I read this whole thread and still have a few questions. Someone asked somewhere back in the thread exactly what harmonic mixing is. I read the response to that question but still don't understand it. I bet I'm over thinking this.

Simply put, is harmonic mixing selecting two tracks that mix together with no tone and melody clashes? If you pick two tracks and they seem to sound out of tune or off in any other way, they don't harmonically work, am I right? However, if you select two tracks and they sound well when mixed without any clashes at all, this is harmonic mixing? This is generally what I do and have had no problems. If that is the case, why would knowing the key of each track be helpful?

I don't know, maybe I already perform harmonic mixing without realizing it. I do play two musical instruments and know the difference between in tune, out of tune, and key changes. Also, I spin progressive house. Most of the tunes listed in this thread relate to trance, so I'm thinking many of the responses also deal with trance. Is there a difference in harmonic mixing between the two genres?

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i am also having a bit of understanding problems but i think i got it

I am trying to key out my tracks but i wanna be sure before i start doing it all wrong. I just have a hard time deciding whether it is in the key i think or it's relative minor or major.

Here is wut i mean concerning the track Dominion 11 hours:

original sounds to me to be in E minor (because the minors sound more in key)

z2 remix sounds to be in G major (because the majors sound better)

Am I doing this right? Are they different or are they both in Gmaj or E minor?

I am really keen on learning this so any help will be great

cheers....


Edit: I just tried to key out tiesto's barber's adagio for strings but i did not get anything close to the original: Bb minor

Last edited by xmotleyx on Jul-08-2004 at 14:55

quote:

Originally posted by DJ Intrigue I read this whole thread and still have a few questions. Someone asked somewhere back in the thread exactly what harmonic mixing is. I read the response to that question but still don't understand it. I bet I'm over thinking this. Simply put, is harmonic mixing selecting two tracks that mix together with no tone and melody clashes? If you pick two tracks and they seem to sound out of tune or off in any other way, they don't harmonically work, am I right? However, if you select two tracks and they sound well when mixed without any clashes at all, this is harmonic mixing? This is generally what I do and have had no problems. If that is the case, why would knowing the key of each track be helpful? I don't know, maybe I already perform harmonic mixing without realizing it. I do play two musical instruments and know the difference between in tune, out of tune, and key changes. Also, I spin progressive house. Most of the tunes listed in this thread relate to trance, so I'm thinking many of the responses also deal with trance. Is there a difference in harmonic mixing between the two genres?

Sounds like you probably do already.
It is as you say simply the science between finding out which tracks go together and which ones don't. It's all about harmony.
It will help looking into it a bit more. Sometimes you have records that you may not precieve as being compatible but once you find out the key you will know more about the different combinations that you can achieve with your records.
It also puts you in a situation where you will never have to put a record back in the box due to key clashes. Gives you more confidence too, you will know if a track will work or not.

Cheers
Nem

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quote:

Originally posted by xmotleyx i am also having a bit of understanding problems but i think i got it I am trying to key out my tracks but i wanna be sure before i start doing it all wrong. I just have a hard time deciding whether it is in the key i think or it's relative minor or major. Here is wut i mean concerning the track Dominion 11 hours: original sounds to me to be in E minor (because the minors sound more in key) z2 remix sounds to be in G major (because the majors sound better) Am I doing this right? Are they different or are they both in Gmaj or E minor? I am really keen on learning this so any help will be great cheers.... Edit: I just tried to key out tiesto's barber's adagio for strings but i did not get anything close to the original: Bb minor

Will look into this a bit more for you but incase you are wondering, the amount of tracks that actually go in a major key in trance music are very few and far between.

Cheers
Nem

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cool thanks ... as for tiesto's adagio for strings i got Bb/A#-minor However, the old version mixed by ferry is in d#/Eb-minor. When i try the cords with the track by tiesto the relative major sounds so much better to me for the A#minor which is Dbmajor (right?). This isn't easy ... but ... i will keep trying...

m...

I just tried keying a couple of songs in my vinyl collection.. can someone please verify?? I use a piano program to key the songs...

Ocean Force Energy Flow- Cm
Above & Beyond No One on Earth (G&D Remix)- Fm
Randy Katana One Solid Wave (Original)-B
Modulations Spirits (Slusnik Luna Remix)-Am(Changed)You are right Brian.. I checked again
Modulations Spirits (Cosmicman Remix)-Am(Changed)
Paul van Dyk Like A Friend-Dm
Paul van Dyk Reflections-C

Verification will be greatly appreciated!

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Last edited by xXxAzNrAvErxXx on Jul-10-2004 at 14:09

quote:

Originally posted by xXxAzNrAvErxXx Modulations Spirits (Slusnik Luna Remix)-Gm Modulations Spirits (Cosmicman Remix)-Em

I've got both of these marked as Am. Anyone else?

*Edit: the Slusnik Luna remix almost sounds like it changes key (to F?) after the breakdown right up until it begins winding down at the end. Maybe its just me but Am only sounds juuust right at the beginning and end.

Last edited by brian on Jul-10-2004 at 02:28

Question for all you, what do you do with this key information after you have it? I was thinking of cataloguing it all in a database, but what good will that do when you are spinning out at a party?

I am considering buying a bunch of those labels that go on envelopes, and slapping on the top of my record labels. Possibly even color coding them to this:

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i bought some clear sleeves online so i don't have to stick anything on my records. Besides now they are protected, lord knows some of my older ones are ready to fall apart now. I bought some small labels and I write the key, number, track and bpm on it. I put the a sides in the upper left and the b in the upper right. I really do not like to plan my sets too much so i figure this will help me with my live playing to be sure that everything is in key.

For those of you that are having trouble keying, please post everything you key so we can all compare. or put them at brian's site and let us know you did. then we can help each other out and confirm if we are doing it correctly.

Also, i am keeping a list in my computer using rapid evolution. a small but nifty program once u get used to it. it helps keying too. at least to see if might be right. but comparing here is better i think ...

i posted some key questions above without any responses.

oh yea... remember if you are keying out mp3s that the person who ripped them may not have had their turtable zeroed while ripping thus messing up the bpm and keying

m...

hmm.. yeah, that sounds like a good idea, plastic sleeves, with stickers on them.

I will start keying my records once i get a feel for it, right now, i'm just gonna leech and label the ones that are already done.

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What happens to the key when u change the pitch by 3%...or 6%?

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