Harmonic mixing: mixing tracks by key

Step by step

1. Have the key of your tracks analysed and made visible, most simply as a Camelot code. 2. Pick the next track from the neighbours of the one playing: same code, one number up or down, or the same number with a different letter. 3. Mix long enough for the change to be audible, but no longer than both melodies fit together.

When it helps and when it does not

Harmonic mixing pays off with deep house, melodic techno, trance or disco, where melodies and vocals run into each other for a long time. With hard techno, drum & bass with pure bass or short cuts, key plays a smaller role.

You can also use the opposite on purpose: a jump to a distant key works as a dramatic change with a short break.

Typical pitfalls

A wrongly detected key leads to wrong decisions. Check important tracks by ear. The key also changes with the pitch (without Key Lock): at +6% you shift the key by about a semitone. And even matching keys can sound like a choir from the next room when two vocals run at the same time. So bring vocals in one after the other.

In practice: a simple routine

Begin with a starting point and move from there through the wheel in small steps. After every set you play, note down the sequence of codes and the transitions that sounded good. After a few gigs you will see which tracks work as a bridge between two moods.

For beginners it is enough to start with the relative (same number, different letter). In most cases it sounds right straight away and is easy to remember.

Related terms

Frequently asked questions