The Camelot wheel
DJs use the wheel to pick the next record so the two don't clash when blended. It puts all 24 keys on a clock face where neighbours mix cleanly. Pick a key to see and hear which ones work with it.
- Selected
- Safe move
- Bolder move
- Clash
8A = A minor
Camelot 8AA minorOpen Key 1m
Safe moves
- 7A
One hour down
Down a fifth, settles
- 9A
One hour up
Up a fifth, a slight lift
- 8B
Relative key
Same notes, the mood flips
Bolder moves
- 10A
Energy boost (+2)
Up a whole tone, an audible lift
- 3A
Semitone lift (+7)
Up a semitone; cut or mix on a break
- 9B
Diagonal
Mood change and lift in one
- 7B
Diagonal
Mood change and lift in one
Everything else
- 2A
Clash
Too few shared notes; the basslines fight
How to read the Camelot wheel
Last updated
The numbers are the circle of fifths. Each hour clockwise is a fifth up: 8B is C major, 9B is G major, 10B is D major. Neighbours share six of seven notes, so they blend cleanly.
The letters are the mode. B is the outer ring of major keys, A the inner ring of minor keys. Each A sits inside its relative major: 8A, A minor, uses the same notes as 8B, C major.
The safe moves
From any key, four keys are safe for a long blend: the same key, one hour either way, and the relative key.
- Same key8A to 8A
- Every note matches. Blend for as long as the arrangements allow.
- One hour up8A to 9A
- Up a fifth. Six of the seven notes are shared, so a long blend stays clean and the mix lifts a little.
- One hour down8A to 7A
- Down a fifth. The same six shared notes; the mix settles a little.
- Relative key8A to 8B
- Same number, other letter: the same seven notes around a different home note. Minor to major brightens the room; major to minor darkens it.
The bolder moves
Two moves change the key on purpose and are worth knowing by name: the energy boost and the semitone lift. The diagonal sits between the safe moves and these.
- Energy boost (+2)8A to 10A
- Two hours clockwise is a whole tone up. Five notes are shared, so it is audible: a lift you can use on purpose, with a short blend or over a break.
- Semitone lift (+7)8A to 3A
- Seven hours clockwise is one semitone up, the key change at the end of a pop song. Few notes are shared, so cut to it or mix over drums only.
- Diagonal8A to 9B
- One hour round and across the rings. It changes mood and lifts in one move; most notes are still shared.
What a clash is
Anything else on the wheel shares too few notes for a long blend. 8A to 2A is six hours round: the basslines and pads fight. You can still get there a move at a time; the gentlest route is 8A to 10A to 12A to 2A. Use “Pick a second key” on the wheel to draw a route between any two keys.
Camelot to musical key chart
Sharps and flats name the same key either way (A♭ minor is G♯ minor), so we list both spellings.
The 24 keys of the Camelot wheel, with their musical names and Open Key codes
| Camelot | Key | Also | Open Key |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A | A♭ minor | G♯ minor | 6m |
| 1B | B major | C♭ major | 6d |
| 2A | E♭ minor | D♯ minor | 7m |
| 2B | F♯ major | G♭ major | 7d |
| 3A | B♭ minor | A♯ minor | 8m |
| 3B | D♭ major | C♯ major | 8d |
| 4A | F minor | 9m | |
| 4B | A♭ major | G♯ major | 9d |
| 5A | C minor | 10m | |
| 5B | E♭ major | D♯ major | 10d |
| 6A | G minor | 11m | |
| 6B | B♭ major | A♯ 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 | G♭ minor | 4m |
| 11B | A major | 4d | |
| 12A | D♭ minor | C♯ minor | 5m |
| 12B | E major | 5d |
Where to find a track's key
You don't work out keys by ear. Your DJ software reads them from the audio or tags:
- Rekordbox
- Analyses the key when a track is imported and shows it in the Key column. It switches display between classic names and Camelot codes.
- Serato DJ
- Detects the key when you analyse files, and displays it as musical keys, Open Key or Camelot.
- Traktor
- Shows key in Open Key by default (1m, 1d), with C major as 1d. The conversion chart above maps one to the other.
- Mixed In Key
- Desktop software that analyses your files and writes the Camelot code into the tags, so other DJ apps can show it. Its makers popularised the Camelot notation.
- setlist.id
- For a set someone else played, paste a link to the mix and every identified track comes back with its key, in Camelot or classic notation, next to its timestamp and BPM. See what the DJ set analyzer returns, or paste a mix now.
Every public tracklist on setlist.id carries the key of each identified track, so you can read how a DJ moved round the wheel: browse the tracklists or start from a genre.
Camelot is a trademark of Mixed In Key LLC. setlist.id is not affiliated with Mixed In Key.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Camelot wheel?
A chart of the 24 musical keys laid out like a clock. Each key gets a code: a number from 1 to 12 and a letter, A for minor keys on the inner ring and B for major keys on the outer ring. Keys next to each other on the wheel share most of their notes, so tracks in those keys mix together without clashing.
How do I use the Camelot wheel to mix in key?
Find the code of the track that is playing, then pick the next track from the same code, one number up or down on the same letter, or the same number on the other letter. Those four moves are the safe ones. For more lift, go two numbers up (the energy boost) or seven up (a semitone), and keep that blend short.
What key is 8A on the Camelot wheel?
8A is A minor. Its relative major is 8B, C major, which uses exactly the same notes. Its neighbours are 7A (D minor) and 9A (E minor). In Traktor's Open Key notation 8A is 1m.
Is the Camelot wheel the same as the circle of fifths?
Yes, renumbered. Each step clockwise on the wheel is a fifth up, as on the circle of fifths, with the relative minor keys on an inner ring. The numbers make it easier to read in a hurry: one up, one down, or switch letter.
What is the difference between Camelot and Open Key?
They are the same wheel with different labels. Open Key, used by Traktor, starts at C major as 1d (Camelot 8B) and A minor as 1m (Camelot 8A), and uses m and d instead of A and B. Any Open Key number is the Camelot number plus five, wrapped round at 12.
Do DJs have to mix in key?
No. Mixing in key keeps long blends clean, but many DJs mix on energy and groove, cut between records, or play a clash on purpose.
How can I find the key of every track in a DJ set?
Paste a link to the set into setlist.id. Every identified track comes back with its timestamp, BPM and key, and the key switches between Camelot and classic notation. Read the key column top to bottom to see whether the DJ was mixing in key.
Find the key of each track in a mix
Paste a link to a DJ set. Every identified track comes back with its Camelot key, BPM and the time it starts, so you can follow the set round the wheel.
You'll see the length and the price in hours before you pay.