Conflicted, looking for honest opinion! Just stumbled across some cash. And was looking to upgrade any of my gear, and the first thing that came to mind was Mixed In Key. I need a program that can analyze my tracks and what not, I feel like it would be much more helpful with live mixes. Having the accessibility to mix in key, instead of me going by ear. Or should I get a midi fighter? or some other controller that I can use for beat mashing. Thanks you guys
zygote |
Erich Fearday
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by smittten
I got three words:
Ren ais sance
Never went to Ren ais sance although i saw Sasha many times in Leeds before he was as famous as he became, but the first album is a legend. Sasha was a trained musician though if my memory is correct so mixing in key maybe comes natural to him. We are not all so fortunate/talented. I would not like to coment on Ren ais sance mix CDs without reading the cover notes but most mix CDs from around that time would not have been mixed live from the TTs in a club so a comparison would be unfair. I believe the rise of the studio mixed CD as apposed to mix tapes from clubs maybe gave people a unrealistic expectation of what could be (or is usually) achieved live in a club on the evening
. I know tracks can be keyed by ear with practice and musical knowledge but MIK is still a great tool. At the end of the day i never went out to listen & judge the mix i just wanted to here cracking tunes, preferably ones i hadn't heard before in a friendly place with like minded people. The rest is just gravy. |
Carlee Pickard
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by protocollie
fixed
How so? |
Erich Fearday
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Nicky H
lol, utter rubbish...
I meant to type 87 not 97. Sorry my mistake. Im actually from Leeds and lived there all my life untill 6 years ago and i was believeing about old tapes from the Hacienda & Kaos that are available on "old Scchool" websites. The music that Steve Williams & Parks & Mike pickering played back in the 80s were amazing then and most of it (to me anyway) has stood the test of time but you can't deny that the mixing and flow are streets ahead today, in a large way due to the technology available. whether or not thats a good thing is another argument. Sorry if i offended you it was just an opinion & how i feel about how things have changed over the years. If im honest i prefer to hear when the next track is coming in rather than a mix that seems to blend too well but maybe that comes from clubbing before genres were so defined. Days when tracks like Voodoo ray would be heard in the same set as Sister Sledge's "Thinking of You". I just believe MIK is a tool that can make a good set better. |
Laurence Calisto
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Coldfuzion
Didn't read the whole thread, just the first post. You all know that Rekordbox analyzes the tracks for you as well, right? And it's TERRIBLE.
fixed |
Len Lukawski
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Percy
I bought it a few years ago & love it. It doese make your mixes smoother. If you mix in key for a while & then go back to your old way you will notice the clashes & less well matched mixes imediately. As for the fact people have been mixing fine without it for years, i disagree. I have been listening to house music since around 97. If ou go on any old school websites and listen to the greatest DJs from back in the day the people we regarded as legends you will notice two things. The mixes were nowhere near as smooth as they are today & there are a lot more tracks that clash (still great times though). They were the best back then working with what they had. Technology has moved on and made things better for us all. Its just a tool. I still believe the most important thing is the music notthe mixing but if you can make the mixes more enjoyable to listen to too then great. Buy it. Enjoy it.
I got three words:
Ren ais sance |
Janyce Henningson
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Percy
I have been listening to house music since around 97. If ou go on any old school websites and listen to the greatest DJs from back in the day the people we regarded as legends you will notice two things. The mixes were nowhere near as smooth as they are today & there are a lot more tracks that clash (still great times though).
lol, utter rubbish... |
Random X
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by squidot
i've been using mik for about a year now and it's something i would recommend pretty highly. you always have to let your ears be the final judge which it sounds like you do anyhow. also, don't be afraid to go outside of the camelot system if you don't have a lot of "proper" choices based on mik. it is very handy if you have a lot of music like me so selections can be narrowed down, and it gives me a better idea of how the flow of a set can work.
i don't believe you will be disappointed. oh, and btw there was a free key tagging software that was being promoted on here that people seem to like a lot as well but i can't remember the name. may want to search for that. one of the mods really likes it...photojojo or jester, i can't remember who. if you get that one, then you can still buy gear too!
edit: ah here was the thread:
http://community
.djranking
s.com/showthread.php?t=37799
direct link to software: http://ibrahimshaath.co.uk/keyfinder/
and it was jester!
Me as well.
Key Finder is the better of key analysis software I have found up until today. |
Erich Fearday
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by smittten
I got three words:
Ren ais sance
Never went to Ren ais sance although i saw Sasha many times in Leeds before he was as famous as he became, but the first album is a legend. Sasha was a trained musician though if my memory is correct so mixing in key maybe comes natural to him. We are not all so fortunate/talented. I would not like to coment on Ren ais sance mix CDs without reading the cover notes but most mix CDs from around that time would not have been mixed live from the TTs in a club so a comparison would be unfair. I believe the rise of the studio mixed CD as apposed to mix tapes from clubs maybe gave people a unrealistic expectation of what could be (or is usually) achieved live in a club on the evening
. I know tracks can be keyed by ear with practice and musical knowledge but MIK is still a great tool. At the end of the day i never went out to listen & judge the mix i just wanted to here cracking tunes, preferably ones i hadn't heard before in a friendly place with like minded people. The rest is just gravy. |
Carlee Pickard
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by protocollie
fixed
How so? |
Erich Fearday
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Nicky H
lol, utter rubbish...
I meant to type 87 not 97. Sorry my mistake. Im actually from Leeds and lived there all my life untill 6 years ago and i was believeing about old tapes from the Hacienda & Kaos that are available on "old Scchool" websites. The music that Steve Williams & Parks & Mike pickering played back in the 80s were amazing then and most of it (to me anyway) has stood the test of time but you can't deny that the mixing and flow are streets ahead today, in a large way due to the technology available. whether or not thats a good thing is another argument. Sorry if i offended you it was just an opinion & how i feel about how things have changed over the years. If im honest i prefer to hear when the next track is coming in rather than a mix that seems to blend too well but maybe that comes from clubbing before genres were so defined. Days when tracks like Voodoo ray would be heard in the same set as Sister Sledge's "Thinking of You". I just believe MIK is a tool that can make a good set better. |
Laurence Calisto
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Coldfuzion
Didn't read the whole thread, just the first post. You all know that Rekordbox analyzes the tracks for you as well, right? And it's TERRIBLE.
fixed |
Carlee Pickard
09.12.2012 | Didn't read the whole thread, just the first post. You all know that Rekordbox analyzes the tracks for you as well, right? And it's FREE. |
Pansy Shiveley
09.12.2012 | I was a minute away from buying MiK, but then I heard about KeyFinder. Really fast, and appears to be pretty accurate. I've yet to actually use it for live usage, but that's more due to my laziness than anything else.
So my advice: try KeyFinder! |
Len Lukawski
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Percy
I bought it a few years ago & love it. It doese make your mixes smoother. If you mix in key for a while & then go back to your old way you will notice the clashes & less well matched mixes imediately. As for the fact people have been mixing fine without it for years, i disagree. I have been listening to house music since around 97. If ou go on any old school websites and listen to the greatest DJs from back in the day the people we regarded as legends you will notice two things. The mixes were nowhere near as smooth as they are today & there are a lot more tracks that clash (still great times though). They were the best back then working with what they had. Technology has moved on and made things better for us all. Its just a tool. I still believe the most important thing is the music notthe mixing but if you can make the mixes more enjoyable to listen to too then great. Buy it. Enjoy it.
I got three words:
Ren ais sance |
Janyce Henningson
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Percy
I have been listening to house music since around 97. If ou go on any old school websites and listen to the greatest DJs from back in the day the people we regarded as legends you will notice two things. The mixes were nowhere near as smooth as they are today & there are a lot more tracks that clash (still great times though).
lol, utter rubbish... |
Erich Fearday
09.12.2012 | I bought it a few years ago & love it. It doese make your mixes smoother. If you mix in key for a while & then go back to your old way you will notice the clashes & less well matched mixes imediately. As for the fact people have been mixing fine without it for years, i disagree. I have been listening to house music since around 97. If ou go on any old school websites and listen to the greatest DJs from back in the day the people we regarded as legends you will notice two things. The mixes were nowhere near as smooth as they are today & there are a lot more tracks that clash (still great times though). They were the best back then working with what they had. Technology has moved on and made things better for us all. Its just a tool. I still believe the most important thing is the music notthe mixing but if you can make the mixes more enjoyable to listen to too then great. Buy it. Enjoy it. |
Brunilda Kora
09.12.2012 | Preach! |
Cassidy Galindez
09.12.2012 | For MiK, like it's been repeated numerous times, its fucking awesome for organization. I'm pretty scattered when it comes to sorting my library and it's nice to by able to type bpm + key and get a giant list to sort through. I don't understand this elitist mentality some people are portraying, trying to imply that each song must be '100%-in-the-moment-but-also-i-know-every-song-i-want-to-play-in-a-row'. It just doesn't add up. We all take moments to dig through the crate and pull out what inspires us at the moment, and tools like MiK just make that easier. By no means does it pick the next song for you or limit your selection.
I believe I like it because I can just lump all my songs in a single folder and use MiK's great tagging system to sift through what I want, when I want it. |
Brunilda Kora
09.12.2012 | MiK also does tempo, though.
I'm sure if Keyfinder did tempo, I'd be all over it, though (I hear Keyfinder is faster than MiK - but if it doesn't do tempo, that's understandable..). |
Random X
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by squidot
i've been using mik for about a year now and it's something i would recommend pretty highly. you always have to let your ears be the final judge which it sounds like you do anyhow. also, don't be afraid to go outside of the camelot system if you don't have a lot of "proper" choices based on mik. it is very handy if you have a lot of music like me so selections can be narrowed down, and it gives me a better idea of how the flow of a set can work.
i don't believe you will be disappointed. oh, and btw there was a free key tagging software that was being promoted on here that people seem to like a lot as well but i can't remember the name. may want to search for that. one of the mods really likes it...photojojo or jester, i can't remember who. if you get that one, then you can still buy gear too!
edit: ah here was the thread:
http://community
.djranking
s.com/showthread.php?t=37799
direct link to software: http://ibrahimshaath.co.uk/keyfinder/
and it was jester!
Me as well.
Key Finder is the better of key analysis software I have found up until today. |
Brunilda Kora
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by dual citizen
I've always wondered about MIK, but haven't taken the leap yet. I feel like I would rather focus on which song fits better than whether or not it's in key. But I'm generally only mixing 8-16 beats with the type of music I play (disco, French house, indie dance, hip hop), unless I'm doing some crazy looping stuff. I can see how harmonic mixing is more important for longer blends.
This is WHY I use MiK. Not to choose which record to play next, but to ELIMINATE most of the records that I WON'T play next anyway.
Sorting by Key allows you to narrow your number of possible next tracks by removing most of the tracks will sound terrible anyway.
MiK is not gonna make you a better programmer - but it is a simple way of making the best use of your time between tracks.
NOW - MiK, + proper tagging of all of your tunes, +iTunes (or similar) smart playlists = AWESOME organisation = BETTER programming.
P.S - I STILL haven't got around to investigating iTunes Smart Playlists - but goddamnit, I will. And when I do.......... |
Werner Bile
09.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by keithace
these dudes don't pay for their music...come on...
now paying for "tag and rename"...yes please...
seriously, any reason in particular you decided to just stroll in here and randomly call this guy a thief? |
Randal Biza
09.12.2012 | I've always wondered about MIK, but haven't taken the leap yet. I feel like I would rather focus on which song fits better than whether or not it's in key. But I'm generally only mixing 8-16 beats with the type of music I play (disco, French house, indie dance, hip hop), unless I'm doing some crazy looping stuff. I can see how harmonic mixing is more important for longer blends. |
Lindy Jonker
08.12.2012 | KeyFinder and Rapid Evolution may be better choices. You can test the software for no outlay and see if it's really for you.
Start with taking a small crate or 250-500 sample of your library and processing those. Then see if it helps to organise your library or assist in your mixing.
If you feel it was worthwhile...stick with them. You'll have save some coin better spent on tunes or kit, and can consider donating something to the developers of those programs than paying so much for so little. |
Len Lukawski
08.12.2012 | which dudes are "these dudes"? |
Margie Pavell
08.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by SirReal
If you've got extra cash, spend it on good tunes
these dudes don't pay for their music...come on...
now paying for "tag and rename"...yes please... |
Donnetta Enrile
08.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Deejaesnafu
now i believe what everyone wants to know is where youve been trudging around that you "stumbled" upon some money...id like to visit
Have you ever seen the show Breaking Bad? Yeah, I manufacture meth and bank of that..
Seriously though, I just sold one of my old controllers hercules Mk4 twas a good controller. |
Brunilda Kora
08.12.2012 | Buy MiK. |
Laurence Calisto
08.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by SirReal
If you've got extra cash, spend it on good tunes or a piece of gear that you know you'll use. While I don't doubt the ability of MIK, I 'll say it's totally unnecessary. People have been mixing sonically in key for decades without it. If you "need" it to mix, then maybe DJing is not for you. Just sayin'.
Eh, gonna disagree on this one. Been playing for years before I bought it, and while I see your point, when I'm mixing really fast or in a crunch because I was being bothered while a track was playing, it's a huge time saver. I can pick out key clashes by ear, but I'd rather not even spend the time loading stuff onto decks if it's gonna sound ass when I'm cueing it and I'm just gonna swap out for another track anyway.
As long as you use it as a tool, not a crutch, it's a pretty decent investment. Don't let it dictate your sets; but sometimes if you're believeing of three places you can go after a track having your music key tagged definitely gives you more information to help you choose the best option at a given moment. If you're letting MIK dictate every track you select, you're using it wrong.
If you're just starting out, I'd hold off on buying it. Once you're playing really well without its assistance it's an invaluable tool to add to track preparation. If you learn to mix harmonically on it you're always going to be limited by it. |
Ada Matzkin
08.12.2012 | now i believe what everyone wants to know is where youve been trudging around that you "stumbled" upon some money...id like to visit |
Ada Matzkin
08.12.2012 | dont listen to the naysayers, if you already know how to mix and choose music by ear, MiK is awesome. digital DJing is all about music processing and sorting, and it makes this way easier. like people said dont be a slave to it, but id say it was the best 50 bucks i spent at the time i got it. |
Janyce Henningson
08.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by SirReal
If you've got extra cash, spend it on good tunes or a piece of gear that you know you'll use. While I don't doubt the ability of MIK, I 'll say it's totally unnecessary. People have been mixing sonically in key for decades without it. If you "need" it to mix, then maybe DJing is not for you. Just sayin'.
Agreed.
I believe it actually limits you, because you're looking for a matching key, rather than a matching track... |
Antonetta Wikel
08.12.2012 | If you've got extra cash, spend it on good tunes or a piece of gear that you know you'll use. While I don't doubt the ability of MIK, I 'll say it's totally unnecessary. People have been mixing sonically in key for decades without it. If you "need" it to mix, then maybe DJing is not for you. Just sayin'. |
Cole Maroto
08.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by Zygote
Hey thanks for the feed back man. From the looks of It I may be purchasing this lol I only hear good things from people about MIK. And another positive thing, if I buy things it can open up a new window for mixing possibilities right? Being able to harmonically match songs will be pretty sick.
I don't really believe its going to open new windows as much as it will make decisions in a large library quicker and easier. You should be harmonically mixing now, only by ear. I mixed without it for the majority of my time djing and my mixes were still in key, I just had to do it with my ears alone.
You'll probably get some negative feedback on key tagging software on here as some people believe its a crutch that limits you too much. I tend to disagree but at the same time I don't put all my faith in mik either. instead, I use it as another tool before it hits my ears.
I will say that I did an entire hour long session without cueing any tracks in headphones. I picked only compatible songs per mik tags, my notes and energy levels and I didn't have one dissonant mix. It actually worked quite well for the most part. |
Donnetta Enrile
08.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by squidot
i've been using mik for about a year now and it's something i would recommend pretty highly. you always have to let your ears be the final judge which it sounds like you do anyhow. also, don't be afraid to go outside of the camelot system if you don't have a lot of "proper" choices based on mik. it is very handy if you have a lot of music like me so selections can be narrowed down, and it gives me a better idea of how the flow of a set can work.
i don't believe you will be disappointed. oh, and btw there was a free key tagging software that was being promoted on here that people seem to like a lot as well but i can't remember the name. may want to search for that. one of the mods really likes it...photojojo or jester, i can't remember who. if you get that one, then you can still buy gear too!
edit: ah here was the thread:
http://community
.djranking
s.com/showthread.php?t=37799
direct link to software: http://ibrahimshaath.co.uk/keyfinder/
and it was jester!
Hey thanks for the feed back man. From the looks of It I may be purchasing this lol I only hear good things from people about MIK. And another positive thing, if I buy things it can open up a new window for mixing possibilities right? Being able to harmonically match songs will be pretty sick. |
Cassidy Galindez
08.12.2012 | MIK doesnt mix for you but it really does make just organizing your library much easier. |
Cole Maroto
08.12.2012 | i've been using mik for about a year now and it's something i would recommend pretty highly. you always have to let your ears be the final judge which it sounds like you do anyhow. also, don't be afraid to go outside of the camelot system if you don't have a lot of "proper" choices based on mik. it is very handy if you have a lot of music like me so selections can be narrowed down, and it gives me a better idea of how the flow of a set can work.
i don't believe you will be disappointed. oh, and btw there was a free key tagging software that was being promoted on here that people seem to like a lot as well but i can't remember the name. may want to search for that. one of the mods really likes it...photojojo or jester, i can't remember who. if you get that one, then you can still buy gear too!
edit: ah here was the thread:
http://community
.djranking
s.com/showthread.php?t=37799
direct link to software: http://ibrahimshaath.co.uk/keyfinder/
and it was jester! |
Harriett Osen
08.12.2012 | I was a bit skeptical when I first bought MIK, but have been really impressed with it after using it to prep a couple of mixes. |
Donnetta Enrile
08.12.2012 |
Originally Posted by rukkus
I bought mixed in key and its nice. I reccomend it.
Thanks man, I'm really considering it. Does it help you with more flow with in your mixes? |
Cassidy Galindez
08.12.2012 | I bought mixed in key and its nice. I reccomend it. |
