This is nothing to worry as long as there are free applications for the key analysis which are more accurate than most of the built in algorithms...
www.ibrahimshaath.co.uk

Serato tried to work out a deal with Mixed in Key several years ago but it didn't pan out. There are plenty of options out there, both free and fee-based.

Keyfinder is more accurat

MIK is actually more accurate by about 20% actually which is pretty huge when dealing with thousands of songs. Even the older versions of MIK (always above 90% correct) score better than Keyfinder's current version. This site does the best comparison I have found and it is unbiased so no worries. www.djtechtools.com before anyone questions the integrity of the test Ibrahim Sha'ath himself is seen responding in the comments. To add to the accuracy of this test Cross DJ (for iPad) uses the same algorithm Ibrahim Sha'ath created for Keyfinder which explains why they are within 2% of each other............... not too shabby.

The good news is that Keyfinder did much better than Traktor and Rekordbox which not for nothing get things wrong about 50% of the time................. not so good and keyfinder is in my opinion the best FREE key app handling HUGE batches of songs without a problem. No .flac (or .wav if I remember correctly but don't quote me) support which sucks but other than that pretty decent. MIK is just in a league of their own though (again IMO) as they have other innovative features on top of the most accurate algorithm out there. When Serato decides to get on board with key detection I would hope they go with them for sure. The latest version MIK 6 got it right a whopping 95% of the time and MIK 7 is even better.

For anyone who wants the short version of the above link it goes in this order:


1.) MIK 6 95%
2.) MIK 5 90%
3.) Cross DJ (Ipad) 79%
4.) Keyfinder 77%
5.) Traktor Pro 2 74%
6.) DJAY (By Algoriddm) 69%
7.) Beatport 66%
8.) Virtual DJ 65%
9.) Rapid Evolution 59%
10.) Rekordbox 57%
11.) Traktor DJ 51%
12.) BeaTunes 44%

might be an option for Serato to ask the Keyfinder-Guy (I use this tool as well, excellent!) for a cooperation.

At the end, my experience, if you use Keyfinder for all your tracks, all tracks are same " not accurate" what makes it pointless to discuss about MIK is better or not.
As long as all tracks are same right or wrong classified, you are able to mix in key.

Unfortunately looking at the spread sheet docs.google.com it was not consistently wrong though. If it was a fix would be easy (ex. If Amin was detected as Gmin just have the software mark all Gmin as Amin instead) Ibrahim Sha'ath did mention getting a 1000 track database together to correct the issue a bit though. Not sure if/when he plans on applying this though. Again Don't get me wrong keyfinder is amazing for what it is. When purchasing tunes based on key the accuracy becomes all that much more important though. Which is one of the reasons Beatport sucks. They disregard the key of your track even if you submit it and their own system detects the track which is not very accurate at all. I never knew this and always wondered why MIK changed the value Beatport had set LOL.

I do get what you are saying though it just seems (via the spreadsheet) that the errors are not consistent as in the a two tracks detected as Bmin by keyfinder when one is Dmaj the other Emin. Hope that makes sense.


His algorithm already powers Cross DJ though and I would rather have that than nothign. Given the choice though I would rather pay a fee (or hopefully be able to link my VIP code avoiding a fee) and have MIK's algorithm. As long as the fee for others is reasonable like Flip or Pitch N Time which would be half the actual cost of MIK. Anymore and I would rather see keyfinder for free. It's not like it is terrible just not as good. Not for nothing nobody else got in the 80% area and keyfinder was close enough to consider it 80% right. I am also curious to see how much better MIK did with 7.0 release.

Sorry for the long blabbing but this stuff actually intrigues me LOL.

Also, Keyfinder has problems scanning tracks that have been processed with Platinum Notes.

never had this.
what kind of problems and which output format?

.mp3. Every time I scan a track that's been processed with platinum notes it tells me that there is insufficient low end resolution. Every single track.

that is strange. can you send me (PN and email exchange) an example?
I have 100% no issues.

What is true:
If you use Platinum Notes, make the keyfinder scan AFTER you did this.
The key can change due to the pitch correction of Platinum Notes, that is a fact.

+1

Would save us from having to analyze twice (once in Keyfinder/MIK, again in SDJ). Maybe they could come up with their own algorithm that's as accurate as MIK. Wouldn't that be swell? :)

Maybe It should be implemented as an expansion pack, this way it can become payable to MIK, and yet it would be handy for the Serato users to implement the key data into the metadata of the library automatically...
I think most important thing to regard for key-feature would be the accuracy of it, If the key feature would not work well, it would rather be a bad thing, because dj's who would trust to it might sound bad...
But of course this is one of the most wanted features in dj software I suppose, because key is really really a good help during dj'ing for finding the right song and might give dj's new Ideas for good mixes

really looking forward to find this feature in future serato software

Like I said, automatically linking the key information to the metadata in the library would be nice, maybe even to ITunes Library?

I think is true.

The point is that Serato DJ needs to have a key/harmonics detection tool; good or bad, it helps as long as it is consistent.

if its bad, why have it? thats bad for business.

ive been a mixed in key (and platinum notes) user for years and while its convenient to have key detection built-in serato i would think the money i paid to get the key right 95% of the time as opposed to close to 80% for the thousands of tracks ive used them on is far more worth it.

that being said, if mixed in key analysis came as a paid expansion pack it would make great sense... and cents.

The point of me posting the test chart above was to show that it is in fact NOT consistent. Furthermore having things consistently wrong fore some reason does not appeal to me. Everyone is entitled to their own standards I agree but it would be in Serato's best interest to go with what works best IMO.

Testing the 1.8 beta, with my wishes on it, (and many more DJs) thank you Serato, and is pretty good so far...

Here is a good althernative to MIK and KeyFinder www.abyssmedia.com
It writes key/bpm tags that compatible with Serato.