For the DJs who spin progressive house, do you guys worry at all about the key a tune is in and matching them up with other tunes of the same key in a set? Or is that mostly for trance since it is more melodic?

you know, I haven't really even tried to pick up this whole harmonic mixing thing, but I think I'm aware of it weather i know it or not. When I'm mixing a set, i couldn't tell you for the life of me what key a record is in, but I find myself constantly going to put on a record and then taking it off because it doesn't sound right...there is a key clash that I'm aware of. But I'm by no means looking around online trying to find the key all my records are in and then writing them on the label. But I think I can subconsciously tell by ear if songs are grossly out of key.

Is it necessary to do harmonic mixing? What differences are there between that and just mixing in whatever tune?

I have found I do notice a difference in my mixes I try and do harmonically compared to those I did before. Just because their are no massive synths to clash it still sounds better when they are in key, its nice to have basslines in complementary keys. That said, I think it is a little easier to smudge on the harmonic mixing, I mean it can be easier to mix on essentially keyless "free beats".

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yes and no. on the deeper side, a lot of us will worry about the key of our basslines... on the flat'er side, if there is a strong melody line again yes. i mean, we don't harmonically mix every record thats not possible(well it is but that leaves a lot of tunes out)

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Originally posted by zizack you know, I haven't really even tried to pick up this whole harmonic mixing thing, but I think I'm aware of it weather i know it or not. When I'm mixing a set, i couldn't tell you for the life of me what key a record is in, but I find myself constantly going to put on a record and then taking it off because it doesn't sound right...there is a key clash that I'm aware of. But I'm by no means looking around online trying to find the key all my records are in and then writing them on the label. But I think I can subconsciously tell by ear if songs are grossly out of key.

that's the boat i'm in too, i have no clue what key my records are in but i do know what records sound good with what
so i think that subconciously i do mix in key to an extent

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Do you think some of you guys who do spin prog house can list some tunes that have the same key? I looked at the sticky for this but I only found trance tunes. Or maybe can someone add them to the sticky?

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Originally posted by Tony Morello that's the boat i'm in too, i have no clue what key my records are in but i do know what records sound good with what so i think that subconciously i do mix in key to an extent

i'm in this club also

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Originally posted by montie i'm in this club also

+1

i guess middle school band class did help...


1st chair trombone.

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i have some musical background so it helps me. i dont really think it. just do it

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Originally posted by Shudder i have some musical background so it helps me. i dont really think it. just do it

Me too...

I recall hearing that if you pitched more than +/-3, keys seldom sound good together....

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Yes and no as well. I try to look at the mix in it's entirety, so each transition is different to facilitate mood key, and structure changes. To answer your question specifically regarding harmonic mixing with prog house, I think it's more paramount that you do harmonically mix because prog house is usually less melody driven, so just overlaying melodies in compaitable keys doesn't do justice for prog house: how long the outro is, how many breakdowns, legnth of breakdown, texture of track, weight(how hard the bass hits, and whether it "rolls" or not) etc...should determine what your next track is.