Transposing

Let's face it, transposing is simply a necessary skill for all musicians. For arrangers, accompanists and composers its an absolute must. Well, now it's no longer a pain.

Why We Transpose

There are numerous instances in which we must transpose a given progression into a different key. Perhaps we are arranging for instruments with non-concert tuning. Or we're accompanying a vocalist who needs the progression in a lower (or higher) range. If we're composing on a guitar and we decide to throw on a capo to get a fresh sound, you'll soon need to transpose when it's time to communicate the progression.

Transposing with The Chord Wheel

If the following sounds ridiculously easy, then you get the idea.

With the Chord Wheel in hand, set the disk to the original key and note the original chords. (To make things even easier, the Chord Wheel's transparent disk was designed for use with a dry erase marker. In this manner noting the chords is really a breeze.) Now turn the transparent disk to the new key and read off the new chords.

You're done.

Even if your progression modulated to five different keys throughout the composition, as long as you aligned the first key of the song and know what the first key needed to be transposed to, all the changes and modulations follow in turn.

Yes, it's too easy.

Tell Me More

The best way to learn is follow the Chord Wheel Tutorial. Click here.

If you want to jump to the section of the tutorial where we transpose the Beatle's song 'Let It Be,' then Click here.