Key-pair transition

Mixing from 5B to 1B

A planned harmonic descent that trades brightness for warmth—use it to reset energy and shift mood, not to climb.

From

5BE♭ Major

Related Key Lower

❄️

1BB Major

5B tracks

13,128

1B tracks

7,076

Best chemistry

84%

Tier

Advanced

Tracks

Best chemistry

Tier

Advanced

What this transition feels like

Moving from E♭ Major (5B) down to B Major (1B) darkens the harmonic landscape despite both being major keys. The audience perceives a drop in perceived brightness and a shift toward introspection, even though energy needn't fall. This is a distant but coherent move—the keys share no common tonic, but they sit four steps apart on the wheel, creating a sense of deliberate harmonic travel rather than abrupt rupture.

Example transitions from the catalog

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

84%Related Key Lower

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

84%Related Key Lower

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

83%Related Key Lower

PYHU (Put Your Hands Up)

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

83%Related Key Lower

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

83%Related Key Lower

Lock It

Flowidus

885B

Rowdy (BLAOW!) - Extended Mix

Eksman

881B

BPM0

Energy±6%

No pitch needed — BPMs match

83%Related Key Lower

BPM0

Energy=

No pitch needed — BPMs match

83%Related Key Lower

Drugs From Amsterdam - Extended Mix

Mau P

1255B

La Verdolaga feat. Totó La Momposina - Extended Mix

HUGEL

1241B

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

83%Related Key Lower

Stay - Extended Mix

FISHER

1285B

The Light - Extended Mix

Dosem

1271B

BPM±1.0

Energy=

Pitch ±1.0 BPM

Sound profile shift

Average across all 5B and 1B tracks in the catalog. The difference between the two shapes is what your audience hears across the transition.

5B · E♭ Major

1B · B Major

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

BPM landscape

Both keys share the same median tempo — most pairs need no pitch adjustment.

5B · E♭ Major65–172 BPM · median 126

1B · B Major65–175 BPM · median 126

How to mix this transition

Plan this transition across a full 16–32 bar phrase; don't attempt it mid-loop. Bring in the new track during a breakdown or stripped section of the outgoing track, where harmonic anchors are minimal—a vocal, filtered drums, or sparse pad work best. Use a slow EQ blend: kill the highs on 5B while introducing 1B's low-mid weight gradually, so the tonal shift feels intentional rather than jarring. Watch the kick swap carefully; if 5B's kick has a particular pitch character, let it decay fully before 1B's kick locks in, or the two will fight.

Common mistakes

Don't layer both keys' full harmonic content in the blend zone—the distance between them makes this muddy, not smooth
Avoid stacking this move with a BPM change; the harmonic shift alone demands listener attention
Don't rush the transition; a quick cut or 4-bar blend will feel accidental rather than curated

When this transition lands best

Second-hour mood reset
Post-breakdown reentry
Before a vocal-led section

Genres in this pair

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

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

Artists with tracks in both keys

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

Stevie Wonder1 · 1
RBØR1 · 1
Nicki Minaj1 · 1
Chris Lake1 · 1

Related transitions

Reverse

1B5B

Related Key Upper

Also try

5B2B

Parallel Key Lower

Also try

5B3B

High Energy Drain

Also try

5B4B

FAQ

Is mixing from 5B to 1B safe?⌄

Related Key Lower. Distant but harmonically related — plan it, don’t stumble into it.

What does the 5B → 1B transition sound like?⌄

What BPM range works for 5B to 1B?⌄

5B tracks median 126 BPM; 1B median 126 BPM. Pairs at similar BPMs work without pitch adjustment.

When in a DJ set should I use 5B → 1B?⌄

Best moments: Second-hour mood reset, Post-breakdown reentry, Before a vocal-led section.

Plan a chemistry-scored set