At the moment, I know of two specialized software product, solving the problem determining the tonality. The first one is Mixed In Key, which, thanks to clever marketing, made a lot of noise in the DJ community. A copy of this program, which has earned favorable reviews from stars such as Pete Tong, cost $ 58 at the time of writing.
The second product, which is in the shadow of Mixed In Key, but no less interesting from this is the same Rapid Evolution with which we are already familiar. In terms of its functionality, it is not inferior, if not superior to MIK, and at the same time it is completely free.
Automatic key detection in Rapid Evolution is very easy. First you need to add the compositions you are interested in to the program library. To do this, in the main window, click on the add songs button. In the dialog box that appears (see on the left, click on the picture to enlarge) click browse and select a track or folder on the disk. Finally, click add all to add all the tracks in the folder to the library.
Then, in the lookup table, select the tracks whose key you want to determine. Click on the right mouse button and select detect in the context menu that appears, and then key (see below on the right) to start the process of detecting tonalities. Have patience, because this will take some time. Eventually, the key column next to the track names will show their keys as defined by Rapid Evolution.
By the way, RE is able to determine the tonality of not only music files on your computer, but also the "live" signal coming from the line-in sound card! This is extremely useful, for example, for determining the keys of your vinyl collection tracks.
As I said, Rapid Evolution and Mixed In Key are specialized key detection software. At the same time, growing popularity harmonic mixing leads to the fact that this function appears in computer emulators of a DJ set. What has been said primarily concerns all known Virtual DJ and MixMeister.
To automatically detect the key of a track in Virtual DJ, you need to do two things. First, click right click mouse on the title of the track table at the bottom of the screen and in the menu that appears, check the box next to the Key item. The Key column will appear in the table, in which the keys of the tracks will be displayed later.
Finally, almost like in Rapid Evolution, select the desired tracks in the table, right-click and select Scan for BPMs (see right). After a short analysis of the tracks, Virtual DJ will display their keys in the appropriate column.
A few words about accuracy. I have not tried Mixed In Key in action, and I can say about Rapid Evolution that it is quite reliable, but not always. The creators of RE claim that the program correctly detects the key 67-71% of the time, which, in general, is not so bad. However, RE defined the key of Martin Solveig - Rejection (Ian Carey Remix) from the previous article as D # instead of D # m.
I cannot vouch for the quality of the definition of Virtual DJ, but on the whole it seemed to me satisfactory. By the way, it is better to use the same program to determine the tonalities of the compositions in your collection. Experience shows that even if the product “lies” from time to time, the tones it defines as compatible (more on this in the next article) often turn out to be the same in reality.
Sentiment databases on the Internet
MixShare . The MixShare website, where Rapid Evolution is originally from, has its own database of track information. It is located in the Music section and, most likely, was compiled using the results of the analysis of compositions by the above program.
To enter this section, you will have to register, but it's free and fast. Regarding the database itself, the page slows down a lot, and in it I could not find any of the dance tracks I was interested in. Moreover, after a couple of searches, my account was blocked for "exceeding the traffic limit." Well, maybe you will have better luck.
Harmonic Mixing Database . The creator of this site took an interesting path. He builds a database of track information by analyzing tracks in Mixed In Key on Beatport (an online dance music store). At the time of this writing, there were about 400 thousand tracks in the database of the site, and it seemed a very real idea to find the composition you were interested in.
Note that the track data on the Harmonic Mixing Database generally appears to be more accurate than the Rapid Evolution analysis. This may indicate a slight superiority on the part of Mixed In Key.
I suspect that you are already dreaming about determining the keys of the tracks at night. It remains to learn about the most interesting: how to translate quantity into quality, or information about the tonalities of compositions - into the ability to create truly smooth mixes. I will talk about this in the last article of the series on harmonic mixing.
Skillful use of effects, various turntablism techniques, such as scratching or beat juggling, harmonic mixing, choosing the right playlist, changing the speed or style - this is perhaps only part of what you can start using if you are tired of just putting tracks one after another ... After all, with all these sync buttons and other simplification features, the DJ has a ton of time to devote to using advanced techniques.
As you know, a good mix is a journey, but how to correctly guide the listener through the whole story without unnecessary hesitation and obstacles?
One of the advanced techniques that can help with this is harmonic mixing. This method used to be available only to DJs with good hearing or knowledge of music theory, but now, thanks to the introduction of software with the function of determining the key, it can be used by everyone, even the most beginners.
The basis of this approach is knowledge about the laws of harmony. From time immemorial best musicians study the interaction between notes, and it has long been clear that there are certain rules. This is math in pure form, and this is one of the best answers to the usual school question: "Where is this useful to me in life?" If you are seriously passionate about music, sooner or later you will think about the need to study the laws of harmony in more detail, and now we will go over purely applied methods that will help any DJ.
So, according to music theory, every track is based on some kind of tonality. There are 7 basic notes, which in different modifications give 12 steps. From each of these steps, you can build sequences that are called frets, the most popular are major and minor. The designation of a note and a scale is called tonality. For example, if a track is written in the key of C major, this means that most of its melodic lines and chords are combined with the key note (tonic) of C and consist of steps that are in harmony with the major scale.
Sounds complicated? Everything is fine, it will be very simple further :)
Depending on the combination of keys, the tracks together may sound great or not. In the best case, you will get a beautiful mashup, when harmonies and melodies from one track will be combined with similar ones from the second, and the listener may not even guess that several songs are playing at the same time. At worst, some notes from the two tracks will, when superimposed on each other, create so-called dissonances - unpleasant-sounding combinations of tones.
The following techniques will help you increase the likelihood of a successful harmonic mixing with a minimum of dissonance.
For work, we need such a Camelot System wheel, which was invented by the guys who created the famous Mixed In Key program for determining the key. In fact, this wheel is simplified version the quarto-fifth circle, widely known among musicians with academic knowledge.
Basic harmonic mixing
1. First, we define the key of the track.
This can be done in the following ways:
- Without knowledge of musical theory, this is most accurate to do with the help of special software (Mixed In Key, KeyFinder, Rapid Evolution, etc.)
- View key on the track page on Beatport
- With knowledge of musical theory, determine by ear
- Most quick way This is the automatic key detection by the instruments built into your DJ software. The detection function is available in Traktor Pro, Virtual DJ, Algoriddim Djay, some less popular applications. Usually nothing special needs to be done, the key is determined by the general analysis of the track. Please note that built-in tools make mistakes a lot.
2. We include a track in any key, for example, in 7A.
First of all, we can mix it with a track in the same key, that is, 7A. If there are no suitable ones, then we look on the wheel of the adjacent keys in a circle - we can mix with any of them. In our example, we can select tracks 6A or 8A. If we had a track in 7B, our picks would be 7B, 6B and 8B.
That's it, that's the whole basic technique of harmonic mixing. See how it all boiled down to looking at a picture and a simple comparison?
But it would be strange if the track can be mixed only with the neighbors in a circle - this is very limiting. Let's move on.
On the tractor, use the sort by sentiment function
Transition between frets
If you play electronic music, then, most likely, most of the tracks in your library are in minor key, as is the custom among electronic musicians. Of course, there are major tracks that you should definitely use, but mixing between tracks in different frets can seem like a little challenge if you want to maintain harmony.A simple option is to leave the number and change the letter from A to B or vice versa. That is, if you look at the wheel, then you need to go from the outer circle to the inner one, or from the inner to the outer one.
Look at the slightly augmented wheel to see what this is about. In our case, 7A (D minor or D minor) contains the same notes as 7B (F major or F major), so that tracks in these keys will sound harmonious when mixed.
Augmented Camelot Wheel
So, the basic mixing and the transition between frets allows us to move to adjacent cells of the wheel:
Another method
It consists in the transition from major to minor while maintaining the tonic (key note). For example, from F Major (F Major) to F Minor (F minor). On the wheel, the inner circle is the minor, and the outer is the major.
Here's a simple formula:
- If you are in C major, subtract 3 from the number and change the letter, for example from 7B to 4A
- If you are in minor, add 3 to the number and change the letter, for example from 10A to 1B (we don't have 13, so we come around to one).
This technique can be used when mixing during drum fills and moments with a minimum of melodies so that no special dissonances are heard.
This method very interesting in terms of musicality and storytelling, be sure to try it.
Mixing with emotional lift
You may have heard this technique, called transposition, in popular songs - more often than not, the last part of the song rises a half step or tone higher. Usually, this has the effect of emotional uplift and acceleration.
Let's figure out how to mix two tracks in this way, using the wheel we are already familiar with:
- To increase one semitone, add 7 to the key of the current track.
- For a rise of two semitones (one tone) add 2 to the key of the current track.
Mixing with a short loop
To create a transition between tracks that will allow us to make a long mix, in one of the tracks, make a short loop on one chord, preferably one that plays in the root note (based on the key note), and after that enter the second track in any of the ways described above.Before mixing, make sure that the chord loop does not contain notes that will sound poorly when layered.
To summarize, let's say this whole theory will serve you as a great help, but first of all, use your hearing and carefully assess the situation. Check all combinations of tracks in advance, memorize or write down the best ones. It must be understood that the use of the described techniques does not guarantee excellent information, because although the set of notes is the same, the harmony in the tracks can be built completely in different ways and the chords are played in such an order, with which, when overlaid, dissonances we hate are created. Even if everything should sound good by numbers and letters, but in practice it turns out to be porridge, feel free to look for another option, focusing only on your feelings, develop your inner sense of harmony.
The article used materials from the resources mixedinkey.com and djtechtools.com.
1) Let's deal with the notation.
Notes in addition to the usual do re mi fa .... are denoted in music by Latin letters.
Do-C Re-D Mi-E Fa-F Sol-G La-A Si-B
On the keys, it looks like this:
It is better to learn these correspondences by heart, so as not to constantly look at my blog :)
The sounds, as you understand, differ from each other in height. The minimum difference on the keyboard is half a tone. There is exactly half a tone from each white key to the black key adjacent to it to the right or left. In 2 cases, the black key is absent, and the adjacent key will be white - these are B-C (si-do) and E-F (mi-fa). The distances between them are also half a tone. From a black key to an adjacent white key is also half a tone. Thus, the distance between the white keys is 1 tone (2 times half a tone, we move through the black key).
except cases B-C and E-F. Here, as we have already mentioned, the distances are half a tone.
Also in music there are 2 symbols - # (sharp) and b (flat). A sharp raises the note by half a tone. A flat, on the contrary, lowers the note by half a tone. All black keys are sharp or flat. Each black key can be named in 2 ways: with a sharp or with a flat. To call a black key with a flat, we take the adjacent one from it white key on the right, we define its name, add a flat - and oh-na, we got the name of the black key. To call it with a sharp, we do the same, just take the key on the left. Thus, F # and Gb are the same black key.
Keys are also indicated by Latin letters. If the key is major, then just a letter is written. For example in C major
denoted as C. If the key is minor, then m is added to the key letter. Those. C minor is Cm.
2) Determine the tonality.
To begin with, we need to determine the tonic - this is the sound that most matches (harmonizes) with the entire track. Turn on the track and start playing the notes one by one. We determine by ear which note most strongly merges with the melody of the track. Often (but not always) this note corresponds to the lower bass.
After we have determined the tonic, we need to build a major or minor triad from it. To do this, we determine by ear whether the track's melody is cheerful (major) or sad (minor). It sounds simple, in practice everything is much more complicated. Also keep in mind that about 90% of dance music is minor.
If the melody is cheerful, then we add + 4 semitones to our tonic - we find the 2nd note. Then, to the second note, there are +3 semitones - we find the 3rd note of the triad. If the melody is sad, then on the contrary, to the tonic we first add +3 semitones - the second note, then +4 semitones - the third note. We play all the triad and listen to how it harmonizes with the melody of the track. If it does not harmonize, we start from the beginning, with the search for the tonic :).
Example: we poked on the keys for a long time, and finally determined that the C note is best suited to the track. The melody is sad in nature, which means it is most likely a minor. We build a minor triad: add to up to +3 semitones. This is Mib (Eb). Add another +4 semitones. Get Salt (G). We play all the triads, check. If in harmony, the tonality of our track in C minor (Cm).
3) In conclusion.
The above is just simplest example determining the tonality. Cases can be sooo complicated, up to the fact that the track does not have a certain key. Therefore, practice, practice and practice again.
Have you ever had, my dear DJs, so that you mix tracks, mix, but in the end it still turns out to be clumsy, some kind of dissonance is heard?
The fact is that for a good mixing of the mix, you need to take into account not only the BPM, squares, bars and beats, but it is also very important to know the key of the track and correctly select another track for it in key. Musicians and composers know very well what the circle of five is and how important it is for writing music.
Key- this is the fixing of the position of the musical scale for the musical tones determined in terms of the pitch of the sound, the binding to a specific section of the musical scale.
But, damn it, we're DJs, we haven't graduated from conservatories, and it seems like we shouldn't know such wisdom. Therefore, the developers of the Mixed In Key program took the aforementioned fifth circle of keys and simplified it as much as possible by adding simple key notations and calling it the Wheel of Camelot.
The trick is that knowing the simple designation of the key of the track, we will be able to choose from our material a suitable next track that will harmoniously fit into our DJ mix. Mixing will be easier, easier and more enjoyable.
At the first glance at this drawing, an unprepared person has a headache, some minor, majors, numbers, letters. Nothing is clear how to work with this and how to mix the mix. But let's not rush, let's try to figure it out.
First, we need to find out what key our track has. Musicians easily pick up the key by ear, but at the present time, when every DJ on a laptop accumulates music in terabytes, this is already quite problematic and takes a very long time.
Therefore, various programs for determining the key of a track come to our aid. The most popular are the paid Mixed In Key and the free KeyFinder. By the way, if you play on VirtualDJ 8, then it determines the key itself and translates into symbols of the Wheels of Camelot.
The wheel itself (see picture above) consists of two rings, one above the other. The inner ring is minor, the outer ring is major. The inner and outer parts together make up a parallel harmonious pair of minor and major keys. As in the clock, they are divided into twelve sectors and numbered from one to twelve. The inner minor ring is indicated by the letter BUT, the outer major ring by the letter IN.
Now we mentally discard all these majors and minors, pay attention only to the colored sectors with the letter designation BUT(number) and IN(number). The above programs will mark our tracks to us exactly like this, letter and number. Knowing the tonality of the track, we determine its location on the camelot wheel. Next, we begin to move to neighboring sectors, where each move is a song in a given key.
For example, playing a track with the key A8... We find it on the wheel, we look at what is next to us, we cannot look diagonally. These are the tracks with tonality A7, A8, A9, B8 needs to be put further in our mix.
Ideally, we should gradually change the tonality, move along the wheel in one direction or the other, "turn" it. Each step is a new track. We start with a track with tonality A5, Then 6A, 6B, 7B and then as in the picture.
This is how you combine the tracks with the right key to create a beautiful, technical and smooth DJ set.
One more time more simple language... You have a folder with music, each song has its own code indicating its key. No minors, majors, just a letter and a number from one to twelve. Knowing its code, find it on the Wheel of Camelot, then look at the neighboring sectors (you cannot walk diagonally) and, knowing the code of the neighboring sector, look for a song with the same code. It will be much easier and easier to mix them, they are harmonious in the fifth circle of tonalities. You can move in one direction or the other, move from the inner to the outer circle. The main thing is to pick up tracks from the neighboring sector. This is how the Wheel of Camelot works.
The picture itself can be printed or simply remembered, there is nothing complicated about it. It remains only to assign a key number from the Wheel of Camelot to each of your tracks. This can be done with several programs.
Great program , it was its creators who developed the Wheel of Camelot, making it as easy as possible for DJs to exist without a higher musical education. The program can determine the tonality, record it with the assignment of a code to the track tags, and also write the data directly to the database Traktor, Serato, Pioneer CDJs, Ableton Live.
A huge plus can also be considered the ability of the program to mark the keys of different parts of the track, because they may differ. The creator of the track took and used modulation in the middle of the song, changed the key of the track, all this this program will fix and show, put down the CUE points.
But, to my deep regret, this program is paid. I didn't buy it myself, maybe you dare to do it.
This program is free, but less functional than Mixed In Key. It easily exports the key signature of a track to the Traktor database, making it easy for users of the software to get started with the camelot wheel. completely in Russian, the only thing that needs to be done is to enter the tonality conventions used in the camelot system in the settings.
When the program starts, a notification pops up that it is available a new version Whether to download or not, it's up to you, personally I am quite satisfied with this version.
Virtual DJ 8
Personally, I prefer VirtualDJ 8. I don't know what this is connected with, I just like its simplicity and ease of operation. It also has a built-in ability to calculate the key of a track for more accurate and beautiful mixing. And of course, VirtualDJ 8 can immediately show the tonality of the tracks in the Camelot Wheel system.
To do this, you need to enable the display of the tab in the program browser Harmonics... Hover the cursor over the line with the name of the tabs and right-click, then put a tick as in the picture and get the tab we need, where the keys of the tracks on the camelot wheel are shown.
Traktor Pro
Similarly, you can use the built-in ability to determine the key, well, or use
If you want to make your tracks more musical, but at the same time do not have sufficient knowledge about keys, scales and harmonies, then our article is for you. This set of tools and tricks will help you learn how to add melodies and prescribe bass to any of your compositions, using the correct notes and without much effort.
Step 1: Determine the Key of Your Audio
If you already know in what key your sample is playing, or, say, build a melody from scratches, you can skip this step. Often, when using sound libraries, the key of a sample is indicated in its name (something like "C" or "Am"), or if, for example, you buy a track on a service like a beatport, then the key data can be recorded in the meta data track.
But if you do not know in what key your track is and still want to add a couple of musical parts to it, you must find out so as not to spoil both the music and your nerves. There are quite a few programs out there that can help you determine the key of a song, including Keyfinder, which we will be using in this article. It's free 🙂
Just open the program, put your audio in it with the mouse and click "Run Analysis". The key of the track will be detected and shown on the right. By the way, you can throw many files into the program at once and determine the tonality of all of them at once. Convenient if you want to sculpt something from a bunch of samples or just sign them for the convenience of subsequent work. By the way, here's what I'll do as soon as I add it ...
So, let's say we end up with a guitar sample in G-flat minor (Gbm). That's all it takes to move on to the next step.
Step 2: choosing the right notes
Now it's time to choose the notes that we will use for the above purposes. No panic, no special knowledge of musical literacy is required as long as we have the good old Wikipedia! All you need to do is download two pictures for yourself. Seriously?! Well, the author will not be offended if, instead of that, you add this article to your favorites and open it if necessary.
The first picture is for major scales, the second is for minor ones. If your audio matches a key from a minor scale, then a small "m" is added next to its name (as is the case with Gbm)
If the name contains only one capital letter (for example A or D) and there may be symbols # - sharp major and b - flat major, then this, respectively, refers to major scales.
Of course, there are many more of them, but mainly the keys we are considering are used in electronic music.
Typically, each key consists of 7 notes that you can play and which will sound in tune. What you see in the left column is the names of the keys themselves, and the vertical columns show (in keyboard style) suitable notes for each of them. Above, respectively, the names of the notes. So in fact, the table shows which notes will work in a given key. The numbers on the notes show their number in a given key and which of them we want to use first 🙂
If you start with scratches, then in principle you can take any of these keys and play the desired melodies from the provided notes. Or you can just play something at first, and then determine the key and work. If there is no midi keyboard, then you can do it on a regular one, or even with a mouse in the piano roll.
If you return to our sample from the first step and try to find its key (Gbm) in the table, then nothing will come of it. But don't panic, let's take a closer look! Looking at the Gb note, we can see that it is the same note as F #. It turns out that Gbm = F # m, albeit no math! Pay attention to this feature, so as not to be confused in the future with both this and other tonalities.
Now is the time to consolidate what you have learned in practice. Take your sample, define the key and create some amazing melodies. You are completely safe while using the sheet music from the table!
And if you decide to record a bass part, then now you will have no equal!
But that's all for now 🙁
In the next article we will talk about chords ...
