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Digital DJ Tips member (join here) Rayanaldo writes: “I’ve been DJing for around seven years now so I’m fairly familiar with manually mixing in key; although I don’t always know what key it may be I’ve trained my ears pretty well! Then I discovered Mixed in Key. Awesome! Then Traktor came out with the key detection feature, even better! Only problem is while there are a few tutorials that explains how to mix using Traktor key notation, most if not all explain it using major minor sharps so and so forth.
“What I’m wondering is… I analysed a few tracks using Mixed in Key, to see what the difference between Mixed in Key results and Traktor results were. I might be overthinking it, but when Mixed in Key tells me a song is “8A”, “8B” or more than one and Traktor has marked the song as “2M” or “2D”, it throws me off a little.
“Maybe someone could break it down for me little better or at least let me know if I truly am overthinking it? It’s probably best to use one or the other but having seen the different results each program has given me, I’m almost questioning whether or not my lack of understanding for the Traktor system may or may not be throwing off my musical programming aka energy levels / fluidity of my mixes.”
Traktor Pro Key Settings Flats Windows 10
Digital DJ Tips says
How to Transfer the TRAKTOR Collection, Playlists and Settings from One Computer to Another VIDEO Recording a Mix with TRAKTOR's Mix Recorder VIDEO About. In this video we explain how to record a mix using TRAKTOR's Mix Recorder. How to Record a Mix in TRAKTOR (SCRATCH) PRO Using an External Mixer and the AUDIO 8 DJ. Aug 05, 2015 In this video we explain how to record a mix using TRAKTOR's Mix Recorder. Jump to a Chapter: 0:55 // 1. Internal Mix Recording 2:17 // 2. External Mix Recor.
A few things here, Rayanaldo. Mixing in key is only as good as the analysis you have, and so you must always trust your ears. It’s a tool, not a rule, and the energy level and fluidity of your mix is based on bigger things that whether the tunes are in key. Use key mix ideas to suggest next tracks, not to decide them. But you’re onto that already due to hearing good matches instinctively before you discovered digital key analysis, so I think you just have to have a bit more confidence in your instincts.
There is no mystery about Traktor’s system: it just used different numbers and letters than Mixed In Key’s. The popular “rule” is to mix to the same code, or if you want to change, keep the number the same if you go to the other “letter”, or keep the letter the same if you move up or down a number. In other words, exactly the same as Mixed In Key. Forget about majors, minors, sharps, flats etc. (There is actually more to it than that for those who want to understand this deeper, but it’s too much to go into here.)
The reason Mixed In Key sometimes gives two readings is that it’s more sophisticated than Traktor in that it can see key changes in tracks (not all tracks are the same key all the way through), whereas Traktor can’t. It’s also more accurate than Traktor’s key detection, but nothing is perfect, so again, trust your ears. I think it would be a good idea to choose one or the other though, or things will get mighty confusing. While Traktor’s analysis is less sophisticated and less accurate, the way it works within the software (colour coding, key recommendations) is pretty neat, so you need to weigh up the pros and cons, decide on “your” system, and stick to it. And remember, “it’s a tool, not a rule”!
Do you have a preference between Traktor’s Open Key notation/analysis and Mixed In Key? Have you struggled understanding this too? Please share in the comments.
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It would make more sense to change the key to 3A, it's only a half-step (aka one semitone) away from 8A. Check this out: 8A is A minor, 3A is B flat minor, the black key to the immediate right of A. To change an 8A track to 4A (F minor) you would have to raise or lower the pitch by 6 semitones. Aug 05, 2015 50+ videos Play all Mix - Recording a Mix with TRAKTOR's Mix Recorder YouTube Native Instruments Traktor Pro 3 - How To Beat Grid - Duration: 12:58. DAVE Digital and Vinyl Expert 39,662 views. Mar 07, 2011 Bringing the master level up in Traktor to -10dB with my set up gives a similar level on my mixer as I get with a CDJ. Remember The master volume, set to -10dB in Traktor. The key thing to take away here is that 0dB in Traktor really means maximum output. Using a master setting of -10dB (or even much lower) will give you a fighting chance of. Jan 20, 2012 (Pro Tip: If you already have some custom settings loaded, I don’t recommend using the Setup Wizard because it will overwrite your settings to Traktor’s default values.) Here’s how to use the Setup Wizard.In the bottom left-hand corner of the preferences window there is a button to start the Setup Wizard.
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Several readers have asked about keylocking recently. This is typical, from Max in Serbia/Montenegro: “I know what keylock does and how it works but I (and a lot of other DJs) have no idea when I am supposed to use it. If there are certain guidelines or ‘rules’, it would be awesome if you helped us get educated about that because there isn’t much info about it on the net.”
If you’re one of those DJs who always looks at that little “keylock” button but feels unsure about how or when to use it, this is for you:
What is keylock?
Keylock fixes the pitch of a tune while letting you alter the tempo, stopping the tune getting deeper and deeper as you slow it down, and stopping it getting whinier and higher-pitched as you speed it up.
What’s the point of it?
When you beatmatch two tunes, if one of them is sped up or slowed down too much, it might sound “wrong”. This returns it to its original pitch while still letting you play it faster or slower.
How does it do it?
It uses your computer as a digital sampler, processing and resampling the tune on the fly and feeding it back with its pitch returned to how it is when played at the correct speed.
So I should just leave it switched on then?
Some DJs do, but the problem is that the work needed to “return” the tune to its original pitch can degrade the sound quality. It happens most when you deviate a long way from the original tempo, so keylock works best when you’re mixing tunes that are close to their original tempos – say, no more than + or – 6% – and with simpler material. Use your ears to judge.
What’s it got to do with “harmonic mixing”?
Harmonic mixing, aided by key-tagging software such as Mixed in Key, is when you mix together tunes that are in the same or related musical keys, for smoother, more musical sets. Every tune has a musical key, but when you alter its speed, as we’ve seen, the pitch and thus the key alter. So if a tune is in the key of C, and you move it up in tempo, it is no longer in C. It may be in C#, or D, or E etc – or just as kiley, between two of these keys. Thus if you were mixing it with another tunes in C, it would sound wrong. Keylock “returns” it to its usual key, making this kind of mixing easier.
So should I use it?
If you’re doing harmonic mixing, broadly: yes. If you’re mixing music that sounds too high or low because you’re deviating from its original pitch too much: try it, but keep an ear on the quality. One tip here is to use it to mix, but as soon as you’ve mixed the tune in, slowly return its tempo to 0% using the tempo slider, then turn keylock off – this will return the sound quality to 100% but still allow you to do the mix you wanted.
Can you do harmonic mixing without keylock?
Yes, but it’s much harder. Best is to use all tunes around the same BPM, but also, every time you add or subtract 6% of a tune’s tempo, you move up or down one semitone (note), which also changes the key to one higher or lower. So a tune in C moved down 6% is now in B. Knowing this, even vinyl DJs can mix in key, as long as they know they keys and BPMs of all of their tunes.
Next week, we’ll look more closely at harmonic mixing, so if this is something you’ve always wanted to have a go at, play with keylock in the meantime and we’ll get you going on harmonic mixing next Friday.
Do you use keylock? What are your experiences with keylock and sound quality? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.