Changing the Key of a track in Traktor?

[PRESSPL>Y]

Is it possible to change the key of a track in Traktor? I read about this in a reference to something, so I'm not sure if this is what the guy was talking about, and I've also never seen anyone use this before.

I try and mix harmonically when I can, and I use Mixed in Key. This would be an amazing feature if it actually exists.

-PL>Y

[DJMutagen]

It totally does! :-D If you have the full internal mixer showing, there are key 'rotaries' that you can lock/adjust. It's very good in my opinion if you computer can handle the 'high quality' processing. I use it all the time

[PRESSPL>Y]

How does it work? Does Traktor analyze the key of the track and display that information?

[tekki]

Just make sure you don't go beyond 1.74% in pitch, otherwise your tracks will lack punch when playing in keylock.

[DJMutagen]

It does not display it in terms of readable text, I have my track info show the key (after RE or MiK adds it to comments tag, so comments technically) and you have to make fine tuned adjustments to the key until it sounds right. Key lock only really works for when you're changing the tempo

[DJMutagen]

+1 to Tekki's post

[PRESSPL>Y]

Just make sure you don't go beyond 1.74% in pitch, otherwise your tracks will lack punch when playing in keylock.

So when you're using what I now understand is a pitch adjust (am I right?), do you have keylock on at all times?

If that's the case, are you also using Mixed in Key? And if so, are you doing any calculations to figure out how much to pitch adjust one track to match the other?

-PL>Y

[VanGogo]

First find the key of your track. Mixed in Key does this, but I would check the key with a synth to make sure it is right. Once all your tracks have the Key info tagged then you can use that info to mix harmonically.

Then for each musical 1/2 step you want to change a song, you will move the key knob (not the pitch fader) 1 full increment. (1.00, 2.00, etc.) (with Keylock on)

Example: C to C# is one musical 1/2 step. If one song is in C and you want to mix in a song that is in C# then you would turn on key lock and move the key knob to -1 for the song in C# to change it to C which matches the first song.

If you are unfamiliar with musical 1/2 steps, you can google it and learn the steps between notes on the chromatic scale. OR make a chart. In general #(sharp) is a 1/2 step higher and b(flat) is a 1/2 step lower. the scale goes like this....

C |C#| D| D#(Eb)| E| F| F#(Gb)| G| G#(Ab)| A| A#(Bb)| B| C

Musical distance between each note is a 1/2 step. So C to D# is 3 half steps apart and you would change the Key knob to 3 on the track in C to have it match the one in D#, or change the key knob to -3 for the song in D# to match the one in C.

Notice the 2 exceptions to the 1/2 step being #/b is between E and F, & B and C. As in you will not have and E# or Fb nor a B# or Cb.

Music Theory class has ended, on to your next class, not loitering in the halls.

[PRESSPL>Y]

Sorry, but how would this relate to the figure 1.74%? I haven't had the opportunity to play with Traktor yet, I'm just trying to learn the theory. So does the pitch adjust control move in increments of musical steps, or in increments as shown as a percentage?

[VanGogo]

All the 1.74% is about, is if you change the key of your track by more than 2-3 increments on the key knob, the change to the song will make it sound thin. So even though you can change the key alot with the key knob, you shouldn't change it more than 2-3 increments.

The knob itself reads in decimal places 0.0-0.01-0.02---0.99-1.00-1.01 etc. So if say a song in the key of A is slightly different (flat or sharp) from another song in the key of A, then you can tune them to match.