How transposing works
Transposing moves every note of a song by the same distance, so the melody and harmony keep their shape but sit higher or lower. For chord charts that means shifting each chord's root, and the bass note of any slash chord, by the same number of semitones. The chord quality, like m, 7, maj7, sus4 or add9, stays exactly the same.
A capo does the transposing for you on guitar: every fret raises everything by one semitone. That's why players use a capo to reach a singer's key while keeping familiar open chord shapes.
The formula
new root = (old root + semitones) mod 12
capo fret = (song key − shape key) mod 12
for a minor key, use its relative major (3 semitones up)
Example: transposing up a whole step
The chords G D/F# Em C moved up 2 semitones, spelled with sharps because the new key, A major, uses sharps:
| Original | Semitone math | Transposed |
|---|---|---|
| G | 7 + 2 = 9 | A |
| D/F# | 2 + 2 = 4, bass 6 + 2 = 8 | E/G# |
| Em | 4 + 2 = 6 | F#m |
| C | 0 + 2 = 2 | D |
A guitarist could instead keep the original shapes and put a capo on fret 2.
Example: finding a capo fret
A song written as Bb F/A Gm Eb is in Bb major (10). To play it with G shapes (7): (10 − 7) mod 12 = 3, so capo on fret 3 and play G D/F# Em C. The other options are A shapes at capo 1, E shapes at capo 6, D shapes at capo 8 and C shapes at capo 10.
Tips
- Find the singer's key first. Try the chorus's highest note; if it strains, transpose down 1 or 2 semitones and try again.
- G and C shapes sound full and ring well with a capo; E and A shapes keep the bass deep for lower keys.
- Two guitars? Have one play open shapes and the other the same chords with a capo and different shapes (say G shapes open and D shapes at capo 5) for a wider sound.
- Put the home chord first when using auto spelling or auto key, since the first chord sets the key.
Frequently asked questions
How do you transpose chords?
Move every chord's root (and any bass note after a slash) up or down by the same number of semitones, and keep the rest of the chord name unchanged. G up 2 semitones is A, Em becomes F#m, and D/F# becomes E/G#. The chord types (minor, 7th, sus4 and so on) never change.
How does a capo change the key?
Each fret raises the pitch one semitone. With a capo on fret 3, a G chord shape sounds as Bb, an Em shape sounds as Gm and so on. To play a song in Bb with G shapes, you put the capo on fret 3 and play the song as if it were in G.
What capo fret do I need?
Count the semitones from the key of the shapes you want to play up to the song's key. From G up to Bb is 3 semitones, so capo 3. If the answer is above about 7, a different set of shapes usually works lower on the neck; the calculator lists every option.
Should I use sharps or flats?
It depends on the key. Keys like F, Bb, Eb, Ab and Db are written with flats; G, D, A, E, B and F# with sharps. Auto mode reads the new key from the first chord and picks the conventional spelling, but you can force sharps or flats.
Will this transpose lyrics or words like 'Bridge'?
No. Only tokens that look like chords are changed, such as Am7, Bb/D, Csus4 or F#m7b5. Words, section labels and bar lines are left as they are, and anything the transposer didn't recognize is listed under the results. Single letters A through G on their own are treated as chords.
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