Who this is for
Players and singers who want to move songs between keys. Already fluent at transposing in your head? Test out on Day 6.
Best done after: Circle of Fifths, Chords in a Key. It is advice, not a rule: every lesson has short "rusty on…?" boxes for anything you skipped.
Why learn this
Songs get moved all the time: to suit a voice, to make a chord shape easier, to match another instrument. Doing it by counting half steps works but is slow, so this program teaches the quicker routes too.
You will learn three ways to transpose (by half steps, by Roman numerals and with a capo), how to spell the result, and which one to reach for in each situation.
What you will be able to do
- Moving a note up or down by half steps
- Moving from one key to another
- Transposing with Roman numerals
- Spelling the result correctly
- Using a capo to change the key without changing the shapes
- Transposing instruments: concert and written pitch
The 6-day plan
- Moving notes. Move a note up or down by a number of half steps.
- Moving keys. Work out the shift between two keys and apply it.
- Transposing with numerals. Transpose a progression through Roman numerals.
- Spelling it right, and the capo. Spell transposed notes correctly and find a capo position.
- Transposing instruments. Say what a B♭, E♭ or F instrument reads and what sounds, and move a key to match.
- Test day. Prove you can transpose notes and progressions in any key.
How each session works
Every day follows the shape of a workout. It starts with a warm-up that reviews earlier days, then technique: a short, plain explanation with a small interactive tool to try it on. Then come the working sets, drills with instant feedback, and a finisher, a short test with a pass mark so you only build on things you can do. A cool-down recaps the day and previews the next.
Choose your split
The daily split is a session a day: done in a week. The easy split is a session every other day, with rest days between: two weeks, and a gentler pace. On your own pace there is no schedule. Nothing is ever locked, and you can change split at any time.
What comes next
Modulation: The 5-Day Program. See the whole training plan.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to transpose?
To move all the notes or chords of a piece by the same interval, so it sounds the same shape in a new key.
How do I transpose a chord progression?
Count the half steps between the old and new key and move each chord by that amount, or write the chords as Roman numerals and rebuild them in the new key.
What does a capo do?
It raises every open string by a number of half steps, so the same chord shapes sound in a higher key. A capo at fret 2 turns a G shape into an A.
Is there a tool to do it for me?
Yes: the chord transposer and capo calculator on this site. This program teaches the method so you understand the result.