forums : Jungle Scene

Mixing in Key..

I am referinng to mixing records with complementry harmonic content. Some one meationed to me not to long ago that they knew of dj's going as far as labling tunes by there key? I found this to be interesting because I think overall D&B is atonal music.. In the bit of producing I have done I do pay attention to harmonies of the different parts but not so much to say its in a certin key... maybe Im doing it with out realizing it?

So my question is, do you or anyone you know of chose mixes by recognizing and layering harmonic content?

Re: Mixing in Key..

black sun empire
noisia
gridlock

i can go on and on.

Re: Mixing in Key..

there's a thirty page thread about this on doa if you are board(lol)....but i always try to mix in key unless some dissonance is appropriate

[ world.renowned - 5 Jan 2007 23:07 ]

Re: Mixing in Key..

hahhahaha you make the fun yes?

the best harmonic mixers have to be FRICTION and ANDY but lets not forget legends like asides and bailey and dbridge kills it when he is not offbeat
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According to rfx ...

black sun empire
noisia
gridlock

i can go on and on.
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Re: Mixing in Key..

I just go by what my ears tell me - I have zero musical training and couldn't tell you what key something is in to save my life. If a mix sounds off to me, I won't do it.

Re: Mixing in Key..

dnb is not atonal, it is music.
not enough dj's pay attention to keys,
either out of no musical background or a lack of a sensitve ear to the tones.
learning any instrument or just producing a track will help alot.
if you have doubts about 2 tracks, record them mixed, then listen back and you will hear more than when you were mixing them

Re: Mixing in Key..

I do.

Re: Mixing in Key..

i'm tired of hearing dj's do double drops that are out of key.

Re: Mixing in Key..

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According to jos ...

i'm tired of hearing dj's do double drops that are out of key.
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aaaaamen

key is everything and to not have a firm grasp of that means your slacking

Re: Mixing in Key..

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According to jos ...

i'm tired of hearing dj's do double drops that are out of key.
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just because it can be done does not mean it should be.

Re: Mixing in Key..

wouldnt pitching up/down kinda ruin going by complimentary key marked stuff, unless it was the same key pitched the same way though?

Re: Mixing in Key..

Thank you.

I key mix whenever possible.


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According to bighead ...

dnb is not atonal, it is music.
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Re: Mixing in Key..

I find that liquid (or the smoother jazzier dnb for those who don't agree with categorizing subgenres of dnb) tends to be more challenging to mix on the basis of harmony. A lot of the darker techier stuff seems to go together more effortlessly than tracks that have more melody. And if you are one of those people that categorizes records on the basis of what key it's in...you're just boasting that ability and I think you're full of s**t. Seriously though... I'm curious what style of dnb this person you are talking about plays, Aaron...

Re: Mixing in Key..

Theoretically the key would progress down (or up) the scale depending on the speed I would think. Change the speed, change the key, but the two records will still match just in another key.

Re: Mixing in Key..

AMEN

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According to djdaemia ...

I find that liquid (or the smoother jazzier dnb for those who don't agree with categorizing subgenres of dnb) tends to be more challenging to mix on the basis of harmony. A lot of the darker techier stuff seems to go together more effortlessly than tracks that have more melody. **********

Re: Mixing in Key..

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According to formerlymelicious ...

Theoretically the key would progress down (or up) the scale depending on the speed I would think. Change the speed, change the key, but the two records will still match just in another key.
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yea, but my thing is, if you have say 2 marked as a c, and one pitches up at say, +7 and the other pitches down to like, -2, would make the on-key sound not so great. which is why i dont get sorting records by key to mix into unless its a "these few go together well" thing.

Re: Mixing in Key..

hummmm I see your point .. I don't think you should really have to write it down anyways. I think as a dj you should be able to bunch your records that will stay on key together just as much as you should be able to bunch different styles or artists.


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According to bnj ...

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According to formerlymelicious ...

Theoretically the key would progress down (or up) the scale depending on the speed I would think. Change the speed, change the key, but the two records will still match just in another key.
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yea, but my thing is, if you have say 2 marked as a c, and one pitches up at say, +7 and the other pitches down to like, -2, would make the on-key sound not so great. which is why i dont get sorting records by key to mix into unless its a "these few go together well" thing.
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Re: Mixing in Key..

if your mix sounds out of key, just have your MC scream rewind!!! and pull that bitch back.....it's like a "do over". nobody will even know

haha, i kid i kid

Re: Mixing in Key..

^^^^^HAAA HAAAA HAAAA

yeah REEEEEWIIIIND SELECTA!!

Re: Mixing in Key..

eeerrrr... back on topic


I think the thing to make sure of is to know your music. Rarely would I drop a tune I haven't ever heard before, but it happens.

Re: Mixing in Key..

all about feeling...

ohh and the lot of dnb tunes are in the same register. this is b/c the low end of the freq spectrum has a limited range where the bass can be heard and felt.

g hits hardest

i agree w/ daemia...the tech stuff is way more forgiving as it is more about sound design and edits rather than melodic structure.

Re: Mixing in Key..

big up the double bassline double drop that is out of key .. and clipping both channels


THAT rules

jk
hahahah


if you know your records and can discern bad sounds from good you can mix in key.

you do not need to know that this record is in A or G etc

just learn what sounds bad and or good

I am classically trained and I have never caught myself stressing over the exact key of tunes..

either it works or it doesn't

if it does not work ... grab another record and try that one.


when in doubt record your mix and listen to it later to see if it "really" works.

Re: Mixing in Key..

If the tune is produced correctly, it will match up with the correct key and tonal qualities of virtually all the records in your mix..
Of course this is done whilst keeping with the current tempo trend as well.
Right now in D&B most descent producers understand this and make their tunes accordingly to match with whatever else is being played.
As a Dj, if you've got two or three tunes pitched together and the keys don't match up, you musn't use the tunes that are out of key - they were made without the obvious factor of common tempo/pitch to other tunes.
It's just that simple.


oh yea, double drops out of key - who does this?!

[ dirtydeeds - 8 Jan 2007 10:59 ]

Re: Mixing in Key..

^^^^^
Ohh, ive seen that happen alot

Re: Mixing in Key..

Check this out:

http://xone.mixedinkey.com/GetStarted.aspx

It's software that analyzes a song and classifies it into it's harmonic key selection based on the Camelot Sound Easymix System. Which you can learn more about here:

http://www.harmonic-mixing.com/overview/easymix.mv

Pretty ingenious system if you ask me.

Re: Mixing in Key..

same here, there are some djs who just double drop and dont pay attention at all if the tunes are in key or theres phase cancellation going on.

i dont have a musical backround so i really just listen to the tunes together and see if it sounds right. i try to mix in key as much as i can but if the records "call and respond" to eachother really well then that still works for me sometimes.


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According to kellyd ...

^^^^^
Ohh, ive seen that happen alot
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[ circuit - 8 Jan 2007 13:24 ]

Re: Mixing in Key..

i've had that app for a while , i experimented with it at home but it seems like a house or trance dj would use this.