Camelot Wheel

Find the Camelot code of your current track (e.g., 8A). Same number = perfect harmonic match. One number up or down (7A or 9A) = smooth energy shift. Same number, opposite letter (8A to 8B) = mood change from minor to major. These three moves cover 90% of harmonic mixing.

A circular chart that maps all 24 musical keys to simple number-letter codes (1A through 12B). Invented by Mark Davis for DJs, it turns music theory into a visual system — adjacent segments are always compatible for mixing.

Yes — the interactive chart above is itself the cheat sheet. Click any key to see the three safe moves highlighted: same number (perfect match), +1 or -1 (energy shift), and inner/outer swap (mood change). No PDF needed.

Adjacent keys always work. Bigger jumps are possible but riskier — a +7 jump (e.g., 4A to 11A) creates an energy boost. Avoid jumping more than one position unless you know the effect you want. The wheel highlights compatible keys when you click.

Both map the same 24 keys to number-letter codes, just with different numbering. Camelot uses 1A-12A (minor) and 1B-12B (major). Open Key uses 1m-12m and 1d-12d. The compatibility rules are identical — adjacent numbers mix well in both systems.

Every song has a musical key — the set of notes it's built from. When two tracks share a compatible key, their melodies and basslines blend naturally during a transition. When they clash, the mix sounds dissonant. The Camelot Wheel maps the traditional Circle of Fifths to a simple number-letter system so you can check compatibility at a glance, no music theory required.

The three safe moves

Try clicking 8A on the wheel above to follow along. The highlighted segments show your three safe options:

1. Same code (8A → 8A) — perfect harmonic match. Both tracks are in the same key. This is the safest transition and works for long blends.
2. One step up or down (8A → 7A or 9A) — a subtle energy shift. Moving clockwise (+1) raises the energy slightly. Counterclockwise (−1) brings it down. This is the most common move in DJ sets.
3. Inner/outer swap (8A → 8B) — a mood change. Same number, switch the letter. A → B moves from minor (darker) to major (brighter). This is how DJs shift the emotional tone without clashing harmonically.

These three moves cover the vast majority of harmonic transitions in a DJ set. Master them and your mixes will sound clean every time.

Advanced moves

Once you're comfortable with adjacent keys, three more techniques open up:

• Whole step (+2) — jump two positions clockwise (e.g., 8A → 10A). The classic key modulation used in trance and big room — a noticeable, dramatic energy lift that audiences instantly recognize.
• Energy boost (+7) — jump seven positions clockwise (e.g., 4A → 11A). This is a half-step key shift that sounds surprisingly natural and creates a subtle lift. Use it to build energy before a peak-time drop.
• Diagonal move (+1 and swap) — combine a step with a mood change (e.g., 8A → 9B). Riskier but effective for genre transitions where you want both energy and mood to shift simultaneously.

Tip: Always enable Key Lock (Serato, Traktor) or Master Tempo (rekordbox, CDJs) on your DJ gear. Without it, changing a track's speed also changes its key — and your Camelot codes won't match anymore.

Finding Camelot codes for your tracks

You need the Camelot code of each track before you can use the wheel. Three options:

• Key Finder — drop any audio file and get the Camelot code detected by a neural network. Works with MP3, WAV, FLAC.
• BPM & Key Finder — get both tempo and Camelot code in one pass.
• DJ software — rekordbox, Traktor, and Serato all analyze key, though they may use Open Key notation instead of Camelot. The numbers map differently but the compatibility rules are the same.