To use Key Shift and Key Sync in Serato DJ the Pitch 'n Time DJ Expansion Pack is required. Pitch 'n Time DJ can be toggled on and off in the Expansion Packs tab of the SETUP screen.
Key Sync and Key Shift will not be available when Pitch 'n Time DJ is disabled.
Using Key Sync and Key Shift
Step 1: Disconnect your hardware and analyze your files with "Set Key" enabled in the Analysis Settings drop down menu. This should give your tracks a key and display it in the Key column of the library. Key Shift and Key Sync will not be available if you do not have a key tag written to the track.
Step 2: Connect your hardware and load a track. When Pitch 'n Time DJ is enabled there is a Key Display area, two Key Shift buttons and a Key Sync button to the right of the deck Info area. The key will display in the colour relating to the Camelot wheel (like the library key column). Colour Key Display can be changed in the Setup screen under the Library & Display tab.
Step 3: Use the Key Shift up/down shifting to find a key that suits (1). A +/- value will appear to show how many semitones up/down the key has been shifted. A blue Key Sync button will indicate a harmonically suitable key. Alternatively you can click the Key Sync button to automatically find a key that suits (2). This may not be a direct match to other key, but it will find a compatible key that is closest to the current key (according to the circle of fifths).
1.
2.
If Key Sync is already on, it will turn off if you:
- Click the Key Sync button again
- Edit the Key tag in the library column
- Load another track
- Eject the track
Key Sync will not be available if:
- No track is loaded
- Loaded track has no Key tag written in the library
- There are no other tracks with keys loaded
- The tracks key cannot be made harmonically compatible with all currently Key Sync’d tracks
Using tracks with key analyzed through another software
If you are wanting to use tracks that have already been analyzed in other third party key analyzation software (such as Mixed In Key) you probably don't want Serato DJ to overwrite it's Key data. You can turn off "Set Key" in the Analysis Settings drop down menu in Offline mode. This will tell Serato DJ not to automatically add Key data when analyzing.
You can also change the Key Display in the SETUP screen under the LIBRARY & DISPLAY tab. Choose "Original Key" from the drop down menu to make Serato DJ display the tracks original key tag. This is good if your tracks are already analysed but you want to show the original key that is written in the tag field.