Could someone explain the whole "mix in key" concept?
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  1. #1
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    Default Could someone explain the whole "mix in key" concept?

    From reading threads here I've learnt that alot of people practice "mixing in key" and many also use software to determine which key a song is in (!?). Why? I really do not get it. First of all, Two songs do not have to be in the same key to work well, in fact, work VERY well together. I mean, for an example, a song in C could blend perfectly with a song in Am, and will be perfectly in tune. It seems like alot of people really limit themselves with thinking "I have to mix. in. key. This tune in D#m will only work with the other songs my software tagged as D#m". And secondly, why spend time and/or money on software when the software out right now Isn't that dependable? You would get a way more accurate answer by just using a piano/keyboard/keyboard-app and finding the right key.

    I just don't get why people care. Pre-cuing has a reason, doesn't it? If you can't tell if a song works with another song through pre-cuing, why bother pre-cuing at all?

  2. #2
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    the concept is to know what keys your tracks are in and know what songs they will go with. no one ever said you can only have D#m mix with D#m and no one ever said that a song in C couldn't blend perfectly with a song in Am. read this article http://blog.dubspot.com/harmonic-mix...j-endo-part-1/

    you don't need a program to practice this technique either, but it is helpful when going through a big batch of files.

  3. #3
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    But if a song is for an example in C, but could in theory could go with a song in any key possible, why bother finding the right key for each track? That's why you pre-cue, to actually listen if the two songs work together.

  4. #4
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    I read the article, and harmonic mixing seems to basically be - mixing. A dj mixing "unharmonically" is in my eyes terrible (And that is why I think it's weird that harmonic mixing has become it's own little niche, when it should be essential for acceptable mixing)

  5. #5
    Tech Guru guiltyblade's Avatar
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    it only really matter when those keys are present and clashing hard. Lots of tracks don't really have much of a key in the beginning or end of the tracks, thus you can really just mix whatever you want. To mean the point of monitoring the next track is one to make sure the beat match is good and two to make sure the keys are completely clashing.

  6. #6
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    Exactly. So why is labeling songs by key, and using software and charts etc. important?

  7. #7
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    I feel like people who practice and follow the whole harmonic mixing thing with software and charts are taking an extremely technical and unmusical aproach to djing.

  8. #8
    Tech Guru lethal_pizzle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jichael Mordan View Post
    if a song is for an example in C, in theory could go with a song in any key possible
    In theory, a song in the key of C will harmonically mix into related keys. If you try and mix harmonic content from a song in the key of C into a song in the key of C sharp, it'll sound like rubbish; the scales don't contain many of the same notes.

    At the end of the day, it's just a tool. Use it to see which songs out of the many you've got are likely to mash together nicely prior to cueing up. It can throw up possibilities you might not have thought of very quickly. Or, like you say, let it get you in the mindset of 'Must. Mix. In. Key' and mess your mixing up. It's not the tool, it's the 'tool' misusing it.
    Last edited by lethal_pizzle; 06-01-2012 at 04:58 PM.
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  9. #9
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    Yes, a C tone or chord will not go well with a C# tone or chord, but since alot of songs today have breakdowns and parts without no melody or tone whatsoever, a song in C could very well work together with a C# song.

  10. #10
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    You are absolutely right with that it's just a tool, and I agree that it could be used in a good way

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