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Thread: Harmonic mixing? has any of you ever used it? examples?

  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Panotaker View Post
    The only real good way to demonstrate harmonic mixing is to listen to a harmonic mix of songs that you are familiar with. If you listen to a harmonic mix of songs that you are not familiar with, it is just going to sound like a one hour long mix of one long song, even though there are 20 songs in the mix. Now if you are familiar with the songs, and you listen to a harmonic mix that was phrased correctly, and beat matched perfectly, you will be able to tell where the mix is, and you would say, wow, that was a smooth mix. If you are not familiar with the songs, its just going to sound like one long song. For example, I mainly mix old music from the 70's and 80's, because I'm older than dirt. If a young person listens to my mix, they would probably think I played a song that is 30 minutes long, because the mix is beat matched perfectly, phrased matched perfectly, and harmonically perfect. If and old person listens to my mix, they would go WOW, that is a bad ass mix, because they are familiar with the songs, and they can tell where I mixed it. Here is an example of one of my harmonic mixes: https://www.house-mixes.com/profile/...funk-disco-mix But like I said, if you don't know the songs, you might not be able to tell where I mix them. Harmonic mixing is mainly important in songs that have a lot of vocals in them. If you play a song with a singer, and mix in a song that has another singer, and they are singing in different keys, it is really noticeable if they are not singing in the same key. Now if you mix in a song with a singer that is singing in the same key as the first singer, the mix will sound 10 times better, because it is mixed harmonically, assuming you phrased it right, and beat matched it perfectly. If you mix songs with few vocals and instruments, harmonic mixing is not that important. To make a good mix you need 3 things, beat matching, phrase matching, and harmonic mixing, in that order. Out of those, beat mixing is the easy part, phrase matching is the hardest. You can make a good mix with just the first two, but the mix will sound a whole lot better, if you throw in a few harmonic mixes in there also.
    Agreed here. To me harmonic mixing isn't useful if your audience isn't that familiar with the tracks being mixed. But when they recognize the tunes, especially those with vocals, it's more impressive.

  2. #12
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    When a mix sounds good it's usually because the Harmonics with in it are nicely related. An app might help you achieve this but ultimately go with your senses. Developing the sense of related tracks will help you a lot more in the future!

    At the end of the day it's all about those spikes and troughs, how they add together and cancel out over the duration of the mix.

  3. #13
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    While harmonic mixing can sound smooth it can also be pretty boring to listen to. When you are playing out, don't fall into the trap that you are constantly looking for songs that have matching key to the one you are playing. Look for songs that will elevate the energy of the room/dancefloor, because those two things arent always the same. There are many ways to match songs in a mix, harmonics are one, lyrics is one, drum patterns are one, and just something to bring contrast is one, stay creative, don't let key dictate what you mix, not all the time anyway.

  4. #14
    What mitchiemasha said ^^^

    Every track has a key that it is in, or sometimes multiple keys... The keys the two tracks are in as a huge effect on how well they mix and the feeling that comes across when they mix. This is true whether you know the key or don't know the key. All MixedInKey does is label the track with the actual key it is in so that you can more easily find tracks in specific keys when you are looking for them. It's just another tool for organizing your tracks.

    For years I dj'd without having anything like mixedinkey and when I listen to recordings of those sets they are harmonically pretty well put together... Why? Because as a DJ I am looking for tracks that mix well, and you can hear when the transition between keys works well and when it doesn't.. just by listening.. you don't have to know what the keys are to know that the keys clash. You just have to listen for it. MixedInKey gives you a little more information that can speed up the process, that's all.

    When I first got MIK it drove me nuts actually because I was trying to follow the rules and do it "right" but then I calmed down and realized I was never doing it wrong, but I could use MIK to just make my existing process easier. For example if I am trying to find a track to play, and I've found a few tracks where I'm happy with the key but not happy with the track.. I can quickly find other tracks with that same key.. some of which I might not have even thought of.. and see if one of those works better.

    Or sometimes I have a track that is just perfect except that the key transition isn't quite right... But I decide to play the track anyway because it's perfect in other ways. Then maybe I'll mix it a bit differently, not overlapping the basslines for example...

    So yea MIK doesn't change your music it gives you extra information that you can use when you want. You're probably harmonic mixing a lot already and don't know it....

  5. #15
    LOL I'm so sorry I went on for so long.. I was waiting in line for something and typing away on my phone and it all just came out. But I'm still on my phone and it's far too hard to edit....

  6. #16
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    the couple of months i have been practising djing today i decided to try and not mix in key but the same tempo and it really sounded bad, but the interesting thing was i could hear by ear how terrible it felt. people say it makes it boring but I disagree if you find the right tracks in key it makes it so much smoother and keeps the mix going better.

  7. #17
    I use both mixed in key and platinum notes - pn being much more important.

    I feel the key does matter to a certain degree unless it is just percussion. I have listened back to some of my old mixes that were not mixed harmonically and there were some cringe-worthy mixes.

    In terms of being one long song, you may need to change up the tracks you play. People may love a long smooth mix, but I go for almost the opposite. I mainly play breaks, do add in house and trance at times. I want people to hear the bass swap - it builds energy - to my ears anyways. I also do some cutting and chopping of the tracks. I try to break everything into little "moments of energy".

    I am not trying to offend anyone, but those are my thoughts.

  8. #18
    Very good shout about doing it for pre-recorded mixes. I do mix harmonically, though not all the time. If you are playing in a club and the crowd likes a tune that you are playing, and you think of a similar track that they will also like, it may be in a different key, you can't start climbing through different tracks just to reach the key of the one that you actually want to play, because that moment may be lost forever....forrrrrrevvvvvvver

  9. #19
    LOL truth. But you don't HAVE to step through every key to get to the one you want to play. Certain key changes sound good certain other ones don't .. they don't necessarily have to be adjacent.

    For example a lot of my tracks are in 4A and 9A (using Mixed In Key Camelot Notation). These are nowhere near each other on the circle of fifths. Yet they usually mix nicely together. If you look at a chart you'll see that 9A and 4A are E minor and F minor.... Now, I took music theory classes once in my life but that was decades ago so really I cannot tell you how to know what keys go well with what. A real musician could tell you... But once you get a feel for what goes with what there are plenty of options.. you aren't stuck playing the next track going one key up, one down, or the same.

    But sure if you absolutely have to play a track because it's the perfect one to play right now then play it! I mean, as DJs our job is to make these choices.

  10. #20
    New Member tbseferoglu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DJ Matt View Post
    im curious about the topic of harmonic mixing

    utiliing 'mixed in key' software vs dj software that tells you (guesses?) the key of a song

    iv never found a need for it myself, but out of curiosity any of you ever used it? and can you show examples of how it can be beneficial?
    HEY!
    Playing guitar or piano even mixing songs depends on chords.İmagine yourself in a bar listening metal music.İf solo come in by 4 pitches down you will notice,then go crazy with bleeding ears.İn Electronic music its same.Maybe drunk/stoned crowd can not able to notice that but good audience would notice everytime.But keep it simple ı have a trick.You can pass 2 steps maximum when you're passing in same key like 4A to 5/6A or 7B to 6/5B.When you wanna change the main key you can only pass in 1 direction like 1A to 1B or 7B to 7A.İts all about Harmony.Do it You will get what ı mean.
    Take Care!

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