do like to add some mathematical precision based on the chart history of the artist...but that's another story.
Step 1: Choose your theme and songs
The theme might be a specific artist that you want to pay tribute to, or a general genre or album or even vague connecting motif that only you would notice. Pick a series of songs that fit the theme. It will be helpful to set them up in a Google Sheets document with their song titles down the first column.
Step 2: Collect your data
The next column will have the BPM of each song. Be sure to double-check that the entire song has the same (or very similar) tempo. Play the song and tap along to it consistently using a reverse metronome (such as here).
The third column will have the key of the song. While you can find this listed somewhere online (like the BPM), it isn't always accurate. I prefer to use virtualpiano.net while the song is playing to determine the tonic, or key-note, of the song. Again, be sure that the key doesn't modulate (if so, write down all keys involved). *Note: the mode of the song is not completely necessary as long as you write down any minor keys as their RELATIVE key, not their parallel key.
Step 3: Determine your priorities
Some songs might be preferable to start and end the medley, or even just have the longest section in your composition.
Step 4: Sort the sectors
This is where Google Sheets shines over Microsoft Excel: by grabbing each row (song), order the pieces to match BPMs and keys. Use your highest-prioritized songs as "bases" where you take the other songs to match.
Obviously, not all songs will have others to match with. Here are my personal rules for changing keys and BPMs in my demo medleys:
Keys can be transposed up or down by two half steps.
BPMs can always be divided or multiplied by 2. (Songs in triple meter are a completely different story, however. Try not to match these with songs in duple.)
BPMs can go up or down 10-20 beats. The lower the original BPM, the riskier it becomes to change the BPM by large increments.
If you need to drop songs because of incompatibility, first consider putting it in its own section. Once your songs are divided, you can order the songs within the sections, as well as the sections within the entire medley, for your ideal combination.
Step 5: Arrange the medley in Logic Pro (or program of your choice)
Because the medleys I create will not be sold or used in any professional capacity, I download each audio track from YouTube using this link (beware of constant pop-up ads and scams!). Finally, combine the songs to your liking.
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