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Topic: Harmonic Mixing

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OK, I'm trying to learn harmonic mixing. I've been reading up on it and think I get it, but in VDJ 5.1, I'm getting key read outs of like F#m and stuff. What's the "#" mean?
 
Posted Wed 25 Jun 08 @ 8:26 pm
Try reading this. It is the Camalot system and it will help you get a better grasp on things.....
 
Yes, I've read and understand that, but I don't recall "#" being part of the equation. Am I missing something?
 
# mean sharp. it is the half tone value from F to G. It also can be read as Gbm which in this mean b is flat.
 
AH, got it! Thanks...(der)
 
Hi,

I also modify, which ever the skin I am using, to include the key order so while playing I can do the transition to the right key.

As you can see on the top of the screen, I put Major Keys in paranthesis.

So you can go to the left or the right of the key by following the order, if you come to an end then go back to the beginning;

For Minors : C#m <-> F#m <-> Bm <-> Em <-> Am <-> Dm <-> Gm <-> Cm <-> Fm <-> A#m <-> D#m <-> G#m

For Majors: E <-> A <-> D <-> G <-> C <-> F <-> A# <-> D# <-> G# <-> C# <-> F# <-> B

As you probably read from the link, if you come accross a major key, when you want to go, you can select the corresponding minor key from your list and follow the suit, and vise versa.

here is the image

http://www.flyingkilim.com/images/keyorder.png " border="0">

 
Camelot makes it a lot easier to follow keys, that's for sure.
 
djpoopypants wrote :
Camelot makes it a lot easier to follow keys, that's for sure.



That's what I'm finding too.

Qulker...your image is not showing.
 
gulker wrote :
Hi,

I also modify, which ever the skin I am using, to include the key order so while playing I can do the transition to the right key.

As you can see on the top of the screen



Very nice.....good work, after a while you'll be able to memorize it though!
 
I tried to use BB code and

http://www.flyingkilim.com/images/keyorder.png " border="0">

tag, still it does not show properly. I must be doing something wrong.

Ofcourse I use the BB Code when I do this but it does not show. Also, when click on BB Code plus sign it does not expand.



 
There u go gulker;)



 
Thanks SpinnaJ

I found the problem, I put space after

Being a unix guy, how did I make that mistake, I don't know.


Thanks again,
 
The other night I took a harmonic playlist from the link mentioned above and used it song for song during my bar gig. Such a nice flow, I tell ya. I've been good at mixing two songs together for years now. I can even carry two songs beat for beat the entire song length. (not that that is hard with VDJ). But never knew what harmonic mixing was till a few months ago and now I'm trying to improve.

My question:

It can be hard enough just finding good songs within BPM range to mix together. How the hell do you add the key factor to this and still keep things moving? Do you do tons of planning before a show? Is there some easy way to organize this stuff that I haven't figured out yet? Right now, I'll oraganize by BPM, then I just look at what key the ones close by are. Is this what others do or am I trying to mow a lawn with hand trimmers here? :P
 
Hi Brian,

Just in every case, little planing to have a nice flow helps. Marking favorite songs with different genres, marking the good transition ones between genres in general help the flow going. Same thing with harmonic mixing, the more prepared you are the more seemless the flow goes. Of course without compromising the creativity if you are playing in the same place in order to prevent your set becoming dull and to sound the same.

What I try, is to have a general idea about what I want to play, then factor the harmonic mixing as helping tool to make it interesting. In other words, and this is purely my personal choice, if I can apply the harmonic mixing to my selection %50 - %60 of the time I consider it well done. I don't worry about it if is not applicable to the style that I am playing so long as quality of the music flow satisfies the crowd and me.

I hope this answered your question a little bit.

 
It does help, thank you.

It sucks when you spend hours and hours trying learn something, only to find out you were going at it all wrong!

Again, thanks.
 
you must consider the bpms too right...meaning the range right? im gonna try some mixes tonight...
Btw nice video and site brian
 
video...um, which video you referring to? I didn't think I had any up...
 
 
unwanted24hrs wrote :
you must consider the bpms too right...meaning the range right? im gonna try some mixes tonight...
Btw nice video and site brian


Of course, you have to. I mean, my preference of doing harmonic mixing is simple; Organize, prepare the way I always do, and add the harmonic mixing on top of it. It is just my way of doing it. I know DJs who take bpm, genre, or harmonic mixing as the main reference point and build their sets on that foundation. I do a lot of cross genres, and very ethnic nigths sometimes and these rules get bent a lot. You can not just take neither the bpm nor the harmonic mixing as your main reference while playing and try to do a nice composition musically.

I don't want to turn this into "which way is the best way of DJing" thread but, in my opinion, musical composition of overall set you play, should be good, regardless of whether you beat mix, harmonic mix, etc etc or not.

Happy mixing.
 


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