Paste a chord sheet, pick a new key, and every chord moves with it. Lyrics stay as they are and chords keep their place above the words. Free, no sign-up.
How to use the chord transposer
- Paste your chords or a full chord sheet into the box. Chords can sit on their own line above the lyrics, or inside square brackets like [Am] within a line.
- Pick the key you want under “To key”, or press +1 and -1 to move one semitone at a time.
- Tick “Use flats” if the new key is normally written with flats.
- Press “Copy result” and paste it wherever you keep your songs.
How transposing works
There are twelve notes, each one semitone apart: C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A# and B. To transpose, you move every chord root up or down by the same number of semitones. The chord type does not change. Am7 moved up two semitones becomes Bm7, and a slash chord like G/B becomes A/C#.
| Original (C) | Up 2 (D) | Down 3 (A) |
|---|---|---|
| C | D | A |
| G | A | E |
| Am | Bm | F#m |
| F | G | D |
Sharps or flats?
The same note can be written two ways, such as A# and Bb. Use the spelling your new key uses:
- Flat keys: F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db and Gb major, and D, G, C, F, Bb and Eb minor.
- Sharp keys: G, D, A, E, B and F# major, and E, B, F#, C#, G# and D# minor.
C major and A minor have no sharps or flats, so either setting works.
Using a capo instead
On guitar, a capo raises every string by one semitone per fret. To play a song in a higher key with the shapes you already know, put the capo on the fret that matches the number of semitones. A song in C that the singer wants in D needs a capo on fret 2 while you keep playing C shapes.
It also works the other way. A song written in Eb has awkward shapes, so transpose it down 3 semitones to C, then put a capo on fret 3. It sounds in Eb and you play easy C shapes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I transpose chords to another key?
Count how many semitones the new key is above or below the old one, then move every chord root and bass note by that many semitones. The chord type (minor, 7, sus4 and so on) stays the same. This tool does the counting for you.
Will it change my lyrics?
No. The transposer only changes lines that contain nothing but chords, plus chords written in square brackets inside a lyric line. Ordinary words are left alone.
Should I use sharps or flats?
Use whichever your key normally uses. Keys such as F, Bb and Eb are written with flats, while G, D and A use sharps. Tick the flats box if the new key is a flat key.
How do I transpose for a singer?
Ask the singer to hum the highest and lowest notes they can sing comfortably, then move the song up or down until its range fits. Two or three semitones is often enough.
Need the notes in a chord? Use the Chord and Scale Finder. Not sure what key a recording is in? The Key and BPM Finder will tell you. See all our free music tools.