How to transpose chords
Transposing moves every chord by the same number of semitones, so the song keeps its shape in a new key. Move up two semitones and G becomes A, Em becomes F♯m and C becomes D. Singers transpose to fit their range; a semitone or two often makes a song comfortable.
Capo chart
1
- Play G shapes, sounds in
- A♭
- Play C shapes, sounds in
- D♭
- Play D shapes, sounds in
- E♭
2
- Play G shapes, sounds in
- A
- Play C shapes, sounds in
- D
- Play D shapes, sounds in
- E
3
- Play G shapes, sounds in
- B♭
- Play C shapes, sounds in
- E♭
- Play D shapes, sounds in
- F
4
- Play G shapes, sounds in
- B
- Play C shapes, sounds in
- E
- Play D shapes, sounds in
- F♯
5
- Play G shapes, sounds in
- C
- Play C shapes, sounds in
- F
- Play D shapes, sounds in
- G
7
- Play G shapes, sounds in
- D
- Play C shapes, sounds in
- G
- Play D shapes, sounds in
- A
A capo raises every string by one semitone per fret. To play a song in E♭ with easy C shapes, put the capo on the 3rd fret: the tool above shows the shapes for any fret.
Then play it with a band
Need ideas in the new key? Our chord progression guides list progressions by mood, and Hook writes a full arrangement from a hummed melody in any key.
