Key-pair transition

Mixing from 3B to 5B

A strong lift up the wheel that energizes without harmonic shock—use a small BPM bump to lock in the momentum shift.

From

3BD♭ Major

High Energy Boost

🔥🔥

5BE♭ Major

3B tracks

7,293

5B tracks

13,128

Best chemistry

92%

Tier

Energy

Tracks

Best chemistry

Tier

Energy

What this transition feels like

Moving from 3B (D♭ Major) to 5B (E♭ Major) takes the listener up two steps on the Camelot wheel, landing on a brighter, more open harmonic space. The audience perceives a clear lift in energy and brightness—E♭ Major sits higher in pitch and carries a more triumphant character than D♭ Major. This is a confident, forward-moving transition that feels earned rather than jarring, especially when paired with a modest BPM increase of 2–4 bpm.

Example transitions from the catalog

Top chemistry-scored pairs where the outgoing track is in 3B and the incoming is in 5B. Evaluated 1,600 candidate pairs.

Score your own pair

92%High Energy Boost

Go Mode - Extended Mix

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

92%High Energy Boost

A Gira - Extended Mix

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

92%High Energy Boost

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

91%High Energy Boost

Dame Fuego - Extended Mix

Les Castizos

1233B

PYHU (Put Your Hands Up)

Kurd Maverick

1235B

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

91%High Energy Boost

I Got Feelings - Extended Mix

Twin Diplomacy

1283B

Suelta - Extended Mix

Prophecy

1285B

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

91%High Energy Boost

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

91%High Energy Boost

So Sick

Ne-Yo

953B

Valerie - Live At BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, London / 2007

Amy Winehouse

945B

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

91%High Energy Boost

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

Sound profile shift

Average across all 3B and 5B tracks in the catalog. The difference between the two shapes is what your audience hears across the transition.

3B · D♭ Major

5B · E♭ Major

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

BPM landscape

Just 1 BPM apart at the median — small pitch nudge gets you there cleanly.

3B · D♭ Major65–175 BPM · median 125

5B · E♭ Major65–172 BPM · median 126

How to mix this transition

Bring in the 5B track during a phrase boundary or at the top of a 16- or 32-bar section to maximize the impact of the tonal shift. Use a 16–24 bar blend to let both keys coexist briefly; this overlap allows the ear to register the lift without disorientation. On the incoming track, a gentle high-mid EQ lift (around 2–3 kHz) will emphasize the brightness of E♭ Major and help it cut through. Avoid killing the outgoing track's lows too early—let the bass foundation carry through the transition, then swap the kick on a downbeat to cement the new groove and BPM.

Common mistakes

Pushing the BPM increase too hard—2–4 bpm is enough; overshooting dulls the lift
Blending too fast (under 12 bars)—the wheel step needs breathing room to feel intentional
EQing the incoming track too thin—preserve low-mid body so the lift feels grounded, not hollow

When this transition lands best

Second-hour energy rebuild
Peak-to-peak momentum carry
Post-breakdown reentry

Genres in this pair

Techno (Peak Time / Driving)
Trance (Main Floor)
Progressive House
Indie Dance
Tech House

Psy-Trance
Drum & Bass
Techno (Peak Time / Driving)
Dubstep
Tech House

Artists with tracks in both keys

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

EsDeeKid1 · 1
Daft Punk1 · 1
Stevie Wonder1 · 1
Mau P1 · 1
Max Dean1 · 1

Related transitions

Reverse

5B3B

High Energy Drain

Also try

3B1B

High Energy Drain

Also try

3B2B

Simple Mix Lower

Also try

3B3A

FAQ

Is mixing from 3B to 5B safe?⌄

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

What does the 3B → 5B transition sound like?⌄

What BPM range works for 3B to 5B?⌄

3B tracks median 125 BPM; 5B median 126 BPM. Pairs at similar BPMs work without pitch adjustment.

When in a DJ set should I use 3B → 5B?⌄

Best moments: Second-hour energy rebuild, Peak-to-peak momentum carry, Post-breakdown reentry.

Plan a chemistry-scored set