With the emergence of music production software, the process of beatmatching and key detection has become easier and more accessible than ever.
While a DJ or musician must be able to develop an ear for these things on their own, there’s no denying that many of these best BPM and Key finder tools: make the process more streamlined, allowing you to focus on some of the more pressing things when performing or putting a track together.
In this article overview, we’ll go over some of the best key and BPM detection software tools on the market so that you can determine which works best for you and has the most benefits overall based on what you’re looking to do as a DJ.
VirtualDJ
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Starting our list, VirtualDJ is easily one of the most popular and highly regarded DJ software options on the planet, with well over 100 Million downloads worldwide to date.
VirtualDJ is a phenomenal tool for beginner DJs starting out while also having enough versatility to be an excellent inclusion for more experienced and professional DJs who have been in the field for a few years. It’s entirely free to use and is often included as an in-built download on many Mac computers.
Besides being accessible to beginners, one of the reasons VirtualDJ is so popular is that it’s able to be used with virtually all DJ controllers and DJ mixers.
This is huge considering the fact that many of the well-known DJ software options are often only compatible with specific devices or types of programs.
Lastly, the software comes with a ton of features on its super intuitive interface, with features like its “plug & play” auto-detection making setup super simple while its smart folders can determine the songs in your library that are compatible based on their BPM or their key signature. That last feature is especially significant as it makes BPM and key detection literally foolproof.
Mixed In Key
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While not nearly as well known as some of the others on this list, it’s not because of a lack of quality. Mixed In Key is an incredible music tool that has been used by some of the world’s foremost musicians, producers, and DJs to create some truly remarkable mashups and remixes.
The software is constantly getting updated while being available for Mac as well as Windows. The more advanced “Studio Edition” can instantly analyze your track’s sounds inside your DAW, perfectly matching them to your DJ mix.
One of the reasons it isn’t quite as popular as some of the other options on this list, despite its incredible features and list of high-profile users, is because of the fact that there is no free option.
The Mixed in Key software costs $58 for the basic version, with various add-ons being an additional option. If you aren’t satisfied, they do have a 30-day money-back refund, though it’s pretty unlikely you’re going to be using it once you see just what this software is capable of.
Djay Pro
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Probably one of the more well-known and famous options on this list, Djay Pro is a highly accessible DJ program developed by the company Algorridim. It is available on iOS as well as Android devices in addition to being used on Mac and Windows computers.
It is certainly one of the more advanced options on this list, coming with high-level Key and BPM detection at a precision level that few other software types can compete with. Djay Pro also hosts a frequency-based color waveform feature that makes key detection not only even easier but also more visually attractive.
Djay comes with both a free and a paid option, with the free version only having some of these features and meant for those who are beginners as well as those on the more casual side. Generally, the free pick comes with features not found with many smaller platforms, making it really compelling as a cost-friendly option.
If you are able to invest in the Pro version, this is going to have all of the options and is a great choice for DJs and music producers who know what they’re doing and are at a certain level of experience.
No matter who you are, if you’re serious about DJing Djay Pro is probably the first place worth checking out, only going to others if you want things that may be more specialized or with an interface that works better for you.
DJ Traktor
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Like Djay Pro, Traktor DJ is one of those software options that has definitely made a bit of a name for itself in most DJ circles.
In this case, Traktor is a DJ software put together by the well-known Native Instruments brand and is one of the more highly praised DJ software choices used around the world.
For those interested in creating the ideal song mix, or are really focused on getting a song’s tonality or composition just right, you really don’t need to look any further than DJ Traktor.
The program comes with a ton of different versions, with some being entirely free while others require payment to access all of the features. While the paid option will obviously have more going for it, that isn’t to say you aren’t going to get a lot of benefits from the free option, especially if you are just starting out.
Traktor DJ makes a name for itself by being incredibly accessible for beginners while helping level them up into skilled and capable DJ performers in virtually no time.
GetSongKey
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The GetSongKey software is an online website that is meant for music writers and producers as well as DJs and musicians to find the same key signature.
The platform has over 6 million databases of different track keys, storing them in four separate categories to make finding them incredibly easy. These categories include Acuteness, Danceability, Energy, and Positiveness.
In addition to its key-finding feature, GetSongKey has many other key-related tools available.
Just a few of these features include a key transposer, a key notation converter, and a chord progression key finder. Again, these are only a small sample of some of the different features available, making the platform the top spot for anyone focused on key detection.
The site also shows the trending songs and tracks that top the charts based on the song’s genre. This also comes with the song’s key information included.
All in all, GetSongKey is a stellar option that makes key and BPM detection incredibly simplified and accessible, even for complete beginners.
KeyFinder
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An open-source key detection tool, KeyFinder is great for DJs who are focused on putting together some great harmonics and tonal mixes.
It’s meant to be singularly focused on key detection, with no media player, library management, or track suggestion.
This might seem odd initially, but after a while, you start to realize that it does make focusing on the main goal of key detection that much more streamlined.
This is especially good for beginners, though even advanced and experienced DJs will appreciate the lack of distractions.
As mentioned, the software is open source, meaning that it’s entirely free to download and use. It is especially well made for Apple and Mac products, with older and less supported versions having some level of support for Windows.
This disparity only increases with each new update, so it’s only ideally meant for Mac users.
Mixxx
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Mixxx is a free-to-download, open-source DJ software that is available on Mac as well as Windows PC. They have a host of different DJ tool applications that are perfect for performing live mixes using digital audio files.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a DJ who’s completely new and only has access to their laptop, or are an extremely experienced and capable scratch DJ and turntablist, Mixxx is the ideal option for supporting your music style and building up your mixing techniques.
In terms of what it comes with, Mixxx is equipped with key and BPM detection as well as various sync tools that help put together the next track from your library for an utterly seamless tempo and beat matchup.
In addition, there are a ton of super useful features that any and all DJs can use to improve their mixing skills.
Tunebat
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Another super useful free online tool, Tunebat hosts over 40 million different songs and provides both key and BPM detection right on the site.
In addition, there are also recommendations for harmonic mixing, making it a great option for DJs who like to remix tracks.
While most of the above features are included in the free version, they do come with some annoying ads and screen pop-ups, which may not be super fun for most people.
If you are strapped for cash, you may have to deal with them (or check out another option on this list).
For those who have a bit of money to invest, Tunebat has a $7.99 monthly subscription and a $35.88 annual subscription.
Not only does it remove all of the ads and pop-ups, but it also comes with even more useful features and options to look into and check out.
AudioKeyChain
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Last but certainly not least on this list, AudioKeyChain is a great audio tool option for those who want to use an online option with a host of different features.
While not quite as in-depth as some of the downloadable choices on this list, if you’re someone with not a lot of storage space on their computer but still interested in handling all of the important things, AudioKeyChain lets you easily determine the song key of a track by allowing you to upload it online.
Some of the other features include an online metronome as well as a BPM counter.
There’s also a rhythm game along with an online database of different songs that lets you find many of the more familiar tracks available.
Despite only being online, AudioKeyChain allows you to determine a track’s pitch, tempo, and all other necessary data available.
Best Song Key and BPM Finder Tools: The Verdict
Ultimately, whether you’ve been in the music scene for years now, tinkering with music production, or have only just started taking it seriously, having a firm understanding of music key finders and BPM finder tools across your own audio files is both essential as well as crucial for your overall performance as a DJ and your ability to produce compelling tracks.
The good news for music lovers is that, especially if you’re a beginner, now you have some key-finding tools to help make understanding your own music a whole lot easier.
While most of these key and bpm information options will have a lot of benefits for just about everyone, it’s worth it to explore each to see which ones will really stand out for you personally and can turn your tracks and performance from an all-around acceptable quality to something truly special and game-changing.
