If you’re looking to have a future as a DJ or you simply want to be the best DJ you can be, learning how to mix in key is something you should at least learn about. Mixing in key can make your mixes go evenly so you have mixes that sound more professional and pleasing to the ear.
The key to mixing in key is finding the right software to help you accomplish your goals. However the right kind of software can be difficult to find, even for DJs who have a background in music. If you don’t have a background in music, software such as Mixed In Key can really help you improve your craft.
If you’re looking for a program to help you mix in key, keep reading more of our Mixed In Key review.
Why Mixing In Key
You’re probably wondering why you should even bother mixing in key, when there are plenty of options available to you via other methods. The truth is that if you are satisfied with other methods of mixing then you can stick with that. However, if you want to take your DJing skills to another level, then Mixing In Key is software you should at least consider.
Because all music is in one key or another, you want to mix in key to give your mixes a seamless sound that blends together well. If you choose not to mix in key you run the risk of making mixes that are out of key, and don’t sound quite as good as mixes made by other DJs.
When you mix in key, particular with the Mixed In Key software, you can be more adventurous with your mixes. You have more options available to you with which you can experiment for more unique mixes that make you memorable. The Mixed In Key software lets you use advanced techniques that let you shape how each of your sets play out, whether you want to get the crowd amped up and slow it down.
Installing The Software
If you decided to buy the Mixed In Key software, installing it is pretty straightforward. Because you buy the software online from the Mixed In Key website, you can download it straight from there.
All you have to do next is add the registration key provided to you and you can open and start adding songs. Even if you’re just getting started as a DJ and aren’t quite computer literate, installing this program is quick and very simple.
Getting Started
Before you can start mixing in key, you should have some information about how and where your music files are organized and stored. This will make it easier when you get ready to analyze your files and organize them.
First, you need to figure out where you want the software to save the key information from your music files. The good news about this is that Mixed In Key offers you several different choices: filename, comment tags and ID3 tags. You must do this in order to make sure the software displays the information on the keys in whatever DJ software you currently use.
Make sure all of your music is updated and if it isn’t iTunes can do you it for you, but be prepared to wait while it works its magic.
Camelot
The Camelot system in Mixed In Key is a perfect method of understanding musical keys for those who don’t have a music background. The Camelot wheel represents the keys in all music, while the letters and numbers near each word (e Major, F-sharp Minor) represents the Camelot version of these keys.
Although this wheel is helpful, it isn’t purely necessary to use Mixed In Key. You can mix tunes by keep the letters (A or B) the same while going up or down the number system. If you’re not familiar with musical notes then this is what you need to know to use Mixed In Key; A is the ‘major’ keys that sound upbeat, while the tunes labeled with B are the minor keys that sounds melancholy.
Take your time getting acquainted with the system before you start mixing so you have an idea of what you need to make mixes.
Should You Get It?
If you take the time to organize your music and make sure everything is properly labeled in a uniform manner then you will find Mixed In Key a useful software program for your DJ career. If you’re looking for a key mixing program that will do all the work for you, then this isn’t for you.
Mixed In Key is all about you setting up a system that works for you so you can make mixes conveniently. Having this software is useful, but it doesn’t mean that you will always mix in key all of the time. When you decide to make mixes, make sure you do it before your gig, as you will notice all types of errors if you try to do it on the fly.
What’s best of all is that if you do decide that you want to mix in key and use Mixed In Key, you can purchase this software relatively cheaply at just $58 (US). This software program is easy to set up, even easier to use and affordable for all DJs.
If this program sounds like something you want to use, read our review of Mixed In Key 5 for the newest version of this program.
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I’ve had this software for a month or two now. It’s great and I’ve noticed a few things. Despite being a musician and songariter in a former life, I was amazed now how the best tunes are almost always in a minor key. Whenever I switch it to a major key I am always suprised at how few good tracks are available to play from my 12,800 strong catalogue.
As for improvements: well it sucks miles more power than my DJ software so a lighter footprint would be helpful. I just descovered that my 2.5 GB ram Toshiba laptop couldn’t be upgraded to 4GB which makes this more pertinant to me. If you’re a fat cat with a mac this probably isn’t an issue.
Also there is no search function for individual tracks which would be handy, as my dj software uses a slightly different file format and I am loathed to re-index all those tracks to label the key, since i would have to re-convert them again afterwords – doe! I do have mp3 decks but the laptop software is where i search for tracks for obvious reasons.
Also when processing tracks on my desktop I then find when I slam them over onto the laptop the MIK software doesn’t recognise that they have already been indexed and labeled on another computers MIK before assimilateing them into the laptop index of MIK. When you have TORK or OTS dj software it creates a media label/file so you can save it and transfer the info to any computer, so surely this wouldn’t be so hard to achieve?
These ar minor points in the grand scheme of things though. Being able to mix in key (i don’t use the letter system as I know my A minor from my G flat major) is a god send if you want to create more of a “trip” than a series of beatmixed, but ultimatly clashing tracks. However, Whilst it works at the start of the evening when everyone is leaving you to your own devices, it can get a bit hairy when the requests start flying in later on. Tha being said, if someone asks for a certain track, you can (or at least you could if it didn’t suck so much power out of the CPU) quickly get back on track in a related key if you so wished to do so.
Lastly, a great side benefit is that it opens up parts of your catalogue that you haven’t played for years and of course will now fit in perfectly with the more modern tracks that are still fresh in your mind. At least if you have a good shit filter that is. Some tracks will always sound shit from the day they are released and should of course be dropped the moment the novelty has worn off. Luckily from what I’ve been told I have this essetial DJ skill which if you think about it is probably the fundamental core skill of what we do.