Harmonic Mixing - "Mixed In Key" - DJ Software

Zascar

Harmonic mixing is the natural evolution of beat mixing: mixing in compatible keys. You can now avoid sour mixes caused by clashing melodies. You can mix long overlays without depending on percussion "free beats." You can achieve those "screamer mixes" which provide the ultimate DJ rush!

I had heard of Harmonic Mixing before but tbh I had never paid it too much attention... However I've just learned about a software program for DJ’s called “Mixed In Key” – Full Review Here. It takes the guesswork out of Harmonic mixing at it analyses your mp3 collection and helps you pick complimentary tracks. I’ve just downloaded it and last night set it to analyse all my tracks so I’ll give it a go over the weekend and let you know how it goes.

Has anyone got any experience with programs like this, or do you do it naturally? Does it really make that much of a difference to your sets?

jimi_t

Doesn't pitch-shifting, by definition, change the key? i.e. if you were trying to achieve such a harmonious mix you'd have to up the BPM on every track first with specialised software which doesn't change the pitch?

That Mixed in key demo is quite impressive all the same, but I'm still not sold on their implentation of harmonic mixing. The way they're doing it is to mix songs in the same key constantly - but the ear craves changes in timbre and harmony even more than it does changes in tempo. I would have thought mixing that way all night would be a bit fatigueing on the ear.

What I *would* be interested is the idea of using cadences and the like to enhance a mix on a more subtle level - i.e. transposing between songs of different keys in a musical fashion, like going from a song in E Major to a song in the relevant minor (C# Minor in this case) to change the entire mood of a set.

In any case, a nice find. Anything that gets a DJ more musically accomplished is good by my book - and goes a long way to prove the validity of it as a musical performance in its own right.

Zascar

Yes I agree with all you said Jimni. I don't think anyone would simply stay in one key all night, that would be boring you need to mix it up a bit. But I suppose it would help eleminate the chance of mixing two tunes that clearly do not go together. My mixing is 'ok' but nowhere near as smooth as I would like it to be, however personally is it not too often when I have clashing melodies. What this will help me do is identify two tracks that are perfectly in tune so I can overlap the mixes a bit more and be a be more creative.

I've analysed most of my tracks but the annoying thing is that you cannot drag and drop the tracks into Virtual DJ . Although I've found that you can set it to rename your tracks and put the key in the comments field, so I might try that - although I'll loose all my pre-set cue points etc so I'll have to redo them

jimi_t

Zascar wrote:

I've analysed most of my tracks but the annoying thing is that you cannot drag and drop the tracks into Virtual DJ . Although I've found that you can set it to rename your tracks and put the key in the comments field, so I might try that - although I'll loose all my pre-set cue points etc so I'll have to redo them

Why don't you put the keys in the ID3 comments tags or whatever its called?

PeakOutput

i dont use that software but i might give it a go

as a dj you have to be aware of the keys of the tunes you are mixing and it is definitely something i have problems with

if that software is advising you to mix in the same key for the whole night then its not right because mixing in key is knowing which keys clash and which go together its not about knowing every song you have in a# and playing them in a row

Jocksy

Why would you want to have a set with music in the same key all night and with ****ty pitch shifting as well.

Zascar

No one is suggesting sticking in the same key all night. The software shows you which tunes to pick if you want to change key – you can go one up or down in either direction safely, but more than that and it won’t be as smooth. It also shows you how to go from major to Minor the smoothest way.

Read http://www.mixedinkey.com/HowTo.aspx and http://community.mixedinkey.com/Topic.aspx?ID=1621 for a better description

Executive Steve

in fairness, you use software that beatmatches your tunes and now you want to use a plugin that tells you which tunes go together nicely?

you might as well just put on a cd and stand around waving your arms at the crowd like gigi d'agostino...

knowing how not to clash keys and how to move between them to shift moods gradually without being too sudden is one of the core skills of being a good player of music...

taking the instinct and the need to know your records / cds / files inside out just takes the fun and the skill out of it..

you don't get anything for nothing in this life, why should you get a free set of musical ears because you have a harmonic mixing plugin???

Zascar

I see your point but that's a pretty slanted way to look at it. I would not want a program to tell me what tunes to play, but I do welcome anything that can help you learn and improve. I'm no musician - I've learned by trial and error how to make a set smooth and avoid horrible sounding mixes, but experimenting with this program I would hope to gain a better understanding if exactly why certain tracks do or don't go together. I would never want to rely on such a tool, but use it to help teach myself to become a better dj.

Beatmatching, I'm well able, but clicking a button just frees up more time for other stuff like looping, effects and overall programming. The beatlock engines aren't generally that great anyway - I use it once to get in the general area but fine tune myself after that.

BaZmO*

What ever happened to using your ears to see if sounds ok or out of key. I personally think that any software like that would just unnecessarily complicate matters. If you can't tell by listening to the mix yourself you should really forget about DJing.

voltamadan

djs saying things like: the software advises you to etc./the software tells you which etc. is a little worrying.

i can see zascars point, it could be used as a kind of tutoring method to improve your skills, however i think it would be more likely to inspire certain djs to become even lazier than they already are.

PeakOutput

i would not use the software to tell me which song i should play next but im all for any bit of software which helps me index and group my songs together away from the club so when i am mixing the songs that musically should go together are near eachother and i can spend more time on my mix

its the same with beatmatching in serato it dosnt do it for you but it makes it a whole lot faster so ican concentrate on other things. i can do it normally if i want but why would i when i can use the software and the crowd enjoy my set more........i personally couldnt care less what the jockey watchers think of my "skill" or lack there of it as long as the crowd is digging whats coming out of the speakers thats all that matter imo

Zascar

Totally agree. At the end of the day its the tunes you play and how your audience enjoy it that matters. I've seen big name DJ's that fcuk up mixes but still make the crowd go mental all night.

voltamadan

all the above is fair enough, bollox to technique/skill and hooray for getting the floor jammed with sweaty people losing their minds.

but, the easier it gets for any joe soap to have a stab at djing, the standard of djs will go down. look at acid house in chicago: it started off as a happy accident, people picked up on it, amazing new tunes were put out, and then a flood of bull**** records that killed it.

djing is all about getting people dancing, but to rise above everyone else you have to take risks, go against the grain, use your instincts! i'm all for technology but it's dangerous and should be used carefully. thats all.