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Posted by Deam on Aug-14-2005 17:46:

Mixing harmonically?

I posted this in the sticky at the top, but thought I'd start a thread on it's own.

My only question is simply how do you mix harmonically on equipment that doesn't hold the key while changing the tmepo? I.e. on turntables, if you can only change tempo via pitch, would that not change the key of the song and negate any attempt to match keys?

Posted by RJT on Aug-14-2005 18:54:

Re: Mixing harmonically?

quote:
Originally posted by Deam
I posted this in the sticky at the top, but thought I'd start a thread on it's own.

My only question is simply how do you mix harmonically on equipment that doesn't hold the key while changing the tmepo? I.e. on turntables, if you can only change tempo via pitch, would that not change the key of the song and negate any attempt to match keys?

You have to know what key the record is in initially, and then, based on the percentage pitched you can figure out what the key changes to, and mix based on the new key (i.e. half/full step up or down in key).

It's definitely a little more complicated for vinyl DJ's to mix harmonically, but it's certainly not at all impossible. A lot of it has to do with training your ear to hear key changes...

I don't know if that helps much, but good luck M8...

Peace, Cheers,

Rob

Posted by Omega_Blue on Aug-14-2005 19:18:

or, you could figure out the key of all of your records at say.. 130 bpm... so no matter how fast the track is going, you'll always be able to pick out a track that's in the same key.

Posted by Deam on Aug-14-2005 19:58:

No, that makes alot of sense, i.e. to determine the key AFTER the pitch change. A difficult task I would imagine.

Posted by TwoPlow on Aug-14-2005 20:16:

If I remember correctly, the key changes every 3% or so, but don't quote me on that.

Posted by Zild on Aug-14-2005 21:30:

You have to take the pitch and tempo into account. You can mix songs that will harmonically blend together but you must also make sure that the tempos are close to each other too. The rule I usually follow is that I won't mix in songs if they're more than three BPMs away from each other maybe four, but that is pushing it for my tastes.

Posted by Nemesis44 on Aug-16-2005 18:17:

quote:
Originally posted by TwoPlow
If I remember correctly, the key changes every 3% or so, but don't quote me on that.

Sort of, actually what happens is that you have changed the key by half a semitone. A difference in three is about what you will get away with without it sounding rough.

If it goes beyond you may want to consider either mixing the record with something in the next key or playing it with tracks that are more BPM compatible.

If you are using CDJs of course you can just hit master tempo and it's not an issue.

Cheers
Nem

Posted by sandstorm03 on Aug-18-2005 16:37:

quote:
Originally posted by Nemesis44
Sort of, actually what happens is that you have changed the key by half a semitone. A difference in three is about what you will get away with without it sounding rough.

If it goes beyond you may want to consider either mixing the record with something in the next key or playing it with tracks that are more BPM compatible.

If you are using CDJs of course you can just hit master tempo and it's not an issue.

Cheers
Nem

u guys have issues

Posted by Wraith on Aug-18-2005 17:11:

Basically what I do with it is I know at about what BPM I want everything to mix at (136-140) and then I find out how much I have to pitch a certain track up or down and then figure that into the key that I write on the sleeve of the record. It works well for me so far and I actually did a whole party mixing mostly in key and got a complement on my mixing from another DJ that was there.

Posted by davemolina on Aug-18-2005 19:35:

quote:
Originally posted by Wraith
Basically what I do with it is I know at about what BPM I want everything to mix at (136-140) and then I find out how much I have to pitch a certain track up or down and then figure that into the key that I write on the sleeve of the record. It works well for me so far and I actually did a whole party mixing mostly in key and got a complement on my mixing from another DJ that was there.

I thought of doing that when I first started attempting to mix harmonically, but just started writing BPM (@ zero) and key number (In Camelot) on the sleeve. If I come across a track that's really slow, I just write down the camelot number on the side when pitched up around 6% or 7% (I just add 7).

This has worked well for me so far, but I try to play tracks that are within 4 BPM of each other. I don't like hearing tracks that are pitched too high. Just a personal preference.

Good luck with it though.

Posted by pkcRAISTLIN on Aug-19-2005 00:34:

quote:
Originally posted by davemolina
If I come across a track that's really slow, I just write down the camelot number on the side when pitched up around 6% or 7% (I just add 7).

thats exactly what i do too

Posted by davemolina on Aug-19-2005 02:57:

It really seems to do the trick and hasn't steered me wrong yet : )

Posted by wrzonance on Aug-19-2005 17:37:

If you can do it. Then [IMG]http://img.tranceaddict.com/images/icons/koolaid.gif[IMG]

I've only done it a few times. I've heard Nou mix two tracks with almost the same melody, it sounded AMAZING. So yea... if you can do it. Then do it I guess. I'm still learning. Even though I "can" mix/beatmeatch damn well now.

Durp.