Key-pair transition

Mixing from 1B to 4B

A bold harmonic lift that bridges sub-genres—use it to shift energy and mood mid-set, not for seamless blending.

From

1BB Major

Parallel Key Upper

🔥

4BA♭ Major

1B tracks

7,076

4B tracks

11,043

Best chemistry

87%

Tier

Advanced

Tracks

Best chemistry

Tier

Advanced

What this transition feels like

Moving from B Major (1B) to A♭ Major (4B) creates a striking tonal shift: you're climbing three steps up the Camelot wheel, which pulls the listener into a brighter, more open harmonic space despite the lower root note. The audience will perceive a gear change in mood and intensity—the new key feels fresh and elevated, breaking the harmonic gravity of the previous track. This is a significant energy lift that signals a deliberate set direction change, not a smooth progression.

Example transitions from the catalog

Top chemistry-scored pairs where the outgoing track is in 1B and the incoming is in 4B. Evaluated 1,600 candidate pairs.

Score your own pair

87%Parallel Key Upper

Ngishutheni

Master KG

1121B

Dlala Fisho (feat. Mr JazziQ)

King P

1124B

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

87%Parallel Key Upper

Lift Me High - Extended Mix

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

87%Parallel Key Upper

Set Me Free feat. Robert Courtois - Franky Rizardo Extended Remix

Nic Fanciulli

1281B

LA NOCHE - Extended Mix

Chris Lake

1274B

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

87%Parallel Key Upper

Tambora - Extended Mix

BPM0

Energy±6%

No pitch needed — BPMs match

87%Parallel Key Upper

Nothing On Me

Tabia

1221B

Patadas de Ahogado / LATÍN MAFIA, HUMBE - Extended Rework

Hugel

1234B

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

87%Parallel Key Upper

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

87%Parallel Key Upper

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

87%Parallel Key Upper

The Feeling

PNAU

881B

If Only - Extended Mix

1991

874B

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

Sound profile shift

Average across all 1B and 4B tracks in the catalog. The difference between the two shapes is what your audience hears across the transition.

1B · B Major

4B · A♭ 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.

1B · B Major65–175 BPM · median 126

4B · A♭ Major65–170 BPM · median 128

How to mix this transition

Treat this as a bridge move rather than a seamless blend: use a 16–32 bar transition window with a breakdown or filter sweep to telegraph the shift. EQ the incoming track's low end aggressively during the overlap to avoid mud—A♭ Major and B Major don't share harmonic content, so competing fundamentals will clash. Bring the new track in at a phrase boundary (ideally after an 8 or 16 bar section) and consider a brief kick swap or drum fill to anchor the new groove. Avoid riding both tracks' full mixes together for more than 4–8 bars; the tonal distance demands separation.

Common mistakes

Don't blend both kicks and bass lines simultaneously—the harmonic clash will muddy the floor
Avoid dropping the new track mid-phrase in the outgoing track; wait for a natural 4 or 8 bar boundary
Don't use a long crossfade; this relationship needs a defined moment of arrival, not a gradual morph

When this transition lands best

Mid-set energy reset
After a breakdown
Sub-genre pivot point
Second-hour momentum shift

Genres in this pair

Progressive House
Trance (Main Floor)
Techno (Peak Time / Driving)
Tech House
Psy-Trance

Psy-Trance
Trance (Main Floor)
Hard Dance / Hardcore / Neo Rave
Techno (Peak Time / Driving)
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.

Chris Lake1 · 2
Nicki Minaj1 · 1

Related transitions

Reverse

4B1B

Parallel Key Lower

Also try

1B1A

Tonal Shift

Also try

1B2B

Simple Mix Upper

Also try

1B3B

FAQ

Is mixing from 1B to 4B safe?⌄

Parallel Key Upper. Significant tonal shift — bridge between sub-genres.

What does the 1B → 4B transition sound like?⌄

What BPM range works for 1B to 4B?⌄

1B tracks median 126 BPM; 4B median 128 BPM. Pairs at similar BPMs work without pitch adjustment.

When in a DJ set should I use 1B → 4B?⌄

Best moments: Mid-set energy reset, After a breakdown, Sub-genre pivot point, Second-hour momentum shift.

Plan a chemistry-scored set