Cabaret: Dont' Tell Mama by John Kander runs at 102 BPM in the key of A Major. That Camelot code of – makes it easy to find tracks that blend seamlessly with it. Scroll down for the full chord palette, scale breakdown, and raga mapping for this key.
Scale & Notes of A Major
The A Major scale is built from these seven notes:
ABC#DEF#G#
Its relative key is F# Minor (same notes), and its parallel key is A Minor. If you're transposing or looking for a vocal-comfortable key, those are the natural neighbours.
Chords in A Major
The seven diatonic triads in this key — the chord palette most of the song will draw from:
| Degree | Chord | Quality |
|---|
| I | A | Major |
| ii | Bm | Minor |
| iii | C#m | Minor |
| IV | D | Major |
| V | E | Major |
| vi | F#m | Minor |
| vii° | G#dim | Diminished |
Indian Classical: the Khamaj thaat
In Hindustani classical terms, A Major maps to the Khamaj thaat (Western mode: Mixolydian). Mixolydian mode — major scale with a flat 7th. Common in blues, rock, and folk. Earthy, sensuous quality. Traditional listening time: Late evening to night.
If you want to sing or practise in this key, set your tonic (Sa) to A. Ragas built on this thaat:
- Khamaj — Mixolydian with both ♮7 and ♭7 (ascending/descending difference). Sensuous, romantic.
- Des — Mixolydian pentatonic (omits 2nd & 6th). Patriotic, folk-like (Late night).
- Jaijaiwanti — Mixolydian with both ♭3 and ♮3 — complex chromatic tension. Majestic, complex (Midnight).
- Tilak Kamod — Mixolydian with added ♭3 colour notes. Light, amorous (Night).
- Jhinjhoti — Mixolydian ♭3 (between Dorian and Mixolydian). Gentle, devotional (Night).
Set Tanpura to A →Practise in this key →Find another song's key →
Harmonic mixing (for DJs)
Cabaret: Dont' Tell Mama sits at Camelot –. For a smooth harmonic transition, mix it with tracks in 10B, 11A, 12B — adjacent keys on the Camelot wheel that share most of their notes.