Harmonic Mixing (DJ)

[DeadlyKungFu]

I have, but only a step or two. Tracks don't have to be in the SAME key to sound good together. Also go for tracks that are a 'FIFTH' apart, that's like C to G, or 7 steps up or 5 steps down.


I just have to add that people who say these programs won't help are just hating. There's no way that knowing more about your tunes is going to hurt you. But to each their own.

[paolo topaz]

thanks for the advice, I'll look to see if I can get some tracks that are a fifth apart.

Sorry to sound so thick but using the camelot notation, would that be 1A(A flat) to 6A(G-Minor)?????

cheers

Paolo

[DeadlyKungFu]

oh yeah, trust your ears.

Gm is the same as Bb major, so Ab to Bb is two half steps, or one whole step (transpose up by 2).

On the Camelot circle, moving clockwise you're moving in fifths, counter clockwise is moving in fourths. Next to hearing the fifth over a key, the fourth sounds second best.

If you skip every other box clockwise on the camelot chart you're spelling out the major scale. Check it: start on C, skip two to D, skip 2 to E etc. So that's the longer but sure fire way to start using harmonic mixing, identifying keys and whatnot.

The camelot circle is just a bastardisation of the classic circle of fifths, they just rotated it.

Keep it simple, trust your ears.

[paolo topaz]

cheers,

so are you saying I can skip 2 around the clock in terms of tune selction?

e.g.C-major to D-major?

I'm currently trying to combine 2A(E flat minor) into 5A(C-minor).

many thanks again

Paolo

[DeadlyKungFu]

if it sounds good, go for it. This is maybe getting a little too far into music theory. Harmonised keys follow this pattern
I - major
II - minor
III - minor
IV - major
V - major
VI - major
VII - not major or minor, diminished, a different topic

So far we've been talking about the I (the root) and finding the IV and V.

When dealing with minors and the camelot system, relate the minor to the relative major (the inner circle vs. the outter circle, Am = C major, for example) and go from there.

Don't worry about it too much, experiment and develop your own style.

[paolo topaz]

many thanks

looks like I've a bit of studying to do!

anyone know of a good dvd or online method of learing basic keys and how to teach yourself to play the keyboards?????

Paolo

[DeadlyKungFu]

Take a scale plug-in set it to whatever, put it in front of a synth and play away. Copy the same scale plug-in to the next track and make another track, do this for all the tracks and you've made a composition in key. It's also an easy way to jam with another user, everyone uses the same scale plug-in, so everyone is in key. This is a lot easier than learning any theory.

Once a midi part is recorded you don't need the scale plug in place but it's nice to have as a reference.

I play guitar, I learned my music theory from www.wholenote.com, wikipedia also has some good info and links.

[nolus]

First of all I'm no DJ, but I've a reasonable knowledge of harmony , so here's a few ideas.

Tracks a third apart will create interesting harmonies when mixed together. eg a track in C major mixed with a track in E minor or A minor should combine to create interesting jazzy sounding minor 7 and major 7 harmonies.

similarly E minor can harmonize with G major which in turn can go to B minor, etc so you could crossfade your way through a whole series of tracks like this.

tracks separated by a fith or a fourth probably won't sound very good when played at the same time, but sholud be used to create harmonic movement between adjacent tracks or sections of a track. move up a fith or down a fourth to create a feeling of tension, or going away. Move down a fith or up a fourth to create a feeling of resolution or coming home.

you could create an endless rising series that allways sounds resolved by making each track a fourth higher (or fith lower) than the previous one. could make a great way to end a set.

hope that gives you some ideas.

[danryanfl]

cheers,

so are you saying I can skip 2 around the clock in terms of tune selction?

e.g.C-major to D-major?

I'm currently trying to combine 2A(E flat minor) into 5A(C-minor).

Paolo

No, don't skip two around the clock. In fact C-major to D-major is that "whole step" that I mentioned earlier. A "half step" would be C-major to C#-major, which would also not sound good harmonically.

What you need to know is that 100 ct = 1 half step. So to transpose E flat minor to C minor, you would need to transpose E flat DOWN 300 cts (i.e. 3 half-steps). Count them, 1 down brings you to D minor, 1 more brings you to C# minor, and 1 more brings you to C minor.

This big of a transposition might not sound that good, but I haven't tried it. In general I might only consider transposing one half step (e.g. A# minor to A minor, or E flat major to E major). But, try it and see.

[danryanfl]

thanks for the advice, I'll look to see if I can get some tracks that are a fifth apart.

Sorry to sound so thick but using the camelot notation, would that be 1A(A flat) to 6A(G-Minor)?????

cheers

Paolo

A fifth apart in Camelot notation is just one around the wheel, i.e. 4A to 5A, etc.

[paolo topaz]

many thanks to all for the advice

Paolo

[Guez]

Hey Stinky, I was messing around with Live and found out that a +/- 3 BPM change is not a half step. A +/- halfstep change = +/- 1semitone = +/- 8 BPM change.

Try it, take two tracks, set one to re-pitch, and one to complex. change the BPM to +8 and set the one with the complex warp mode to +1semitone, and you'll fhear that they will play in exactly the same key.