Best Analytical Software for BPM, Key, Downbeat (Cues)?

[Vandetta]

I have used Engine, Serato, Mixed in Key, Rekordcloud. Would love some good feedback regarding the software you use and why. For example, issues I have found have been the same song (clean, dirty version) having a different BPM: Clean = 140 BPM, Dirty = 70 BPM. I would love something more consistent.

[DjOsZ]

IMHO Traktor and mixed in key have the best analysis followed by Mixxx… Serato, Recordbox and engine are okay, virtual dj seems to be the worst for key detection. For BPm your settings in the software are also important. But most important are your ears.

[Dj-alzy]

Ears and experience.

Thats something you just cant buy or teach.

[Mixlive]

@Vandetta

BPM: Clean = 140 BPM, Dirty = 70 BPM. I would love something more consistent.

I’ve been a Serato user for over a decade, but as of lately, Engine DJ has improved and I’ve found it better than Serato when it relates to BPM. You mentioned having tracks BPM’s analyzed as both 140 and 70 in the same library? Both Engine DJ and Serato has settings to choose your BPM Range (see below).

You also referenced “Clean” vs “Dirty” which sounds like you’re talking about Hip-Hop tracks. Because of the syncopation in today’s hip-hop it’s tough for a software to determine if the some tracks are playing at 65 BPM or 130 BPM. What I do is use the BPM as a guide and not an absolute. With that said, a track that shows 135 BPM should beat compatible with a track at 70 BPM.

[Vandetta]

@Dj-alzy

Ears and experience.

@DjOsZ

But most important are your ears.

I agree with both of you, when I am in the middle of a set and the BPM and Key are off I HAVE to rely on my ears so that is a given. Just wanted opinions on software.

[Vandetta]

@Mixlive

a track that shows 135 BPM should beat compatible with a track at 70 BPM.

I understand that part. The issue I have is choosing the BPM range to use because I do have so many songs from every genre imaginable.

How do you select which range to use for your songs?

[Ravinstomper]

@Vandetta

The issue I have is choosing the BPM range to use because I do have so many songs from every genre imaginable.

How do you select which range to use for your songs?

If you have all your tracks analysed at once (single universal music folder) it will be a complex decision.

If you group your tracks into own separate genre folders and select analyse per folder you can select range accordingly.

For me my range is at the top end 98-195 as I don’t play slow BPM tracks. My tracks start from 120 (melodic techno) to 190 (full on hardcore)

This gives me my d&b\breakbeat style tracks to be at correct BPM and not show at half tempo (under 90 BPM )

[mufasa]

My approach

Grab all my hip hop, RNB, dancehall.

Switch bpm range to less than 115 run analysis

Do the the same for dance, house

It’s my POP/TOP40 genre that I run into double/half-time difficulties, because my POP can go from low bpm to the high. Them ones I just fix as I come across.

I also lock them after analysis so they are excluded from my next full library analysis (which I do if analysis algorithm has been tweaked by the dev)

In a lil testing I did a while back Traktor appears to be the most accurate with BPM

Engine Prime/Engine DJ following the updated algorithm has the best downbeat detection

Disappointed by Engine Prime Analysis

So i did a quick statistical analyses comparing the Engine Prime bpm and beatgrid detection vs RBDJ, SDJ Pro & Traktor Pro. I don’t have Virtual DJ 8. Sample size 20 Tracks all sorts and i kept it at “mainstream” genres. BPM Range 60 to 160 Bias: One or Two old tracks probably made with live drummers, i initially planned on just using modern tracks but i thought what the heck. Results here [51] [46] BPM GRID.xlsx (9.5 KB) My spreadsheet skills are not that great, so all the bars are bl…

Disappointed by Engine Prime Analysis

[image] 2021

[Vandetta]

@Ravinstomper

If you group your tracks into own separate genre folders and select analyse per folder you can select range accordingly.

@mufasa

Switch bpm range to less than 115 run analysis

What’s interesting is I NEVER thought to switch the range for different genres. This is the way. It would be nice to have an easy way to select the range before analyzing instead of going into settings to change it.

I keep seeing people praise Traktor for being really good at analyzing. Is there a free version that I can use just to use their algorithm?

[Mixlive]

What’s up @Vandetta,

As per my screenshot, I have my settings at 68-135 BPM. It works best for me for the majority of my library and how I play. I have a few outliers from higher BPMs (i.e Pharrell “Happy” shows as 80 BPM instead of 160 BPM) but those occurrences are minimal as the vast majority of my tracks are between 70 BPM and 130 BPM.

[Ravinstomper]

@Vandetta

“This is the way”

Din Djarin, Mandalorian 2019

[Mixlive]

Yeah, I’m a geek too!

[DJ_ArcTis]

FL Studio and Traktor by a long shot are superb at BPM detection. Key detection is also quite good on Traktor. Engine is just useless on anything other than mp3 with BPM meta data.

[Vandetta]

@Vandetta

Is there a free version that I can use just to use their algorithm?

Is there a free version of Traktor that I can get to use their algorithm?

[Vandetta]

Also, your 2021 chart shows that EP does better than Traktor in Tempo and Beat Detect.

[NoiseRiser]

I use only Engine, as it does a great job on my collection. Most of the tracks are above 140 and exceed even the possibilities of Engine (above 250). On the biggest setting, Engine does 99% of the tracks correctly. For house and techno from 120 to 140 - I lower the analysis range and also all seem to be coming out grided correctly.