Beatport presents Mixed In Key’s “Harmonic Mixing” DJ Contest

[Vicky Wood]

Beatport presents Mixed In Key’s “Harmonic Mixing” DJ Contest

The challenge: Showcase your favorite music genre in a 10-15 minute mix that will impress our judges
which includes some of the world’s best DJs. The top winner will receive prizes worth over $3000 USD.

The top winner will receive:
- Cutting-edge “Thinkpad W500” laptop from Lenovo, configured by Mixed In Key for DJing and music production
- Brand-new Native Instruments Komplete 6 bundle - announced on September 1
- Native Instruments Traktor Scratch Pro, which includes the Audio 8 DJ sound card
- Free copies of all current and future Mixed In Key DJ products
- An article and interview with the winning DJ
- Mixed In Key “Gold Winner” award plaque

The Mixed In Key team will listen to each entry and pick the 20 best ones. The judging panel will then choose 5 winners.

The judges are:
High Contrast, drum & bass maestro from the UK
Pete Tong, host of BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix and Essential Selection
Kaskade, house music producer and DJ from the US
Markus Schulz, trance DJ and producer based in Miami
Jonas Tempel, CEO and founder of Beatport
Yakov Vorobyev, founder of Mixed In Key

Contest details:
1) Entry deadline: October 15, 2009
2) The mix has to be 100% harmonic
3) Judging criteria: The mix must inspire listeners to become fans of that music genre,
take the listener on a journey, and showcase innovation in harmonic mixing.

Bonus points for original choice of tunes and samples and complex transitions, build-ups and breakdowns.

Visit Mixed In Key DJ Contest to enter the DJ contest.

 

[JeffreySource]

2) The mix has to be 100% harmonic

Errr.. wth does that suppose to mean ?

 

[Vicky Wood]

Errr.. wth does that suppose to mean ?

all info/contact detail is on that site:

 

[t4e]

Errr.. wth does that suppose to mean ?

you don't know what harmonic mixing is?

looks familiar?

 

[Vicky Wood]

The good old Circle of Fifths......

Some useful video tutorials on it here for those that are interested:

Harmonic Mixing Tutorials

 

[t4e]

The good old Circle of Fifths......

Some useful video tutorials on it here for those that are interested:

Harmonic Mixing Tutorials

he's priceless

at first i was a bit reluctant about the whole idea of sticking to keys, i felt that is limiting the choice of tracks you wanna play, than i tried it and was so pleased with the results that i became hooked on it, on the same token i would not make a whole set in the same key, maybe a couple of tracks than move up one

 

[JeffreySource]

Aaahh... lol
I always use that... never knew it was called harmonic

 

[cdman14]

WOW...i have a lot to learn

 

[cdman14]

ok, so what's the catch? only 15 min???? of harmonic mix...that is kind of hard...maybe 3 tracks

 

[Config85]

I'm not a fan of checking out keys ... in some kind of way it's not natural too me. Rather mix a set that's based on your feeling than an artificial one where everything has been planned in advance

 

[XDR]

I'm not a fan of checking out keys ... in some kind of way it's not natural too me. Rather mix a set that's based on your feeling than an artificial one where everything has been planned in advance

Mixing in key doesn't mean you need to plan your mix in advance. You can still mix based on what tracks you feel are right for the moment. When picking out the next tune you simply have an additional method of knowing which tunes fit together, and it's not like you always have to follow that method.
Knowing when tunes fit harmonically allows you to confidently make long transitions where you blend melodies and also makes mashups a lot easier to come up with.

 

[t4e]

ok, so what's the catch? only 15 min???? of harmonic mix...that is kind of hard...maybe 3 tracks

my problem with that is that they want you to make a "journey" with your 3 tracks mix lol...that's a run to the corner store, not a journey

 

[XDR]

my problem with that is that they want you to make a "journey" with your 3 tracks mix lol...that's a run to the corner store, not a journey

Although they don't say it, it's clear that they want you to do a sort of megamix-style set. You'll have to put in a lot more tracks than 3 to impress them with your mixing. Two nice transitions is just not gonna get you anywhere near the prices :smile:

 

[t4e]

Although they don't say it, it's clear that they want you to do a sort of megamix-style set. You'll have to put in a lot more tracks than 3 to impress them with your mixing. Two nice transitions is just not gonna get you anywhere near the prices :smile:

sure, but i still don't consider a 10-15 mix to be a journey

furthermore they want the mix to "inspire listeners to become fans of that music genre"

a megamix can't possibly inspire someone to become a fan, a megamix is appreciated by listeners that are familiar with the whole track

 

[Joe-Shadows]

he's priceless

at first i was a bit reluctant about the whole idea of sticking to keys, i felt that is limiting the choice of tracks you wanna play, than i tried it and was so pleased with the results that i became hooked on it, on the same token i would not make a whole set in the same key, maybe a couple of tracks than move up one

Yeah ,, U 'vent 2 Make all the Set in 1 Key !!! ....

U Can Do it Like 1A/2A/3A/3A/4A/5A/6A/7A/6A/5A ...etc , .... Also F With F# & G With G# ...etc .

I Mean Organizing The Set Towards These 'll Results Too Good :-

1/ How Heavy The Track is ( Bassline & Kick Drums & BPM )
2/ Most Tracks in Corresponding Keys

I 've Tried Alot & Found That The Best Way For Building Up My Mixes ,,, Also Sometime If I want A Track 2 Be on & Not On key , Always Use The Original & Use My ears 2 See If it Fits Or Not !!!

I Know All Of These U knows ,, But Thinked That 'll be Helpful For Any New DJs Or Something ...

I Remember Before I Start DJing When I asked Xijaro About The Key Thing ... He Guided Me To Alot ,,,, Thx My Friend

 

[Joe-Shadows]

sure, but i still don't consider a 10-15 mix to be a journey

furthermore they want the mix to "inspire listeners to become fans of that music genre"

a megamix can't possibly inspire someone to become a fan, a megamix is appreciated by listeners that are familiar with the whole track

10-15 mins re Not Enough 2 Admit By Listeners Or 'll Not Guide Anyone Towards A Genre !!!

I See Mega Mix 's Commercial More Than A Mix With Full Tracks !!!

 

[dfx]

U Can Do it Like 1A/2A/3A/3A/4A/5A/6A/7A/6A/5A ...etc , .... Also F With F# & G With G# ...etc .

no you can NOT mix F into F# or G into G#, that will sound totally horrible!

 

[Joe-Shadows]

no you can NOT mix F into F# or G into G#, that will sound totally horrible!

I Tried Many Tunes In That way & Worked !! Maybe In Not All Cases :grinning2:

It Also Differs From The Way Each DJ Mix !!!

 

[dfx]

I Tried Many Tunes In That way & Worked !!

then you totally did not understand harmonic mixing.

going one semitone up or down is almost as far off-key as you can go.

 

[t4e]

I 've Tried Alot & Found That The Best Way For Building Up My Mixes ,,, Also Sometime If I want A Track 2 Be on & Not On key , Always Use The Original & Use My ears 2 See If it Fits Or Not !!!

what you mean "use the original", the original mix, what's wrong with a remix?