Camelot wheel

Pick any key on the Camelot wheel to see the keys that mix with it, or drop your songs to place them on the wheel by key and BPM. Free, nothing uploaded.

AudioRinse · Camelot wheelOn-device · 0 B uploaded

Chart:SVG

8AA minor

Open Key 1m · Am

Notes: A B C D E F G

Mixes in key

Mixes with care

Energy boost

Drop your songs here, or choose them: each is placed at its key, found on this device. MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, up to 30 min each.

How it works

Pick a key on the wheel, or walk it with the arrow keys: the keys that mix with it light up.
Read its musical key, Open Key code and scale notes, and each move from it, explained.
Drop your songs onto the wheel: each lands at the key AudioRinse hears in it, with its BPM, on your device.
Pick a key to see which of your songs mix next, nearest tempo first.

How the Camelot wheel works

The wheel puts all 24 major and minor keys on a clock face. Each hour is a number from 1 to 12; the outer ring (B) holds the major keys and the inner ring (A) their relative minors, which use the same notes: 8B is C major, 8A is A minor.

Each step clockwise is a fifth up, so neighbours share six of their seven notes, and the key straight across on the other ring shares all seven. That's why songs one step apart, or across, blend without clashing. The wheel is the circle of fifths, renumbered so a DJ can count instead of thinking in sharps and flats.

The Camelot wheel: numbers 1 to 12 round a clock face, major keys (B) on the outer ring and minor keys (A) on the inner ring, each with its key name

The moves, from any key

Same code: the same key. Always safe.
One up or one down, same letter (8A to 9A or 7A): a fifth away, six notes shared. One up lifts the energy a little; one down settles it.
Same number, other letter (8A to 8B): the relative major or minor. The notes stay; the mood changes.
Diagonal (8A to 9B, or 8B to 7A): a step and a change of mode, six notes shared. It works, but listen first.
Energy boost, two up (8A to 10A): a whole tone higher. A clear lift, best on a break or a drop rather than a long blend.
Semitone up, seven up (8A to 3A): one semitone higher. The classic last-chorus key change: dramatic, for a short blend or a cut.

Every key and its Camelot code

The 24 keys with their Camelot code, other spelling, Open Key code and the keys that mix with them
Camelot	Key	Also written	Open Key	Mixes with
1A	G♯ minor	A♭ minor	6m	2A, 12A, 1B
1B	B major		6d	2B, 12B, 1A
2A	E♭ minor	D♯ minor	7m	3A, 1A, 2B
2B	F♯ major	G♭ major	7d	3B, 1B, 2A
3A	B♭ minor	A♯ minor	8m	4A, 2A, 3B
3B	D♭ major	C♯ major	8d	4B, 2B, 3A
4A	F minor		9m	5A, 3A, 4B
4B	A♭ major		9d	5B, 3B, 4A
5A	C minor		10m	6A, 4A, 5B
5B	E♭ major		10d	6B, 4B, 5A
6A	G minor		11m	7A, 5A, 6B
6B	B♭ major		11d	7B, 5B, 6A
7A	D minor		12m	8A, 6A, 7B
7B	F major		12d	8B, 6B, 7A
8A	A minor		1m	9A, 7A, 8B
8B	C major		1d	9B, 7B, 8A
9A	E minor		2m	10A, 8A, 9B
9B	G major		2d	10B, 8B, 9A
10A	B minor		3m	11A, 9A, 10B
10B	D major		3d	11B, 9B, 10A
11A	F♯ minor		4m	12A, 10A, 11B
11B	A major		4d	12B, 10B, 11A
12A	C♯ minor	D♭ minor	5m	1A, 11A, 12B
12B	E major		5d	1B, 11B, 12A

Your songs on the wheel

Drop one song or a whole crate onto the wheel. Each is analysed on your device, the same way as on the key finder: its key becomes its place on the wheel, and its BPM comes with it. Pick a key and the panel lists your songs in it, then the ones a move away, nearest tempo first: the next record, found by ear and by number.

Detected keys are a strong first guess, not gospel. On standard test sets the key is exact on about 6 songs in 10, and exact or a wheel neighbour on about 3 in 4: check a mix by ear before you rely on it.

Key lock, and why tempo changes the key

Speed a record up and its pitch rises with it, unless your player's key lock (master tempo) is on. A semitone is about 6% of tempo, so a song at 8A pushed 6% faster plays at 3A, and one slowed 6% at 1A. Small nudges of 1 or 2% only bend the pitch a little; for bigger tempo changes, turn key lock on or count the shift on the wheel.

Questions

What is the Camelot wheel?

A chart DJs use to mix in key: the 24 major and minor keys on a clock face, numbered 1 to 12, with B for major and A for minor. Keys one step apart, or across from each other on the other ring, share all or nearly all of their notes, so songs in them blend without clashing.

What key is 8A?

A minor. 8B is C major, its relative major, with the same notes. The table above lists every code: 1A is G♯ minor (A♭ minor), 5B is E♭ major, 12A is C♯ minor.

What mixes with 8A?

8A itself, 7A (D minor), 9A (E minor) and 8B (C major) mix smoothly. 9B (G major) works with care. For an energy boost, go to 10A (B minor) or 3A (B♭ minor). Pick any key on the wheel to see its moves.

Who invented the Camelot wheel?

The Camelot system was devised by DJ Mark Davis, and Mixed In Key's software made it the standard way DJs label keys. AudioRinse isn't affiliated with Mixed In Key; this wheel and the key detection are our own.

What's the difference between Camelot and Open Key?

The same wheel with other labels. Open Key, used by Traktor, numbers from C major (1d) and A minor (1m), with d for major and m for minor; Camelot calls those 8B and 8A. Switch the labels on the wheel, or read both in the table.

Is the Camelot wheel the circle of fifths?

Yes, renumbered. Each step clockwise is a fifth up, and each major key is paired with its relative minor. The numbers let you mix in key by counting, without reading sharps and flats.

How do I find the key of my songs?

Drop them onto the wheel above, or use the key finder or the BPM and key finder for a CSV of a whole folder. The analysis runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

Is it free?

Yes, with no limit, no account and no ads. The wheel, the chart and the key finding all run in your browser.