Harmonic Mixing Checker for Two Entered Keys

Compare relationships, not reputations

This harmonic mixing checker compares two major or minor key labels that you enter. It maps each label to a Camelot code, tests a small published set of relationships, and counts shared diatonic pitch classes. The result shows exactly which rule matched—or states that none of the core rules matched.

There is no hidden compatibility score. The page does not inspect audio, search a DJ library, calculate loudness, align phrases, or decide whether a transition sounds good. It offers a transparent theory reference for the labels you already have.

The three core classifications

The checker evaluates rules in a visible sequence:

1. Exact code: both entries map to the same Camelot position.
2. Relative pair: the number matches while A and B differ.
3. Adjacent same-mode position: the letter matches and numbers differ by one, including the circular 12-to-1 boundary.

If none applies, the result says “No core Camelot relationship in this rule set.” That is not a warning to avoid the transition. It means only that these three rules do not describe the pair.

The shared-pitch section provides another descriptive view. It constructs the conventional seven-note major or natural-minor collections associated with the entries, normalizes pitch classes for comparison, and lists their overlap. Enharmonic display is simplified for readability, so use notation-aware analysis when exact spelling matters.

Worked example: A minor to E minor

Choose A minor as Current key and E minor as Candidate key. Their Camelot codes are 8A and 9A. The same letter and one-step number difference trigger the adjacent same-mode rule.

A natural minor contains A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. E natural minor contains E, F-sharp, G, A, B, C, and D. Six pitch classes overlap; F and F-sharp differ. The checker reports both the rule and the overlap instead of compressing them into a percentage.

That still leaves practical questions. Does the outgoing phrase emphasize F natural while the incoming track foregrounds F-sharp? Are bass notes exposed at the transition? Is one track tuned away from the other? Are tempo and phrase length aligned? A one-step code does not answer them.

Worked example: C major to A minor

Choose C major and A minor. The codes are 8B and 8A, so the relative-pair rule matches. Their basic diatonic collections contain the same pitch classes: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The shared-pitch count is seven.

Even complete collection overlap does not make the tonal centers identical. A cadence toward C can establish C major, while a cadence toward A with a raised G-sharp can strengthen A minor and introduce a note outside the natural-minor collection shown. The transition may feel like a change of center despite the shared material.

Why the result has no green verdict

“Compatible” is too broad to serve as a factual output. A key relationship can reduce one source of clash, yet a mix can fail because vocals compete, bass phases poorly, grooves oppose each other, or phrases arrive at awkward moments. Conversely, a deliberately dramatic change can succeed without one of the core mappings.

The interface therefore names a relationship and supplies a listening checklist. It should not color a non-match as failure or a match as guaranteed success. Accessibility also benefits because the conclusion is expressed in text rather than color alone.

A listening checklist after comparison

Use the theoretical result as the beginning of an audition:

• Scope: do both labels describe the sections that actually overlap?
• Tuning: do sustained tones beat or drift against each other?
• Bass: are root movements supportive or congested?
• Phrase: do structural arrivals occur together?
• Register: do prominent melodies occupy competing space?
• Rhythm: are tempo, swing, and meter relationships intentional?
• Energy: does the dynamic and timbral change serve the set?

Record what happened rather than retrofitting the label. If a “matched” pair sounds poor, the listening evidence wins.

Direction and asymmetry

The basic rules tested here are symmetric: an exact pair, relative pair, or adjacent same-mode pair remains the same relationship when order is reversed. Musical transitions are not necessarily symmetric. The way one track exits and another enters, their phrase contours, and the audience’s expectation can make A-to-B feel different from B-to-A.

Comparison order is retained in the result so notes stay tied to the intended transition, even though the core classification itself does not change.

Limits of the model

The pitch-class count assumes conventional twelve-tone equal temperament and major or natural-minor collections. It does not represent harmonic minor alterations, modes, borrowed harmony, blue notes, microtonality, modulation, key drift, or an entire arrangement. One entered label per track is a simplification.

Camelot is associated with Mixed In Key, and TuneReveal.com is independent. The page does not retrieve a proprietary database or certify another service’s label. If key estimates disagree, investigate the passage and confidence before comparing codes.

Frequently asked questions

Select the two observed keys and press “Compare key relationship.” Read the matched rule and shared-pitch list, then audition the real transition with the checklist. Keep the calculation descriptive and the musical decision human.