Christmas is a season of wonder, a time when cities and towns transform into sparkling winter wonderlands, filled with festivities, twinkling lights, and the timeless magic of Christmas music. For music producers, this presents a unique opportunity: to put their own creative spin on beloved holiday classics.
By creating a personal version of a traditional Christmas song, you can not only add your unique voice to timeless music but also connect with audiences in a deeply meaningful way.
In this article, we'll explore how you create your own Christmas cover. We’ll discuss which songs are no longer copyrighted and where the traditional Christmas sound comes from.
With Musiversal's comprehensive suite of services, you can bring your musical vision to life. On one platform, you can book unlimited live recording sessions with top-tier musicians, receive expert songwriting advice, masterfully mix and master your tracks, and gain valuable insights into marketing and distribution strategies to ensure your Christmas cover reaches its full potential.
Many classic Christmas songs are in the Public Domain, meaning they are no longer copyright-protected. This allows you to create and publish covers without worrying about licensing fees.
Once you’ve settled on a song, it’s time to unleash your creativity. Will you stick to a traditional arrangement or put your own modern twist on it? There are no limits to the possibilities.
You can create a rock or metal version of a classic carol, transform “Silent Night” into an electrifying EDM track, or arrange “O Holy Night” for a full orchestra. Or, if you prefer, you can keep things simple and stick to the traditional warm christmas sounds.
If you need help developing an idea, consider booking a session with Musiversal’s pre-production and songwriting team. They can help you find a way to realize your song and bring it to life.
To truly capture the magic of Christmas, make sure to incorporate specific sounds and instrumentation traditionally associated with the holiday season. This includes:
Many classic Christmas songs, hymns, and carols are built upon simple, yet incredibly effective chord progressions. By carefully analyzing different versions of Christmas music, you can figure out the specific techniques that contribute to their unique warmth and holiday spirit.
Consider factors such as the use of seventh chords, inversions, voice leading, and instrumentation, etc.
Regardless of whether your cover stays close to the original arrangement or exploring a new territory, a solid understanding of intervals, chord movements, and the artistic interpretations of Christmas music will serve as a valuable foundation for creativity.
Take a look at our music theory resource “Learn the Chords” on our blog. There you’ll learn about diatonic and chromatic chords within various key signatures, and discover how to get the most out of your chord progressions within a specific key.
Below we’ll look at ways to add depth and complexity to your arrangements.
A great example of a christmas song with interesting harmonic textures is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”. This song is primarily in G major, but uses a chromatic Cm6/Eb chord to add a sense of mystery and to break free from the diatonic G major sound. This chord is a borrowed and inverted ii7 chord from the parallel minor key signature.
The song also contains chords like B7#5 and Am7b5/D to give it that familiar warm and jazzy sound that is often associated with Christmas. For more information about jazz chords, and jazz chord progressions, take a look at our article “Jazz Chord Progressions: A Guide for Music Producers”.
While it's important to respect the original song, don't be afraid to put your own spin on it. Experiment with different styles, tempos, and instrumentation. You could try adding electronic elements, incorporating a hip-hop beat, or even creating a stripped-down acoustic version.
Read “Rock Chord Progressions” to learn about the elements that make up the sound and energy of rock music, if you want to make a rock christmas cover.
Once your recording and arrangement are complete, the next crucial step is mixing. At Musiversal, our remote-working engineers can meticulously mix your music to create a cohesive and stunning sound.
If you prefer a DIY approach, consider booking a mixing advice session with our experts to gain valuable insights on mixing techniques specific to your chosen style.
When the mix is ready you can send it for mastering by one of the engineers who will make your song radio-ready.
Once your Christmas cover is finished, it's time to share it with the world. If you’re not used to promoting your music, we offer marketing services at Musiversal with marketing experts. They can help you choose the right distribution channels for your music, how to best promote it, create a pre- and post-release schedule, and come up with content ideas for your release.
Leverage Musiversal to take your music to the next level. Book sessions with professional and world-class musicians. With our Unlimited subscription, you get unlimited live recording sessions with musicians, songwriters, producers, marketing experts, etc. to take your music endeavors to new heights.
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