Key-pair transition

Mixing from 12B to 2B

A strong energy lift via circle-of-fifths ascent—use it to push momentum upward mid-set, paired with a modest BPM bump.

From

12BE Major

High Energy Boost

🔥🔥

2BF♯ Major

12B tracks

14,900

2B tracks

11,142

Best chemistry

92%

Tier

Energy

Tracks

Best chemistry

Tier

Energy

What this transition feels like

Moving from 12B (E Major) to 2B (F♯ Major) climbs two steps up the wheel, brightening the harmonic landscape and lifting the listener's sense of forward motion. The tonal center rises by a whole step, creating an immediate sense of elevation without jarring dissonance. Expect the crowd to feel the energy surge as the new key's sharper character cuts through, especially if you support it with a 2–4 BPM increase.

Example transitions from the catalog

Top chemistry-scored pairs where the outgoing track is in 12B and the incoming is in 2B. Evaluated 1,600 candidate pairs.

Score your own pair

92%High Energy Boost

The Less I Know The Better - Extended Mix

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

92%High Energy Boost

Vision Blurred - Extended Mix

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

92%High Energy Boost

System - Extended Mix

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

92%High Energy Boost

Louder For The People

Afrojack

13012B

What Time Is It - Extended Mix

Jus Ron

1302B

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

92%High Energy Boost

Let It Bang - Extended Mix

Rafael Cerato

13012B

Drgs & Purr - Extended Mix

EdiP

1302B

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

92%High Energy Boost

Lose Control

James Hype

12812B

Sound of da Police - Extended Mix

Don Diablo

1282B

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

91%High Energy Boost

Juicy - 2016 Remaster - Clean

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

91%High Energy Boost

Just A Dance - Extended Mix

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

Sound profile shift

Average across all 12B and 2B tracks in the catalog. The difference between the two shapes is what your audience hears across the transition.

12B · E Major

2B · F♯ Major

Outline = where you start. Filled shape = where you land. Bigger gaps mean a more dramatic mood shift for the dancefloor.

BPM landscape

Just 2 BPM apart at the median — small pitch nudge gets you there cleanly.

12B · E Major65–174 BPM · median 126

2B · F♯ Major65–174 BPM · median 128

How to mix this transition

Bring in the incoming track's kick and bass at a phrase boundary—typically a 16 or 32-bar break in the outgoing track—to let the key change land cleanly. Use a high-pass filter sweep on the outgoing track during the final 8 bars to thin its harmonic weight, then swap the EQ kill to the incoming track to emphasize its brighter upper mids. Keep the blend tight (4–8 bars of overlap) since the two keys sit close enough on the wheel that a longer crossfade will muddy the lift; the goal is a crisp handoff that sells the ascent. Avoid riding the incoming track's low end too early—let the kick swap complete first, then layer in the bass.

Common mistakes

Don't extend the blend beyond 8 bars; the harmonic proximity will create a foggy middle ground instead of a clear lift.
Don't increase BPM by more than 4–5 clicks—overshooting will feel forced and break the natural momentum.
Don't EQ-kill the outgoing track's highs too aggressively; you still need definition to mask the key transition.

When this transition lands best

Second-hour peak
Post-breakdown energy reset
Before a vocal drop

Genres in this pair

12B

Psy-Trance
Techno (Peak Time / Driving)
Drum & Bass
Indie Dance
Dubstep

Psy-Trance
Hard Dance / Hardcore / Neo Rave
Techno (Peak Time / Driving)
Breaks / Breakbeat / UK Bass
Progressive House

Artists with tracks in both keys

Names worth queuing — they routinely produce in both keys, so their catalogs give you ready-made pairings.

Cro1 · 1

Related transitions

Reverse

2B12B

High Energy Drain

Also try

12B1B

Simple Mix Upper

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12B3B

Parallel Key Upper

Also try

12B4B

FAQ

Is mixing from 12B to 2B safe?⌄

High Energy Boost. Strong lift — pair with a small BPM increase to sell it.

What does the 12B → 2B transition sound like?⌄

What BPM range works for 12B to 2B?⌄

12B tracks median 126 BPM; 2B median 128 BPM. Pairs at similar BPMs work without pitch adjustment.

When in a DJ set should I use 12B → 2B?⌄

Best moments: Second-hour peak, Post-breakdown energy reset, Before a vocal drop.

Plan a chemistry-scored set