πΌ Chord Transposer
Paste a chord chart, shift it up or down by semitones.
Transposed chart
How to Use This Chord Transposer
Paste your full chord chart into the box, choose how many semitones to move, and the transposed chart appears instantly. Every recognized chord symbol shifts by the exact interval while lyrics, section labels, bar lines, and spacing pass through unchanged. Use the Copy Chart button to grab the result for your setlist or chord app.
Paste your chord chart. It can include lyrics between chord lines, section headers like Verse and Chorus, bar lines, and repeat marks; the transposer only touches tokens that look like chord symbols.
Pick the transposition interval from the dropdown. Each option shows both the semitone count and the musical interval name, so "Up 5 (perfect 4th)" and "Up 7 (perfect 5th)" are easy to find.
Check the chord-by-chord map under the result to verify a few symbols by ear, especially slash chords and complex jazz voicings. The map shows each original next to its transposed form.
Copy the transposed chart with the Copy button and paste it into your notes, chord chart app, or band shared doc. The line breaks and spacing of your original are preserved.
How Chord Transposition Works
A chord symbol has two parts: the root note that names it, and the quality suffix that describes its sound. Transposition moves only the root along the chromatic scale, wrapping from B back to C, while the suffix rides along untouched. That is why Am7 up two semitones becomes Bm7 and never anything exotic: the minor-7th recipe of root plus minor third plus minor seventh is applied to the new root.
Slash chords need both halves moved. In D/F#, the D is the chord and the F# is the bass note, and both shift by the same interval, so up two semitones gives E/G#. Accidentals follow your input style: if your chart uses flats, the output uses flats; sharps in, sharps out. Enharmonic equivalents like A# and Bb sound identical, so the spelling choice is purely about readability in the destination key.
Worked Example
Take a worship-team chart in G: G, Em, C, D. The singer needs it in A, which is 2 semitones higher. Transpose up 2: G becomes A, Em becomes F#m, C becomes D, and D becomes E. Notice the E minor turned into F# minor, keeping the minor quality, and no chord needed any other adjustment.
Now a trickier one with a slash chord and an extension: Fmaj7, Dm7, Bb, C/E, transposed down 3 semitones for a lower vocal. Fmaj7 becomes Dmaj7, Dm7 becomes Bm7, Bb becomes G, and C/E becomes A/C#. Every quality survived the trip, the bass note moved with its chord, and the whole chart now sits a minor third lower, ready to copy into the setlist.
Practical Tips
Transpose for the singer, then sanity check for the instruments. A key that is perfect vocally can land guitarists on shapes like F#m and Bbm with no open strings, or push a trumpet into an awkward transposition of its own. If the shapes look painful, try the neighboring semitone: one fret up or down often trades a hard key for an easy one with almost no vocal difference.
Keep a master copy of the original chart. Bands revisit songs in different keys for different singers, and re-transposing from the original avoids the rounding drift of transposing a transposition. When you paste charts from the web, do a quick scan for mislabeled chords first (a "B" that should be "Bm" is a common typo), because the transposer faithfully preserves whatever quality you feed it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I transpose a song to a different key?
Count the semitones between the old key and the new key, then shift every chord by that amount. Moving from G to A is up 2 semitones, so G becomes A, Em becomes F#m, C becomes D, and D becomes E. This tool shifts every chord symbol in your chart at once, including slash chords.
Will transposing change my chord types?
No. Transposition only moves the root note; the chord quality stays identical. Am7 stays a minor 7th, Gsus4 stays a suspended 4th, and D/F# keeps its F# bass note (transposed along with the root). Only the letter names change.
Should I use sharps or flats when transposing?
Follow the key you are moving into: sharp keys (G, D, A, E) read naturally with sharps, flat keys (F, Bb, Eb) read naturally with flats. This tool preserves whatever style your input uses, so paste your chart in the spelling you prefer and the output will match it.
What is the difference between transposing and using a capo?
Transposing rewrites the actual chord names to a new key, which works for every instrument. A capo raises the pitch of a guitar while you keep playing the same shapes. Use our Guitar Capo Transposer when you want easier guitar fingerings; use this tool when the key itself needs to change for singers or other instruments.
Why does the tool skip some words in my chart?
It only transposes tokens that look like real chord symbols: a root note A through G with an optional sharp or flat, followed by a recognized quality like m, 7, maj7, sus4, or dim. Lyrics, section labels like Verse and Chorus, and timing marks pass through untouched, so your chart layout stays intact.
How many semitones is a whole step?
Two semitones make one whole step. Moving up 2 semitones takes C to D; moving up 7 semitones is a perfect fifth (C to G); moving up 12 is a full octave, which returns every chord to its original name. The dropdown labels each interval so you can pick by ear-friendly names too.