Tag: software

Mixing in key or chord

Keys or chords just know what they are

Every song you will come across plays on a certain chord or key. Thankfully most DJ software analyzes the MP3’s or WAV’s in your library, and gives you this information depending on your preferences. Most DJ’s and producers will keep a picture of chord or key wheels to inform themselves on what goes together. So how does it actually work?

The chord wheel like the one on the right work by telling you clearly with colors what chord letters go together. As a general rule of thumb, you don’t want to play songs that have chords on the opposite end of the spectrum. Although you can get away with playing songs that don’t match in color but are close enough such as a C major or G major. Keep in mind that matching chords or keys is more noticeable when singing lyrics occurs rather than rapping lyrics. It is also possible to mix without matching keys, but knowing this helps your mixes stand out from others, where their music might be clashing rather than meshing.

It’s okay if they don’t match

If your trying to key or chord match and your songs don’t mix well, it is still possible to still match them. Most of the controllers or mixing softwares used these days come with pitch/key modulators. These come in the form of a plus or minus section close to the jog wheel.

Here a song being played can be pitched up or down and the corresponding key or chord will show. So if you wanted to change an E major to an F, or a B minor to a C minor, its possible and the songs can match up. Just remember that songs being modulated more than once might sound to low or to high in their pitch. This might sound strange, especially if the song is well recognized and the audience wants to sing along.

Do you have to mix in key?

Since there are many different types of DJ’s, there are many opinions regarding whether one should match chords or keys. Hiphop DJ’s for example can get away with mixing between clashing keys because rapping vocals are less harmonic and they can scratch in other tracks, while EDM DJ’s can just mix in using the outro/intro drum loops before the harmonics/bass lines as most EDM songs contains them. The key (no pun intended) thing to know is that it should be used to maximize the way your mixes sound, and not hinder you from playing songs you know will hype up the crowd. It’s to be used as a tool in your arsenal of tricks to keep the crowd going.  

Which Software?

Everybody thinks theirs is the best

So now that we have gone through your equipment, we must talk about software. These days you will hear people tell you that they prefer Serato over Traktor, or Traktor over Rekord Box, but you must remember that ultimately it’s what you feel most confident with using

It may seem complicated at first, but their is a method to the madness

Most will stick with their first software they use, yet it’s important to know the differences in them as well. Being knowledgable in more than one could give you an advantage, especially when you might use them in any event. There is no ultimate or perfect one but all come close these days.

They all work the same

There may be a lot of choices but all work essentially the same. So what they all have in common?

  • First and foremost you will always see a visual of two decks with the waveforms of the songs being played in the middle or top. 
  • The waveforms will always have some type of marker indicating 4 beats and 16 beats, which is important for visualizing the part in which the song is at in any given moment. Some include color schemes that help with mixing vocals or knowing where the bass is.
  • The visual for your decks will have a BPM counter, and to the bottom or side you will have a sampler, hot cue, and loop options. 
  • The software will analyze the songs you play and tell you around the top section somewhere the key or chord you are playing at.
  • Bottom half will have a library with search functions, and the ability to sub divide your music into catagories of choosing. This becomes very important when organizing your library.

What does it do exactly?

In short it augments the skills of a DJ. Having all the visual information and the ability to sort through your music faster, allows someone to better play with techniques like splicing, adding instrumentals, scratching, acapellas, and changing music on the fly.

Right hand of picture shows us the BPM of a track which at the moment is synced with another song.

Features they have while sometimes controversial also help with beat-matching with sync buttons, and slow automated tempo changes. Advanced DJ’s also use other software in conjunction with these DJ software to create new music mash-ups while doing shows live, but of course with pre-recorded samples.

Old school vs. New school

With the rise of the digital age and new DJ’s that have come out with it, the older generations will discount the skill of the current popular DJ’s due to the fact that software helps with what was once a more manual intensive skill one had to learn in order to DJ. While we must show respect for those that came before us, it’s important to remember that with the changing landscape new skills and techniques are emerging, replacing older ones that are now automated.