The short answer
If you open Mixed In Key mostly to see the BPM, key, and Camelot code of each track and then build your sets yourself, that part is built into Taxonomy DJ and it's free: it analyzes your whole library with no track limit and runs right on your Mac (Apple chip or Intel) or Windows PC. Right-click a track and the table narrows to tracks that match its key and sit close to its BPM, so the next track is one glance away.
If you use Mixed In Key for automatic cue points, energy ratings, or mashup ideas, Taxonomy DJ doesn't do those things. In that case, keep Mixed In Key, or run both side by side.
What Mixed In Key does well
Mixed In Key is a name many DJs know the moment harmonic mixing comes up, and it's closely tied to writing keys as Camelot codes like 8A or 11B. Here's what it does well, all of it checked against the company's own site and documentation:
- Key and BPM detection for full tracks, shown as Camelot codes.
- Energy Level: every track gets an energy rating from 1 to 10, handy for shaping a set by intensity.
- Automatic cue points: up to 8 per track, marking intros, breakdowns, drops, and mix-out sections, which you can bring into your DJ software.
- Writes key, BPM, and energy into tags so your DJ software can read them back.
- Reads many formats: MP3, M4A (AAC and ALAC), FLAC, WAV, AIFF, and MP4.
- A Pro edition adds mashup suggestions, stem tools, and key changes.
Mixed In Key is paid software, sold as a one-time purchase, with versions for Mac and Windows. The company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Where Taxonomy DJ is different
Taxonomy DJ isn't trying to rebuild Mixed In Key. It puts several jobs DJs deal with every week into one app, and keeps the BPM and key part free:
- Free BPM, key, Camelot, and loudness (LUFS) for every track, over 100 tracks a minute depending on your computer. Camelot codes are colored around the wheel, so neighboring keys stand out at a glance.
- Pick the next track right in the table: right-click ▸ Filter harmonic matches keeps only tracks with the same code, one step away with the same letter, or the same number with the other letter. Filter BPM ±3 keeps tracks close in tempo.
- Drag-and-drop playlists, exported as M3U files you can open in other DJ software or players.
- Classification by your own labels (Premium): the app learns from folders you've already organized, then labels new music the same way.
- The same app also checks file quality, cleans up duplicates, batch edits tags, and plays your music with an EQ and visuals.
Analysis runs on your own computer, so your music never gets uploaded. Results are stored in the app, and your files stay untouched until you choose to write tags.
Side by side
| Mixed In Key | Taxonomy DJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac, Windows | Mac (Apple chip, Intel), Windows |
| Price | Paid, one-time purchase | Free BPM, key, and Camelot; advanced features need Premium |
| BPM, key, Camelot codes | Yes | Yes, no track limit |
| Energy rating | Yes, 1 to 10 | No |
| Automatic cue points | Yes, up to 8 per track | No |
| Write key and BPM to tags | Yes | Yes, Premium |
| Formats | MP3, M4A, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, MP4 | MP3, WAV, FLAC, AIFF |
The table lists only what we could check on each product's official pages at the time of writing (October 2026). This article doesn't compare key detection results between the two, because there's no fair side-by-side test to point to.
When to keep Mixed In Key
- You rely on automatic cue points. Taxonomy DJ doesn't set cue points.
- You build sets around Energy Level. Taxonomy DJ has no equivalent rating.
- You need Pro tools, like mashup suggestions.
- Your library is full of M4A or AAC files. Taxonomy DJ reads MP3, WAV, FLAC, and AIFF.
- Your workflow already runs smoothly and you own a license. A new tool is only worth it if it saves you work.
Using both is fine too. Taxonomy DJ doesn't touch your files when it analyzes them, so it won't step on the tags Mixed In Key has written.
When Taxonomy DJ fits better
- You only need BPM, key, and Camelot for your whole library, and you'd rather not pay for that part.
- You want to pick the next track straight from the table instead of checking the Camelot wheel by eye.
- You juggle three or four separate tools for keys, tags, duplicates, and fake FLAC checks, and want them in one place.
- You want to classify music the way you already split your folders, instead of relying on downloaded genre tags.
FAQ
Is there a free version of Mixed In Key?
No. Mixed In Key is paid software, sold as a one-time purchase in a standard and a Pro edition; check the official site for current prices. The company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If all you need is BPM, key, and Camelot codes, the Free plan of Taxonomy DJ covers that for your whole library, with no track limit.
Does Mixed In Key run on Mac?
Yes. Mixed In Key runs on Mac and Windows. So does Taxonomy DJ: there are versions for Apple-chip Macs, Intel Macs (macOS 15 or later), and Windows 10 and 11.
Will Taxonomy DJ give the same keys as Mixed In Key?
Not for every track. Each program detects keys its own way, so tracks with little melody, a key change partway through, or almost nothing but drums can come out differently.
When results differ, it's usually by a neighboring key, or by the relative major and minor that share a Camelot number, like 8A and 8B. Those pairs still mix together. More in why key detection differs between apps.
Can I use it alongside Mixed In Key?
Yes. Taxonomy DJ keeps its analysis inside the app and doesn't change your files. Only when you write keys from the Tags tab does the new key replace the old one in the place you chose, so pick one program as the main place where tags get written.
Try Taxonomy DJ
- In the Music Library tab, click Add music folder, choose Analyze waveforms, and click Scan: every track gets BPM, key, Camelot, and loudness.
- Right-click the track you're about to play ▸ Filter harmonic matches, then right-click again ▸ Filter BPM ±3. The table now shows only tracks that fit both the key and the tempo. When you're done, click Clear all filters.
- Right-click a track ▸ Add to playlist. In the Playlists tab, drag rows to reorder, then right-click the playlist ▸ Export M3U file.
- Want other DJ software to read the key and BPM? Use the Tags tab (Premium) to write them into tags, the start of the title, or the filename.
Steps 1 to 3 are free. Download Taxonomy DJ and try it on your own library.
Read next: what the Camelot wheel is · how to build a DJ playlist by BPM and key.
Mixed In Key is a trademark of its respective owner. Taxonomy DJ is not affiliated with Mixed In Key.