"Hit Save" is a highly regarded, unreleased progressive house track by deadmau5, originating from Twitch livestreams between 2017 and 2018, which exists in several iterations. While often featuring unauthorized vocals in fan-circulated versions, the project's evolution is believed to have culminated in the official release, "XYZ". For in-depth fan discussions regarding the 16-minute version and its development, see the thread at Reddit.
The Enigma of "Hit Save": Deadmau5’s Unfinished Masterpiece
In the world of electronic music, few tracks carry as much mythical weight as deadmau5’s "Hit Save." To the casual listener, it might seem like just another deep cut, but to the dedicated "horde" of fans, it represents one of the most beloved and elusive pieces of music in Joel Zimmerman’s vast catalogue. The Origins: From Livestream to Legend
The story of "Hit Save" begins where much of deadmau5's magic happens: his Twitch livestreams. Known for broadcasting his production sessions for hours, Zimmerman allowed fans to witness the track's evolution in real-time.
The "Saved" Connection: The track is famously linked to the officially released song "Saved," which appeared on the mau5trap compilation We Are Friends, Vol. 5 in 2016.
The "Hit Save" Name: Legend has it that "Saved" was named after a technical mishap where Joel lost progress on a project and had to rebuild it—hence the reminder to "hit save".
The Unofficial Versions: While "Saved" is a polished 9-minute progressive house journey, "Hit Save" often refers to a much longer, unreleased 16-minute Work-In-Progress (WIP) that features more atmospheric elements and distinct synth explorations. Production & Sound Design
"Hit Save" is a masterclass in the deadmau5 production style, blending technical precision with emotional depth.
Project Title: "Echoes in Elysium"
Project Type: Progressive House/Trance Track
Description: A mesmerizing, melodic journey through lush soundscapes, driving rhythms, and soaring euphoric leads, blending deadmau5's signature progressive house style with a hint of trance.
Track Structure:
Melodic Ideas:
Production Techniques:
Software/Plugin Used:
Tempo: 128 BPM
Key: C Major
Mood: Euphoric, uplifting, and emotive
"Echoes in Elysium" is a piece that embodies the essence of deadmau5's signature sound, blending mesmerizing melodies, driving rhythms, and euphoric leads to create a captivating musical journey.
"Hit Save" is an infamous unreleased track by deadmau5, with a complex history involving multiple iterations like "Resaved," "Unlucky," and eventually leading to the released track
. A feature for this would likely focus on the track’s "Work In Progress" (WIP) nature and its deep connection to deadmau5’s livestreaming culture. Feature Concepts: "The Save Point"
A "Hit Save" feature could be conceptualized as an interactive archive or a collaborative production tool that mimics Joel Zimmerman's open-development style. Version History Timeline (The Evolution Archive):
An interactive visual timeline showing the "DNA" of the track. Includes nodes for the original "Hit Save" (16-minute version) , the vocal edits featuring "I See Fire" vocals , and the final released version,
Allows fans to toggle between different synth layers or drum patterns used in scrapped versions like "Hit Save Again" "Hit Save" Collaborative Stems: Inspired by how "The Veldt"
was created through a fan tweet, this feature would release the MIDI or raw stems of unreleased WIPs.
Fans could "Hit Save" on their own remixes, submitting them back to the ecosystem for a community-voted release. Virtual Studio "Snapshot" Tool:
A plugin or app feature that allows producers to "save" a complete state of their DAW (like Ableton Live
, which Joel uses) and share it as a playable, interactive "snapshot" for others to explore.
For more on the history and technical details of deadmau5's music, check out these resources. Track Evolution Production Style Release History The Legend of Hit Save The Deadmau5 Wiki
provides a breakdown of the various iterations of the track and how it differs from the officially released 'Saved' (2016). Community discussions on
trace the lineage of the 16-minute stream versions and their connection to the track 'XYZ'. Inside the Studio MasterClass
features deadmau5 teaching his unique approach to mastering and melodic structure.
Technical insights into his DAW of choice can be found on the LANDR Blog , highlighting his use of Ableton Live. Official Catalog Deadmau5.com
maintains the official list of all released projects under the mau5trap label.
Which specific part of the "Hit Save" legacy are you most interested in—the 16-minute progressive house journey or the unreleased vocal deadmau5 hit save
What DAWs do These 11 Famous Music Producers Use? - LANDR Blog
"Hit Save" is a highly regarded, unreleased progressive synth track by deadmau5 that originated from 2017 livestreams and evolved through various versions, including "Resaved" and "Unlucky," before influencing the 2022 official release "XYZ". The track is known for its atmospheric 16-minute work-in-progress version, which remains popular among fans on platforms like SoundCloud.
The story of "Hit Save" is one of the most compelling chapters in the career of Joel Zimmerman, better known as deadmau5. Despite never receiving a standard commercial release, the track has attained legendary status within the electronic music community as a "holy grail" ID—a masterpiece born on a livestream that has evolved through dozens of versions over nearly a decade. The Origins: A Masterpiece in Real-Time
The journey of "Hit Save" began on deadmau5’s Twitch channel, where fans watched the producer craft the foundation of the track during an intensive studio session. The original version, often circulated as a 16-minute stream rip, captures the essence of classic deadmau5 progressive house: sweeping melodic structures, intricate synth layering, and a patient, hypnotic build-up.
The title itself—"Hit Save"—is a nod to the producer’s technical background and the constant anxiety of a creator working within digital audio workstations (DAWs) like FL Studio and Ableton Live. The Evolution of a "Ghost" Track
"Hit Save" has never stayed in one place. Over the years, Zimmerman has revisited and reworked the project file under various names and styles:
Resaved: An updated, more polished version that added a "synthwave-y" texture.
Unlucky: A version released exclusively on the decentralized music platform Audius.
XYZ: In 2022, deadmau5 officially released "XYZ," which many fans consider to be the "final" evolution of the "Hit Save" melody. While it shares a similar synth patch and note pattern, purists argue that the original unreleased demos still possess a unique atmosphere that "XYZ" transformed into something more club-oriented.
The "I See Fire" Vocals: Certain versions of "Hit Save" and "Resaved" featured vocals sampled from an underground Twitch artist, originally intended for a separate track titled "I See Fire". Why "Hit Save" Matters
For the deadmau5 faithful, "Hit Save" represents the era of open-source production. Because the song was built in front of a live audience, fans feel a sense of ownership and connection to the creative process that rarely exists with studio albums.
"Hit Save" is one of deadmau5’s (Joel Zimmerman) most famous unreleased tracks, often cited by fans as a "masterpiece" that rivals his legendary track "Strobe".
The track began as a Work-In-Progress (WIP) shared during his music production livestreams. Over the years, it has undergone several transformations and name changes, though a "final" official version under the name "Hit Save" has never been commercially released. Evolution of the Track
The history of "Hit Save" is a complex web of different versions and iterations: The 16-Minute Stream Version
: This is the most iconic version among fans, consisting of a long, evolving progressive house arrangement recorded directly from a stream.
: Released in 2022, this track is widely considered the official "evolution" of "Hit Save." While it shares similar synth textures and note patterns, it is a distinct, more polished song.
: A version of the track that was uploaded to the blockchain-based music platform "Hit Save" is a highly regarded, unreleased progressive
: A reworked, more minimal electro house version often played in live sets, sometimes featuring vocals from Ed Sheeran's "I See Fire". "What A Save"
: A more recent iteration (2025) that has appeared in visualizers and live contexts. Fan Reception
Despite never having a traditional label release, "Hit Save" remains a staple in the deadmau5 community. Fans frequently discuss it on
"Deadmau5 Hit Save" doesn't seem to refer to a specific academic or research paper. However, I can try to provide some context and information related to Deadmau5 and his music.
Deadmau5 (Joel Thomas Zimmerman) is a well-known Canadian electronic music producer, DJ, and musician. He has released numerous tracks and albums throughout his career, and "Hit Save" could potentially be a song or a phrase related to his music.
If you're looking for a paper on Deadmau5's music or career, here are some potential topics:
If you could provide more context or clarify what you mean by "Deadmau5 Hit Save," I'd be happy to try and assist you further.
In the meantime, here are some potential sources related to Deadmau5 and his music:
The clip in question takes place during a casual production session. Zimmerman is seen sitting before his computer, wearing his signature mau5head (or sometimes just headphones, depending on the specific clip recalled), tinkering with a new project.
In the footage, he noodles with a synthesizer, adjusts a few parameters, and creates a catchy, high-pitched synth melody. Satisfied with the loop, he casually reaches for the keyboard. In a matter-of-fact tone, he says:
"I think that’s... yeah. Hit save."
He enters the file name "Deadmau5 Hit Save" (or a variation thereof) and clicks enter. In that instant, a throwaway idea became a viral sensation.
Simple, subby, and sidechained to oblivion.
This is the part of the story that rarely gets told. In the immediate aftermath of the "deadmau5 hit save" clip, most viewers assumed the track was gone forever. However, deadmau5 is not just a performer; he is a technical genius. After the crash, he rebooted his computer, opened his DAW, and attempted to recover the audio from his temporary cache files.
Using a combination of Ableton's crash recovery feature (which was rudimentary in Live 9) and manually dragging audio clips from his "Samples/Recorded" folder, he managed to salvage about 60% of the arrangement. The delicate automation curves and the specific synth patch tweaks he had made were lost, but the core audio stems remained.
In a follow-up broadcast, he recreated the missing sections from memory. The final track, while different from the original "ghost session," was eventually finished. But the legend of "deadmau5 hit save" wasn't about the recovery—it was about the warning.
If you’d like, I can: