How to Transpose a Song

By Suzannah Doyle & Jeanne Holmes www.SuzDoyle.com

First, a few definitions:
KEY - the group of notes/chords used in a song. For example, in the key of C, the melody and
chords are made from the seven notes of the C scale. Chords built on these notes are: C, Dm,
Em, F, G, Am, Bdim, and C (to top it off). You can also think of these as chord numbers 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, and 7. The next C above is considered the 1 chord again, and the sequence repeats. (See
the Transposing Chart on the next page for a complete list of chords in every key.)
MAJOR CHORDS are those built on note numbers 1, 4 and 5 of a scale. In the key of C, these
would be C, F and G. These are the bones of a song -- strong and happy sounding. In major keys,
the 1 chord functions as the home chord of the song; the 4 chord functions to move the song
forward (away from home); and the 5 chord is the farthest from home, wanna return there
chord. These functions are the same in EVERY KEY.
MINOR CHORDS are built on the 2, 3 and 6 notes of a scale. These are soft, darker chords that
flesh out a song. No matter what key your song is in, chords 1, 4, and 5 will be major, and 2, 3,
and 6 will be minor. With a song in a MINOR KEY, chord 6 is used as the home chord (the 1
chord -- even though it is minor; chord 2 is now the 4 chord, and chord 3 becomes major and
functions as the 5 chord. See the Transposing Chords & Keys - Minor Chords handout to
compare how chords built on the same scale compare when in a major key vs. a minor one.
* Secret Song Playing Tip #1 -- PLAY THE BONES: If your song is in a major key (using a lot
of 1, 4 and 5 chords), you can often ignore/cross out/not play the minor chords and still have the
gist of a song. For example, lets look at all the chords in Over the Rainbow, in the key of C:
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - with all the chords:
CHORD NAMES --> C Am Em C F C
CHORD No. -------> 1 6 3 1 4 1
Some where over the rainbow, way up high.
F C Am Dm G C
4 1 6 2 5 1
Theres a land that I heard of once in a lull-a-by.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Playing the Bones (only the 1, 4 and 5 chords):
CHORD NAMES --> C F C
CHORD No. -------> 1 4 1
Some where over the rainbow, way up high.
F C G C
4 1 5 1
Theres a land that I heard of once in a lull-a-by.
This is a quick and easy way to simplify a song - especially helpful in challenging keys!
SO WHAT ABOUT TRANSPOSING?
Transposing means to replace chords from one key with those in another. Its easiest to do so by
thinking in chord numbers. In the transposing charts on the following pages, each line is a family
of chords built on a particular scale. To transpose from the key of C, for example, replace chords
1, 4 and 5 in that key with those same chord numbers from a different key (G, for example). Just
remember to transpose ALL the chords from one key (one line in the chart) to another.
TRANSPOSING CHORDS & KEYS - MAJOR KEYS
By Suzannah Doyle www.SuzDoyle.com
Chord 1 in each row is the name of the key; chords 1, 4, & 5 are major, 2,3,6 are minor.
Note &
Chord # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Chord name
SHARP KEYS: C Dm Em F G Am Bdim C
1 # G Am Bm C D Em F#dim G
2 #s D Em F#m G A Bm C#dim D
3 #s A Bm C#m D E F#m G#dim A
4 #s E F#m G#m A B C#m D#dim E
5 #s B C#m D#m E F# G#m A#dim B
6 #s F# G#m A#m B C# D#m E#dim F#
7 #s C# D#m E#m F# G# A#m B#dim C#
FLAT KEYS:
0 bs C Dm Em F G Am Bdim C
1 b F Gm Am Bb C Dm Edim F
2 bs Bb Cm Dm Eb F Gm Adim Bb
3 bs Eb Fm Gm Ab Bb Cm Ddim Eb
4 bs Ab Bbm Cm Db Eb Fm Gdim Ab
5 bs Db Ebm Fm Gb Ab Bbm Cdim Db
6 bs Gb Abm Bbm Cb Db Ebm Fdim Gb
7 bs Cb Dbm Ebm Fb Gb Abm Bbdim Cb
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
TRANSPOSING CHORDS & KEYS - MINOR KEYS
By Suzannah Doyle www.SuzDoyle.com
Chord 1 in each row is the name of the key; chords 1 & 4 are minor & 5,6,7 are major, and 2 is
diminished. Chord # 1 in this chart is the relative minor of chord # 1 in the MAJOR chord chart.
Note &
Chord # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Chord name
SHARP KEYS: Am Bdim C Dm E F G Am
1 # Em F#dim G Am B C D Em
2 #s Bm C#dim D Em F# G A Bm
3 #s F#m G#dim A Bm C# D E F#m
4 #s C#m D#dim E F#m G# A B C#m
5 #s G#m A#dim B C#m D# E F# G#m
6 #s D#m E#dim F# G#m A# B C# D#m
7 #s A#m B#dim C# D#m E# F# G# A#m
FLAT KEYS:
0 bs Am Bdim C Dm E F G Am
1 b Dm Edim F Gm A Bb C Dm
2 bs Gm Adim Bb Cm D Eb F Gm
3 bs Cm Ddim Eb Fm G Ab Bb Cm
4 bs Fm Gdim Ab Bbm C Db Eb Fm
5 bs Bbm Cdim Db Ebm F Gb Ab Bbm
6 bs Ebm Fdim Gb Abm Bb Cb Db Ebm
7 bs Abm Bbdim Cb Dbm Eb Fb Gb Abm
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8