Do you mix in key?

zephry

Some good information in the replies. And good to relate it to the different types of DJ and mix techniques.

Owner

I originally come from the vinyl only era, so there was only ever one criterion for me. Does the mix sound good or not. Beat matching, phrasing, energy levels, skills and creativity were the most important things. Everything else wasn't of much interest.

Nowadays I notice from time to time that all the possibilities sometimes restrict me a bit when I'm not in the flow. However, with the correct grid, the visible arrangements (thanks to the viewable waveform), loops, filters and all the other tools, I can make a transition much easier that would not have been possible before.

First and foremost, I simply sort my playlists by BPM and then choose what might fit and whether the key is right. That's why it has now become my second (or third) most important criterion when choosing a song. However, if I know the songs well, I still use the intros, outros and breaks to change the key if necessary.

But however, for me it matters more whether the energy level and rhythm match; I can do the rest without the right key if necessary.

BTW: Nowadays, looking at older routines that I had already played on vinyl, I can see why they fit together so well - thanks to the key :) You can play very cool, harmonious sets if you are in your comfort zone when DJing and it works with the crowd. But I'm talking about smaller phases in a 6h open format set. If I were a tech house DJ and played my 1 to 2 hour sets, my whole set would probably be structured more accordingly.

BTW2: I like the art of Inputs here in this Thread. It's Inspiring to read all this different types of djing related use cases, without wanting to be right or denying anyone anything! ✌️

innerdrum

80% in key. I also never use keylock nor limiters.