Read Tutorial:  "Harmonic Mixing using Camelot Notation"


Harmonic Mixing is a technique you can use to transition between songs while DJ'ing.  Many famous DJs use harmonic mixing to supplement their beatmatching technique.  Although harmonic mixing seems complicated at first, it is actually very simple.  

Harmonic mixing is a process of mixing between harmonically compatible songs.  When you play the same song back-to-back, the mix will always sound pleasant because the key and the tempo are the same.  When you play a Madonna vocal in D major on top of a Kylie Minogue vocal in B major, it sounds out of key.  Most people can tell when two singers are out of key.  

Imagine that Kylie and Madonna are now recording together in the same studio.  They perform a duet -- Madonna sings in a low voice and Kylie sings in a high voice, but in the same key, perhaps D major.  Both artists sound great together.  So why don't duets like this work in a club, but succeed in the recording studio?  






In Western music, there are only 24 possible keys.   In the first instance, the two keys, D major and B major, do not mix harmonically.  In the studio scenario the two vocals in the duet complement each other because they are in the same key.  By knowing the exact key of every song in your collection, you can mix harmonically by using the Camelot Notation.

Camelot Notation shows which keys are harmonically compatible.  Mixed in Key can identify the key of each song and translate it to the corresponding Camelot code.  For Madonna and Kylie studio duet in D major, the corresponding code would be 10B.  But how do you know which mixes are harmonically compatible?

Let's stay with our Madonna and Kylie studio duet in 10B.  This key is harmonically compatible with the same key, 10B, the key above it, 11B, and the key below, 9B.  Look at the chart like a watch and compare the keys to hours.  Harmonically compatible mixes are only at the same hour, one hour ahead, and one hour behind.  Let's pick another example in 1B.  This song is compatible with 12B, 1B and 2B.

Using this method does not require you to stay in the same key for the entire night.  Movement around the Camelot circle can be done one step at a time.  You can also move between the inner and outer circle, as long as you stay in the same digit or hour.  For example, 2A and 2B are harmonically compatible.  You can mix between 2A and 2B and start moving along the outer circle.   Your next mix can move back down to 2A, remain in 2B, or move to either 1B or 3B.

This traversal of the circle makes every mix harmonic.  There are no exceptions and you will have 100% success rate.  You can play songs in different keys, overlay harmonically matching acapellas and remain 100% in key.  Mixed In Key makes harmonic mixing easy.  It can detect the exact key of every .MP3 and .WAV song.   For later reference, Mixed In Key can update ID3 tags in MP3 files and store these results directly in iTunes, Windows Media Player, WinAMP and on Audio CDs.  Mixed In Key is the easiest solution for harmonic mixing.


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