THUNDERFRET
Free tools / Chord Transposer

Chord Transposer

Tap in the chords — no typing, sharps and flats in the picker — choose how far to move, and read off the new chords, plus the capo trick that lets you skip relearning the shapes.

// Chord transposer — add the chords, pick a shift
Your chords — tap one to remove it
Add a chord — pick the root note, then the quality
or try:
major = plain letter (C) · minor = the “m” chords (Am) · 7 = a dominant-7 (G7) — fancier ones are in the list too
Transpose
+2 semitones

🎸 Chords too hard? Use a capo: put a capo on fret 5 and play these open shapes instead of the ones above. It's the same song, in the same key:

GDEmC
Transposed
DABmG

🎸 Capo shortcut: instead of learning the new shapes, put a capo on fret 2 and keep playing your original shapes — they'll sound in the new key.

How transposing works

Music moves in semitones — one fret on the guitar. To transpose, you slide every chord root the same number of semitones, and leave the rest of the chord name untouched: Am stays minor, G7 stays a 7th. Move C G Am F up two semitones and you get D A Bm G — the same song, one whole step higher.

The capo shortcut

On guitar you rarely have to relearn shapes: a capo at fret N raises your open shapes by N semitones. Singer needs it higher? Capo up and keep your fingering. Song lives in a horrible key like E♭? Transpose it down a semitone to D on paper, then capo 1 — you play easy D-shapes and the audience hears E♭.

// There's more

Transposing makes visual sense on the circle of fifths — every key, its chords and its neighbours in one interactive wheel.

Open the circle of fifths

Frequently asked

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Count how many semitones (half-steps) separate the old key from the new one, then move every chord's root by that same distance. C to D is +2 semitones, so C G Am F becomes D A Bm G. The chord qualities (m, 7, sus4…) never change — only the root letters move.

How does a capo transpose a song?

A capo raises every open string, so your familiar shapes sound higher without changing fingering. If a song is 3 semitones too low for your voice, put the capo on fret 3 and play the same shapes — everything sounds 3 semitones higher.

Should the new chords use sharps or flats?

Convention: use the spelling of the destination key. Sharp keys (G, D, A, E, B) spell with sharps; flat keys (F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db) spell with flats. The tool has a ♯/♭ toggle — F# and Gb are the same pitch, just written differently.

Why would I transpose a song at all?

Usually to match a singer's range, to make the chords easier (Eb major becomes friendly open shapes when moved to D or C), or to match another instrument's comfortable key.

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