Some tips for Key Analyzing Beatport link streaming.

zephry

After being somewhat annoyed with the Key discrepancy between Traktor and BeatportLink streaming.

Mainly in Techno or heavy constant bass tracks, in my experience.

I have a method I would like to share. It requires the offline locker in order to speed up the process.

1. Make a playlist. Either with Beatport mobile, Traktor application, Beatport Dj application online, or Beatport web.

2. Open Traktor.

3. Find the Beatport Playlist you intend to go live with. Click it.

4. Select all the files (in the browser) by highlighting the first track then scrolling down. Then Hold shift click the last track, this selects all tracks.

5. Right click the highlighted tracks (in the browser) select "Add to Offline Locker"

6. Once the download is done, Right click the Playlist in the browser tree (not the selected browser tracks) select "Import to Playlists". This will give you an option to make a Traktor Playlist copy separate from the Beatport playlists.

7. Now you will see the new "copy of same name or what you choose", in Traktor Playlists.

Right click the copied Traktor Playlist (in the browser tree) and select "Analyze" this will only analyze tracks that are currently in your offline locker. This is the only way to analyze all the tracks at once.

8. I usually right click the collection now and save.

9. (Optional) Purge the offline locker. This is done once again by selecting the first track, scrolling down then hold shift and click the last track. "Remove from Offline Locker"

A few notes.

I do this mainly to have a key that is correct, but also the autogain is now set (if used), and even if the track downloads it loads much faster.

To work efficiently stick to Playlists of only 50 tracks max at a time, this will take around 10 mins per Playlist depending on process power.

When you restart Traktor the files will still need to download each time unless you decide to keep everything in the offline locker. I purge the locker because it fills up over a month or so if you keep lots of Playlists.

Restarting Traktor keeps the Key and analysis settings as long as you save collection, or export/import and keep separate collections. Even if the offline locker is empty. When you load the track you will see it download but the Key discrepancy is not there.

Once the analysis is done and collection is not changed you should be able to use either Playlist (the Beatport or the Traktor) so you can delete the Traktor Playlist copy and stick to the Beatport playlist instead. The advantage of using the Traktor Playlists is you can delete unwanted tracks and be sure they won't show up again.

The only reason for the steps is to be able to do a large batch of analysis, the only way to analyze a batch is from the Traktor Playlist copy. You can't select and copy a batch of tracks any other way.

Another thing I do is have the offline locker and the Playlists I intend on using in the Favorites Bar at the top. This makes less use of the browser tree, because you can right-click from there, without constantly scrolling the tree.

This sounds complicated but is quick once you learn the steps.

frd

thanks man, you already helped more than native support in almost 1 year... 😅

Laidbach Media

The discrepancy which you speak of, can you point me to a post which this has been addressed?

zephry

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/100663#Comment_100663

It has been mentioned throughout the Beta discussions and various times, I see posts wondering why the Key in Beatport changes on some tracks after imported.

I saw mentioned that Native Instruments was aware throughout the year. No definite answer or reasons the key result differs sometimes.

Here is a post recently and also what made me finally decide to write this up.

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/100387#Comment_100387

Laidbach Media

The reason I ask is because that is one of the criteria I took into consideration before buying this product.

The testing I had done showed 0 discrepancies at all in comparison to Rekordboxs unnoticed huge issue. Most got guided down the camelot system so they are completely unaware.

Anyway, thank you for the info Sir.

zephry

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/100687#Comment_100687

Honestly I think most the tracks with a discrepancy (for me at least) are Techno or Bass House, maybe dubstep, while genres like Mainstage, Tech House, Electro, Garage are usually no discrepancy.

And if I remember correctly the lower frequency key recognition is sometimes recognized as multiple keys over the course of a track. Depending on how kicks or patterns might change when layered. And the difference recognition softwares, of course.

Techno tracks have a kick and a rumble bass almost the full length of the tracks sometimes, and if there is a vocal it is usually spoken. The track may not even be very harmonic sometimes. Depending on distortion and compression it can be mixed with off key tracks and be just fine. Bass House genre is also kind of like this.

As opposed to say a vocal heavy or melody, or chords. Mixing this type can have dissonance and sound less pleasant if the key doesn't fit.

And this is something I dealt with in Ableton when using key recognition softwares (vsts). Low frequency seemed more variable. For instance trying to tune a kick can be really tricky sometimes, especially if it is a long kick. (I made some ok tracks but never got real good at it).

My general Dj mixing rule for myself is...

Just be careful mixing genres that have higher frequencies and melodies, or definitely singing in them. The more hats (drums) and bass a track has I kind of ignore the key.

This also goes for changing key of a track (pitching or octave jumps).

A track that has higher frequencies and vocals sounds better pitched down while "mixing in" in than pitched up. Most the time.

A track that is more lower frequencies is going to sound bad pitched down "mixing in". Most the time.

But mixing out or as some type of builds or effects, a person can do almost anything with parts of tracks, loops, dubs, scratching etc.

Sorry for long reply. Lol

I still would rather not have the Key change after analyzing. Especially when I choose something I really want to mix in, and realize it sounds bad too late.

But I remember this even before streaming with Beatport Link. I had tried to buy my tracks after creating hold bins of tracks in the same keys or matches for mixing. I bought the tracks analyzed them and found some were different. At this time I was also doing production work, and learning how to keep parts in key.

I guess my point is there is a lot key is good for, but Djs can get away with some crazy stuff without relying on it too. And then there is always the good old "Use your ears" comment.

And truthfully I really rely on the Open Key or Camelot type system vs. actual key. Numbers work much better for me I tried so hard to memorize chords and the circle of fifths but just gave up. And I tend to change tracks keys a lot.