Let your DJ software find each track's key, show it as a number-and-letter code, and mix into a track with the same code, one number up or down, or the same number with the other letter: from 8A, that's 8A, 7A, 9A or 8B. Turn on key lock so changing the tempo doesn't change the key, and use key shift or key sync for small moves only, because a key match still needs your ears.
Mixing in key, or harmonic mixing, means choosing the next track so its key fits the one playing. You don't need music theory to do it, only the key of each track, which DJ software works out when it analyses your music.
Keys as Camelot codes
A key is the set of notes a track's harmony is built on, such as A minor or C major. The Camelot wheel, from Mixed In Key, puts the 24 keys on a clock face so that neighbouring keys fit together. Each key gets a number from 1 to 12 and a letter: A for minor keys on the inner ring, B for major keys on the outer ring.
| Camelot | Key | Open Key | Camelot | Key | Open Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1A | A♭ minor | 6m | 1B | B major | 6d |
| 2A | E♭ minor | 7m | 2B | F♯ major | 7d |
| 3A | B♭ minor | 8m | 3B | D♭ major | 8d |
| 4A | F minor | 9m | 4B | A♭ major | 9d |
| 5A | C minor | 10m | 5B | E♭ major | 10d |
| 6A | G minor | 11m | 6B | B♭ major | 11d |
| 7A | D minor | 12m | 7B | F major | 12d |
| 8A | A minor | 1m | 8B | C major | 1d |
| 9A | E minor | 2m | 9B | G major | 2d |
| 10A | B minor | 3m | 10B | D major | 3d |
| 11A | F♯ minor | 4m | 11B | A major | 4d |
| 12A | C♯ minor | 5m | 12B | E major | 5d |
Open Key, the notation Traktor uses, works the same way with different labels: m for minor, d for major, and numbering that starts from C major (1d) and A minor (1m), which Camelot calls 8B and 8A. Serato DJ Pro can show either notation. rekordbox's Alphanumeric display uses codes in the same number-and-letter form, such as 1A and 2A. Pick one notation and use it in every program you play from.
The four safe moves
From the code of the track that's playing, Mixed In Key's Camelot guide gives three basic moves, which make four candidate keys:
- The same code. 8A into 8A.
- One number up. 8A into 9A.
- One number down. 8A into 7A.
- The same number, the other letter. 8A into 8B, from minor to major.
The wheel wraps round like a clock, so 12A sits next to 1A. Working around it one step at a time, clockwise or anticlockwise, keeps a set moving without a clash, Mixed In Key's harmonic mixing guide says.
Mixed In Key also names bigger jumps for effect, to use sparingly. An Energy Boost moves two numbers up on the same letter (8A to 10A) and works best in moderation. A Power Block plays several tracks in the same key in a row. Larger jumps, such as 8A to 3A, are for dramatic moments like a peak or a breakdown, not for smooth blends; if every transition is dramatic, Mixed In Key notes, none of them stands out.
Its own caveat applies to all of it: the wheel suggests candidates, and phrasing, vocals, tempo and the room still decide whether a mix works. Listen to the blend in your headphones before you commit.
Set up your software
rekordbox 7
- Analyse key. Tick [KEY] under Preferences > Analysis > Track Analysis. Under [Key Analysis], [Write the value to the ID3 tag] stores the key in the file.
- Show it as a code. Preferences > View > Display Type > Key display format: [Classic] shows key names, [Alphanumeric] shows codes such as 1A.
- Find matching tracks. The Traffic Light option highlights the keys in the Key column that suit the track on the selected deck. In the track filter, tick [KEY] and turn on [MASTER DECK] to narrow the list to the key of the track on the master deck.
- Keep the key while changing tempo. Turn on Master Tempo ([MT]). With it off, the displayed key changes when Beat Sync or the tempo control changes the speed.
- Shift the key. In PERFORMANCE mode, [KEY SYNC] shifts a track's key to sync with the other decks, and the [KEY SHIFT] pad mode moves it from -12 to +12 semitones. [KEY RESET] returns it to the original key. Key sync needs the track to have been analysed.
rekordbox tips for playing out covers the rest of rekordbox's mixing features.
Serato DJ Pro 4
- Analyse key. Tick Set Key in Analysis Settings, then analyse. Re-analysing with it ticked overwrites keys you've edited by hand.
- Show it as a code. Setup > Library + Display > Show Key As. The choices include Camelot, Open Key, musical notation and the key already written in the file.
- Keep the key while changing tempo. Keylock, F5 for the left deck and F10 for the right.
- Shift the key. Key Shift and Key Sync need the Pitch 'n Time DJ expansion, which replaces the standard keylock. Key Shift moves the key in semitones and shows how far you've moved it; Key Sync finds the compatible key closest to the track's own, which may not be an exact match. Key Sync is only available when the other loaded tracks have keys and a compatible key can be reached.
Serato DJ Pro tips covers the rest of Serato's mixing features.
Traktor Pro 4
- Analyse key and choose the notation. Under Preferences > Analyze Options > Musical Key, Displayed in Traktor sets the notation in the browser's Key column (Musical, Musical (all sharps) or Open Key), and Written to File Tags sets what goes into the file. Traktor has no Camelot option.
- Keep the key while changing tempo. Click Key Lock in the deck's Stripe. The browser then highlights tracks in matching keys in the Key column.
- Shift the key. With Key Lock on, the semitone buttons beside it transpose the track until its key and colour match the other deck. Native Instruments recommends moving no more than two semitones, because larger shifts sound worse.
- See the real key. Choose Resulting Key for the deck header on the Track Decks page, so the header shows the key after any tempo or key change.
Traktor Pro 4 tips covers the rest of Traktor's mixing features.
Using keys from Mixed In Key
If you analyse your library with Mixed In Key, stop your DJ software overwriting its keys. In Serato DJ Pro, untick Set Key and show the key already written in the file; in rekordbox, choose [Display key information on the database] under Key display format. The BPM and key finder guide covers when a separate key analyser is worth adding, and the free alternatives.
In the mix
- Check the key of the track that's playing.
- Shortlist tracks in the four safe keys. A smart playlist or filter on key does this for you: Traffic Light in rekordbox, a Smart Crate rule on Key in Serato DJ Pro, or the Key column highlights in Traktor.
- Match the tempo, with key lock on, and line the tracks up by phrase. How to beatmatch and DJ transitions cover both.
- Listen to the blend in your headphones before you bring it in. If it clashes, try the next candidate.
How this page is made
The Camelot moves, examples and caveats come from Mixed In Key's Camelot wheel guide, harmonic mixing guide and key chart. The Open Key column follows the notation described by beaTunes, which numbers the keys around the circle of fifths, anchored at A minor = 1m as on Mixgraph's key converter. The software settings come from AlphaTheta's rekordbox 7.2.18 manual, Serato's support pages on Key Shift and Key Sync and Library + Display and its key display announcement, and Native Instruments' Traktor Pro manual: Preferences and the basic usage tutorials. All were read on 13 October 2026. The methodology explains how the site works.
