[grinloki]

For those that have tried these softwares if you could please enlighten this noob as to the main differences, pros and cons etc

_________________
Dave Lock - Clockwork Joy - Mad King George
www.myspace.com/djgrin
http://soundcloud.com/lock-productions
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Dave+Lock
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Clockwork+Joy

[kev_obrien]

never tried RE, but I have become a user of Mixed in Key, although it took a little time for it to suck me in.

Mixed in Key is incredibly accurate, and once you start using it and trying out some mixes you will notice how amazing track sound when they are in the exact same key. This is already something many of us do as DJs anyhow, without knowing it... your ear is the best judge, and most of the time when puttiing tracks together we look for similar key sequences... but MIK just streamlines the process for you.

One thing to note, however: it is VERY easy to get Mixed in Key Tunnel Vision as I call it, once you begin using it. There are many many times when tunes will still mix just fine even if they are not key compatible... so make sure to steer away from using MIK as a GUIDE... use it only as a point of reference. I recommend NOT labeling your tracks with the key, otherwise it is far too easy to get the tunnel vision and you will begin only mixing music which is in key, which really really limits the possibilities for you.

If used properly, MIK can be one of the most reliable and useful tools you could ever use. Just keep in mind there are so many other elements that make two tracks play off of eachother.. so many people think they are automatcially John Digweed because they use Ableton and Mixed in Key together... but it's just not that simple

[Kris Andersen]

I only mix hamonic and have done it for years now. I use Mixed in Key as it categorise all my tracks into fitting keys instantly so I dont have to sit and analyse each track as I used to before.

I recommend Mixed in Key!

The rest is up to you but Mixed In Key wont make you a better Dj. Only Experience and hard work will do that!

[kev_obrien]

Kris Andersen wrote:

I only mix hamonic and have done it for years now. I use Mixed in Key as it categorise all my tracks into fitting keys instantly so I dont have to sit and analyse each track as I used to before. I recommend Mixed in Key! The rest is up to you but Mixed In Key wont make you a better Dj. Only Experience and hard work will do that!

I agree.

One weird thing I noticed about MIK is that there is some weird differences between the XONE versions (the new ones) and the older one (which I use)

I have the Xone version on my newer laptop which I use for playing out and for various other music related stuff... and when running tracks through Xone MIK it sometimes chooses 2 different keys that are comlpetel not compatible, like it will say "2a or 7b" WTF?? To make matters WORSE, it keys tracks DIFFERENTLY than the old MIK! So xone keys a track 8a, while the old one keys it 6a. So I stopped using Xone, because I have used the old one for awhile now and I trust it's results...

[grinloki]

kev_obrien wrote:

Kris Andersen wrote: I only mix hamonic and have done it for years now. I use Mixed in Key as it categorise all my tracks into fitting keys instantly so I dont have to sit and analyse each track as I used to before. I recommend Mixed in Key! The rest is up to you but Mixed In Key wont make you a better Dj. Only Experience and hard work will do that! I agree. One weird thing I noticed about MIK is that there is some weird differences between the XONE versions (the new ones) and the older one (which I use) I have the Xone version on my newer laptop which I use for playing out and for various other music related stuff... and when running tracks through Xone MIK it sometimes chooses 2 different keys that are comlpetel not compatible, like it will say "2a or 7b" WTF?? To make matters WORSE, it keys tracks DIFFERENTLY than the old MIK! So xone keys a track 8a, while the old one keys it 6a. So I stopped using Xone, because I have used the old one for awhile now and I trust it's results...

it is wierd but if accurate it can be very useful since it gives you more than 1 choice as to how to mix a track with another. i also use the old versions (2.5). I was wondering if RE had the same amount of accuracy in this respect.

_________________
Dave Lock - Clockwork Joy - Mad King George
www.myspace.com/djgrin
http://soundcloud.com/lock-productions
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Dave+Lock
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Clockwork+Joy

[stet]

RE has been proven to be more accurate than MiK. Also MiK is very basic, RE has a lot more to offer. It does take a little, and I mean little, longer to learn. MiK is useless for vinyl users, unless your prepared to convert all of your vinyl to digital.

[Maryann]

kev_obrien wrote:

Mixed in Key is incredibly accurate, and once you start using it and trying out some mixes you will notice how amazing track sound when they are in the exact same key.

That's not really how you are supposed to use MiK, just playing the same notes, you're supposed to use that knowledge to make more dynamic DJ sets and have more control over the dance floor.

This video sums it up well with out even using music,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIdwvmDs0Ys

[kev_obrien]

Maryann wrote:

kev_obrien wrote: Mixed in Key is incredibly accurate, and once you start using it and trying out some mixes you will notice how amazing track sound when they are in the exact same key. That's not really how you are supposed to use MiK, just playing the same notes, you're supposed to use that knowledge to make more dynamic DJ sets and have more control over the dance floor. This video sums it up well with out even using music, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIdwvmDs0Ys

I know how to use MiK ~ have been using it for quite some time, and it's not a matter of knowing MiK, it's a matter of knowing harmonics and key sequences in general... miK only streamlines a process which we all already did in our heads anyway.

I did not say that I only mix tracks in the same key.. I merely suggested a tip to this person who has never tried the program, that would help him realize how accurate MiK is once he put some tracks together that MiK labeled in the same key.

[Maryann]

Well you only mentioned about playing tunes in the same key, and you didn't talk about the power of moving up or down in semi-tones to move the dance floor.

[kev_obrien]

Maryann wrote:

Well you only mentioned about playing tunes in the same key, and you didn't talk about the power of moving up or down in semi-tones to move the dance floor.

It sounded to me like his question was regarding the accuracy of the program, so that was really the main thing I was focusing on.

I only mix harmonically and have always practiced this, mik just makes this much easier.

there is much more to moving a dancefloor than just mixing in key, however, and sometimes going off the beaten path and doing something unexpected, like moving a few notes up or down on the scale, can really raise the bar.

No matter how accurate mik is, anybody using it needs to make sure they are not getting tunnel vision.. take chances, use your judgment and do not let MiK make the judgment for you.. there are many many times when tracks not in the same key can work perfectly together if thrown at the right point.. so do not miss out on throwing that massive bomb that is sure to rock the floor just because it is not "compatible" according to the camelot system.

[Maryann]

While by moving up in semi-tones you can make a big track sound just that much bigger, and by moving down in semi-tones you will creat the opposite effect.

[kev_obrien]

Maryann wrote:

While by moving up in semi-tones you can make a big track sound just that much bigger, and by moving down in semi-tones you will creat the opposite effect.

Not true. The key a track is in does not dictate how "big" it will be, or how much effect it will have on the dancefloor, especially when we are talking a difference of one note or simply from a major to a minor, or vice versa. I know what you are trying to say, but there is no rule that says you have to move a certain direction down or up the scale for a big moment.

Case in point, several months ago I was playing a set and moved from a Peter McGill track (Jackin') which is in MiK camelot code 10A (B minor) into the big Funkagenda/Mark Knight track, "Arena", which is actually in B flat-major (6B)

While these tracks are not "compatible" going by the camelot system, the 2 mins of mixing consisted of mostly kicks, percussion and light basslines, so no melodic segments conflicted with eachother, and when Arena took over, people went nuts... the mix had a dramatic effect, one which would not have been achieved had I had followed the camelot rulebook. But the rhythms were similar enough to keep the ball rolling and throw people for a loop at the same time, all while getting myself back in the harmonic area that I wanted to end the night in.

Call it a shortcut, if you will.

[Maryann]

What I'm talking about as far as moving around the Camelot music circle is bases around by semi-tones, and that doesn't have anything to do with what note a tune is in initially.

Moving up a semi-tone on the Camelot music circle is a +7 difference, i.e. 1B to 8B or B Major to C Major. It's just the way it feels moving from the key of B Major to the key of C Major that creates that energetic, uplifting feeling and it will make the tune sound that much bigger.

Plus it has the opposite effect, moving down -7, or C Major to B Major. You still may be playing banging tunes, but just the feeling of moving from the key of C Maj to B Maj lowers the impact of the tune. But this can be used to your advantage as well if you want to take the crowd down a deeper trip of tunes after banging it for awhile.

Just these two tricks alone gives you that much more control over the dance floor than your average DJ plus it allows your tracks to have a greater impact.

[kev_obrien]

Now I gotcha

Rock on MaryAnn!

[Maryann]

But like you said, it's not something to follow to the T, just another tool to use.

[pagaille21]

are u serious, mik is the beset thing ever

[IsraelMartinello]

I'd like to try out MIK to see for myself.

I tried RE and It does that a while to analyze and it's not always accurate but the 'cool' thing is that it will tell you how accurate it is by %.

www.IsraelMartinello.com