Mixed in key.
Mixed in key. Posted on: 31.05.2012 by Lillia Datson hi all. A couple of questions about mixed in key software.Im looking at getting a MIDI Fighter 3d for mashup's etc and being in key with mashup's is obviously a requirement! (as well making mixes smoother) Has anyone used/got mixed in key and can they recommend it? Does it integrate well with Itunes/Traktor etc as claimed? Obviously the site is gushing forth reviews from top DJ's but thats to be expected. Any and all help appreciated Chaps! | |
| Otto Harlin 03.06.2012 |
Originally Posted by hola amigos
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| Esperanza Neighbor 02.06.2012 |
Originally Posted by Sachemdot
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| Esperanza Neighbor 02.06.2012 |
Originally Posted by djproben
The version you're using is almost 5 years old. You're going to enjoy Mixed In Key 5.0 so much more -- it looks better, works faster (multi-core support!) has iTunes integration, built-in audio player, etc. Here's what Mixed In Key looked like 6 years ago... Here is the latest version (5.0): We've literally worked on this product every day for the last 2000 days to keep making it better. I really appreciate all the kind words in this thread from people who are using it -- thank you! -Yakov |
| Ok Moroski 03.06.2012 | I bought MIK a few months ago. I was using Rapid Evolution 3 for a while before that. RE3 worked, but it was kinda buggy and required a specific workflow to get around the issue (you couldn't load 1000+ tracks at a time, for example, without issue). MIK you can drag and drop files into it directly from iTunes, and with the AppleScript to refresh iTune's ID3 tags, you can even make sure the comments show up in Traktor's iTunes tree so you have your key information without having to make sure every track is already in your collection. With the key showing up before your comments, as mentioned, you can sort by comment in Traktor to get your keys for a given playlist in order. My impression is that you can do the same with Serato or VDJ, though I haven't used either a whole lot. As for it not being 100% accurate - yeah, I'd agree. You can't just blindly rely on it. Thankfully once your ears are accustomed to mixing in key you can start to pick out what makes a decent mix harmonically vs. what doesn't. As long as you listen to the two songs together as you're prelistening, you can hear if they sound harmonically decent as a mix by the time you're done beatmatching. They may not sound great at that point - so in order to find another potential harmonic mix you can look back to your comments and find one. Basically it's made me more efficient in quickly finding mixes that will work well together so I have more time to blend long transitions, play with loops, EQ, effects, etc. It's not perfect, but most audio software isn't, and it works well enough to be well-worth the $$. The only issue I have with it is that you have to buy a separate license for PC and OSX - that I found intensely irritating, but oh well. |
| Jolynn Schroyer 03.06.2012 | will do thanks for the information |
| Nedra Fresneda 03.06.2012 | A= A major Am= A minor It's basic music notation mate, check the link i left in my earlier post. |
| Jolynn Schroyer 03.06.2012 | I know. But when you analyze the tracks and it shows you the keys. It sats Am Cm how do you know if they are talking about C major or C minor? Or A major or A minor? |
| Otto Harlin 03.06.2012 |
Originally Posted by hola amigos
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| Nedra Fresneda 03.06.2012 | ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_scale |
| Jolynn Schroyer 03.06.2012 | i have key finder how do you know what CM stands for? or Am.. They have A minor and A major.... so confused |
| Danae Dumler 03.06.2012 | Oh gosh, yeah I'm totally up to date on MIK, it's traktor that I can't be bothered to update yet Thanks! |
| Esperanza Neighbor 02.06.2012 |
Originally Posted by Sachemdot
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| Daniell Tortora 03.06.2012 | Yakov, I'm 99% sure he was referring to Traktor versions. That's why it sounded like he was talking about 2.5 as the latest version, that might have those features |
| Esperanza Neighbor 02.06.2012 |
Originally Posted by djproben
The version you're using is almost 5 years old. You're going to enjoy Mixed In Key 5.0 so much more -- it looks better, works faster (multi-core support!) has iTunes integration, built-in audio player, etc. Here's what Mixed In Key looked like 6 years ago... Here is the latest version (5.0): We've literally worked on this product every day for the last 2000 days to keep making it better. I really appreciate all the kind words in this thread from people who are using it -- thank you! -Yakov |
| Darwin Roozeboom 01.06.2012 | I have been using Mixed in key for about a year now and it isn't always 100% accurate however it is a fantastic way of leveraging your time when you have a busy schedule. The best and most accurate way is of course by ear and by using the old school method of a keyboard to find the correct key. Bottom line is if you don't have a keyboard or the time then get it! |
| Jerica Haagsma 01.06.2012 | That is some great information! I really appreciate you your response. |
| Danae Dumler 01.06.2012 |
Originally Posted by Patch
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| Brunilda Kora 01.06.2012 | Smart playlists are awesome (I've just found out...) Looks like I've got some learning to do... And iTunes integration in Traktor is making more sense now - I really must get hold of Traktor. |
| Wenona Murro 02.06.2012 | Been using it for years. I always add the key to the beginning of the comments field so that I can easily view it in Traktor. I have also incorporated Smart playlists within iTunes that will show me all of my possible harmonic mixes. Here are some great articles what will get you started. Harmonic Mixing by DJ Endo Pt 1 :: What Is Harmonic Mixing? http://blog.dubspot.com/harmonic-mix...j-endo-part-1/ Video Tutorial: How to Create Smart Playlists + Organize Your Music in iTunes http://blog.dubspot.com/how-to-creat...sic-in-itunes/ |
| Daniell Tortora 01.06.2012 | Sure, they're just intervals between notes commonly used in western music because they sound good. They work on both individual notes and on transitioning between pieces, because songs are usually written in a certain key. A Major third, for example, is a step of 4 semitones: from a C to and E for example, or if you're using the Camelot wheel positions, adding 4 to the value. A minor third is just a slightly smaller interval than a major third, only stepping up 3 semitones, and either +9 or -2 on the Camelot wheel. While the thirds aren't technically as consonant(good sounding to most people's ears) as say a major 5th (one step on the Camelot wheel), they still can sound very good, and provide a different feel from transitioning along 5ths your whole set. The semitone jumps sound much more dissonant, and as such you probably would want to use them for a quicker mix, instead of letting the songs sit together, as they will clash somewhat. Such a transition generally raises the energy level of your set because of that clash, as the transition is dissonant, but not painfully so unless they sit together too long. To get a good idea of what these sound like for individual notes, something like this website will show you how the intervals sound, and give you examples of (older) popular songs that have them as the first two notes. For djing with them, it's best to just do it yourself, or maybe look at a pro dj that uses the system (consciously or unconsciously), and see how various intervals effect the energy of the mix. http://www.musicalintervalstutor.info/listenpg.html |
| Brunilda Kora 01.06.2012 | That is a useful chart - but it doesn't state A or B for the key? |
| Jerica Haagsma 01.06.2012 | That chart is very interesting. Having zero musical background, I'm a little confused with the terms "Semitone Energy Boost", "Major Third", and "Minor Third". Could you explain in laymen terms what they mean? |
| Leeanna Ayla 01.06.2012 |
Originally Posted by markusj
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| Daniell Tortora 31.05.2012 | I'd definitely recommend it, it's really helpful if you believe that mixing in key is something you want to do, and it definitely is if you want your mixes to sound better. In terms of accuracy, as djproben said, it's internally consistent. I have enough of a musical background to do it myself, but MIK is good enough for me- it rarely suggests something that sounds bad because of key combinations, even it might suggest something that's "wrong" occasionally. Also, I'm just not willing to look at my entire library, whereas MIK is. Because it might not be apparent if you don't have a musical background, lots of other mixes can sound good,for example mixing along 3rds or 5ths- the table below listens some possible alternative combinations in the camelot wheel that sound good. mixchart.jpg |
| Lela Umanskaya 31.05.2012 |
Originally Posted by djproben
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| Brunilda Kora 31.05.2012 | Bottom line. MIK won't make you a worse DJ. |
| Lashandra Ost 31.05.2012 |
Originally Posted by djproben
especially the bit about it being internally correct. Ive come to know my music a lot better now, but i have used MIK a lot to just search for tracks in key to keep a smooth progression going in the mix. Im sorry - but i just don't care if a track is a major of this or a minor of that. Ive used MIK to very quickly pull up tracks that i know will work without having to believe at all and enjoyed the result. So on those grounds alone id recommend it. not that the above approach was right, over time i have come to identify tracks that will work much more naturally, but just like DJ software, its a great accelerator to start enjoying the benefits right away. well it was for me anyway. |
| Danae Dumler 31.05.2012 | It gives you options; you can overwrite comments or just store the key in the "Key" tag in ID3. Or you can add to comments, so if you don't want your comments deleted, it will add the key like "4A - startlingly funky krautrock" or whatever. It can add key info in Camelot code or just write the actual key name. Well worth the $50 in my opinion, but I'm not terribly tied to harmonic mixing either. As far as it getting things "wrong," you have to understand these things are pretty subjective ultimately; the best that can be said for key recognition software is that it is internally consistent, so that if you mix 4A with 4A they will work together even if they aren't really 4A. |
| Dacia Krul 31.05.2012 | I believe thats down to however you burn CDs, software you mix from etc - I find it no bother at all. |
| Lillia Datson 31.05.2012 | Ah okay. Does it make it any harder to navigate around your library? |
| Dacia Krul 01.06.2012 | Yeh sure, MIK overwrites the MP3's previously stored comment on the ID3 tag. |
| Lillia Datson 01.06.2012 |
Originally Posted by markusj
Can you expand on that? |
| Dacia Krul 31.05.2012 | I use MIK, its definitely worth it if you plan to integrate harmonic mixing into your sets. Can't say it does link up with Traktor but it overwrites previous comments with KEY and BPM. |
| Devora Chait 31.05.2012 | Meh, I believe the software is abit useless. I tried it, and sometimes it's just not accurate. It can help you sure, but not worth the 50 bucks. Your ears work alot better |
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