Where it came from
The Camelot Wheel was introduced by Mark Davis in the early 2000s as a simplified, DJ-friendly version of the Circle of Fifths. The Circle of Fifths is great for music theory students but visually intimidating — the Camelot Wheel takes the same harmonic relationships and re-labels them with simple numbers and letters.
Today it's the de-facto standard in DJ software (Mixed In Key, Rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, Engine DJ all support Camelot notation).
How the wheel maps to keys
The wheel has 12 numbered slots arranged in a circle, each split into an inner ring (A — minor) and an outer ring (B — major). That gives 24 codes total — one for every musical key.
Going clockwise around the wheel moves you up by a perfect fifth in music-theory terms. So 8B (C major) moves to 9B (G major) which moves to 10B (D major), and so on.
| Camelot | Minor key (A) | Major key (B) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♭ minor | B major |
| 2 | E♭ minor | F♯ major |
| 3 | B♭ minor | D♭ major |
| 4 | F minor | A♭ major |
| 5 | C minor | E♭ major |
| 6 | G minor | B♭ major |
| 7 | D minor | F major |
| 8 | A minor | C major |
| 9 | E minor | G major |
| 10 | B minor | D major |
| 11 | F♯ minor | A major |
| 12 | C♯ minor | E major |
The four mixing rules
DJs use Camelot to plan harmonic mixes. There are four moves that always sound musical:
- Same code (e.g. 5A → 5A) — perfect harmonic match. The two tracks share the exact same key.
- +1 / −1 (e.g. 5A → 6A or 5A → 4A) — adjacent slot, same letter. A small lift or drop in energy without breaking the mood.
- A↔B at the same number (e.g. 5A → 5B) — same root, switches between minor and major. Useful for a mood pivot — minor (sadder) to major (brighter).
- +7 (e.g. 5A → 12A) — "energy boost" jump. Used to bring drama mid-set without an awkward key clash.
Why DJs love it
Music theory is intimidating for many self-taught DJs. The Camelot Wheel removes that barrier: you don't need to know what a perfect fifth is or read sheet music to plan a harmonic set. You just need to remember the +1/−1/partner rules.
It also makes set-building more intentional. Instead of trial-and-error in the booth, a DJ can pre-plan a 60-minute set as a journey across the wheel — say, starting at 6A and gradually working towards 9B for the peak.
Frequently asked
Is the Camelot Wheel the same as the Circle of Fifths?
Same harmonic relationships, different notation. The Camelot Wheel re-labels keys as numbers (1-12) and letters (A for minor, B for major) so DJs don't need to memorise sharps and flats.
What does the A or B mean in a Camelot code?
A means the key is minor, B means it's major. So 5A is C minor and 5B is E♭ major. Both share the same notes — they're "relative" keys.
Can I mix two tracks with totally different Camelot codes?
You can, but it takes more effort — usually a slow EQ swap or a stutter / acapella transition. The Camelot rules give you the easiest harmonic moves; everything else needs more skill.
Do all songs fit cleanly into one Camelot code?
Most pop and dance music does. Modal jazz, progressive metal and key-changing songs (e.g. classic R&B with a final-chorus key change) are harder to pin to one code.