Determing the Key of Your Tracks + Labeling Conventions

Grade E · Post by **Grade E** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 6:06 pm

Great mixes are often the result of two complimentary tracks done in the same key, at the right point in each song. As I'm sure everyone knows, you can have a perfectly beatmatched mix that still sounds like garbage because the two songs are completely out of key.

So, that makes me wonder if anyone knows of good (or better yet, easy!) way of determining the key of your tracks.

Does anybody label, name, or group their tracks by key for their sets? Any good labeling methods to share?

And then finally, obviously not every track you play is going to be in the same key, so what is a good method for determining what keys you can mix into/from.

Yes, I know ultimately you need to trust your ears, but it would be nice to have a slightly more scientific or theoretical approach to compliment it.

tromo · Post by **tromo** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 7:52 pm

only thing you can do is play scales and keys with the track till you find the right one, you'll get better and faster at it with time.

I found this and it's quite useful when trying to use more than one key.
http://www.andymilne.dial.pipex.com/Modulation.shtml
it works ALMOST all the time. try it out.

Michael-SW · Post by **Michael-SW** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:48 pm

There has been a few advertisments on the General forum for this software: http://www.mixedinkey.com/

It supposedly finds the key for most songs. There is a free trial.

Grade E · Post by **Grade E** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:05 pm

The Mixedinkey software looks VERY interesting. If anyone on the forum has used it, I'd be interested to hear the results.

Grade E · Post by **Grade E** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:36 am

I just downloaded and used the mixedinkey software. The results are quite impressive, and the tutorial and "camelot sound" chart they provide to show keys that will be complimentary is far and away the easiest I've seen to use. Wow, this is a huge leap forward in my humble opinion.

joe90 · Post by **joe90** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 9:08 am

Gradee,

Ive been using it for a while now - works great and the new updated version a week ago added some great features..(draga and drop to ableton etc)..

try it out,

joe

lummux · Post by **lummux** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:36 am

Saw someone on this forum using colour to specify the key

Rokko · Post by **Rokko** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 11:55 am

I use a piece of software called Mixmeister to calculate the key and bpm of my music library. The software is designed for doing mixes, but it's pretty basic from that point of view - however the bpm and key ananlysis features are pretty good. It will automatically analyze your whole music library without having to select individual tracks. The results are usually pretty accurate, especially bpm, and it's easy enough to double check if the key is right once you've loaded it into ableton and listened to it alongside a synth playing that note.
I find it very usefull for planning mixes, as you can build playlists and quickly preview how 2 songs will sound together. You can also right click on any track and select "find similar" which will bring up a list of all the other tracks you have which are of a similar key and tempo. Saves a lot of time!
Unfortunately this software is PC only, which is the only reason i still have a pc. I run Mixmeister through remote desktop from my Apple G5. So if anyone knows of anything similar for the mac it would be good to know.
Glad to see more people are thinking about mixing in key, it's the way it should be done. I group all my tracks by key in ableton. I basically have 4 folders for rough tempo ranges (60-100bpm, 100-125bpm, 125-150bpm, and 150bpm+) and within each of these have a folder for each key. Be interested to hear how other people are doing it.
Peace out.

Rokko

moostapha · Post by **moostapha** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 7:47 pm

Grade E wrote:I just downloaded and used the mixedinkey software. The results are quite impressive, and the tutorial and "camelot sound" chart they provide to show keys that will be complimentary is far and away the easiest I've seen to use. Wow, this is a huge leap forward in my humble opinion.

camelot notation is a joke and a crutch for people who don't know what actual key signaures are.

dominant and subdominant harmonics are a hell of a lot easier than remembering those stupid numbers...maybe that's just 'cuz i'm a chior boy.

John Sweet · Post by **John Sweet** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 12:31 am

Rokko - each of my tracks gets a folder, then aliases of it are put in all the right folders for key, BPM, type of track, etc.