Harmonic mixing

[MelloState]

I usually do 2songs then go up or down keys depending what Im feeling and sometimes to help boots it I go semitone.
Lately though I been doing 2-1-2-semitone-ect.

[Emery]

Im not sure if you answered my question. To be clear I want to know if the correct way to do it is to move from 9A -> 11A ... or 9A -> 10A?

[ksandvik]

Playing the piano and figuring out scale and chord progressions helps a lot, no need for any harmonic mixing cheat sheets or tables..

[Emery]

ok, so Em -> F#m ... or Em -> Bm?

[ksandvik]

There is mixing by a semitone which is going from 2A to 9A (adding +7) and 2 semitones which is 2A to 4A (adding +2). That's the only 2 methods i know of.

Looking at my keyboard in front, you could let's say have a song in the key of C, and mix into F, G, D, D#, A, b-flat... Usually it depends on the two songs, minor-major, what kind of transitions scale-wise are happening and so on. The only way I know of how it's done is based on hours and hours of practice figuring out soundwise with your ears what works and what not so you could do this in an instant during a real show.

[Emery]

Thanks. It seems that the reason for the debate on whether or not to use a chart is because it's almost as easy to learn by ear and choose songs based on feel then it would be to learn the complex system and rely heavily on key tags and software. Im sure knowing music theory would help with the latter

[sesshin]

One thing to keep in mind also is that sometimes you don't want to be locked into a rigid system. You need room to improvise and do unexpected things. In real music chord changes or note changes don't always go in a linear (chromatic) fashion. They jump around, sometimes playing harmonious, sometimes not. Sometimes it can sound good to do an unexpected key change. You just have to use your ears and hear if it works.

I don't mix harmonically, but I do come to dj'ing from a music background, so probably do it instinctually.

[LoopCat]

One thing to keep in mind also is that sometimes you don't want to be locked into a rigid system. You need room to improvise and do unexpected things. In real music chord changes or note changes don't always go in a linear (chromatic) fashion. They jump around, sometimes playing harmonious, sometimes not. Sometimes it can sound good to do an unexpected key change. You just have to use your ears and hear if it works.

I don't mix harmonically, but I do come to dj'ing from a music background, so probably do it instinctually.

This ^

Developing your ear and a bit of music theory is the way to go in my opinion. Listening to lots of different music and doing some light study on chord progressions and musical elements like contrast are really all you need to do. I find allot of musicians that are really theory driven play without feel and I would guess that would probably be the same with DJing.

[robdquick]

This ^

Developing your ear and a bit of music theory is the way to go in my opinion. Listening to lots of different music and doing some light study on chord progressions and musical elements like contrast are really all you need to do. I find allot of musicians that are really theory driven play without feel and I would guess that would probably be the same with DJing.

Agree 100%. I also come from a background of music (Been playing brass instruments for the last 20 odd years or so) and I find a lot of the time i can hear how its going to sound together before I even play the track. I do key all of my songs as a reference for the trickier ones, but I hardly ever end up looking at it at all.