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Transpose a lead sheet for B♭, E♭ and F instruments
Fake books are mostly in concert pitch. If you play trumpet, tenor, alto or horn, every chord has to move — here's how, with a table for all twelve keys.
The rule for each instrument
| Your instrument | Move every chord | Concert C becomes |
|---|---|---|
| B♭ — trumpet, tenor and soprano sax, clarinet | up a whole step (major 2nd) | D |
| E♭ — alto and baritone sax | up a major 6th (same as down a minor 3rd) | A |
| F — French horn | up a perfect 5th (same as down a 4th) | G |
Only the letter names move. The chord quality stays the same: a concert F7 is a G7 for B♭ instruments, a D7 for E♭ and a C7 for F. Slash chords move both notes: concert C/E becomes D/F♯ for B♭.
All twelve keys
| Concert | B♭ part | E♭ part | F part |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | D | A | G |
| D♭ | E♭ | B♭ | A♭ |
| D | E | B | A |
| E♭ | F | C | B♭ |
| E | F♯ | C♯ | B |
| F | G | D | C |
| G♭ | A♭ | E♭ | D♭ |
| G | A | E | D |
| A♭ | B♭ | F | E♭ |
| A | B | F♯ | E |
| B♭ | C | G | F |
| B | C♯ | G♯ | F♯ |
Use the same row for a chord root or a key. Spelled the way most parts are written (F♯ rather than G♭ when the part is in a sharp key); either spelling is the same note.
A worked example: blues in F
A basic concert F blues, and the same changes for each instrument:
| Concert | B♭ part | E♭ part | F part |
|---|---|---|---|
| F7 | B♭7 | F7 | F7 | G7 | C7 | G7 | G7 | D7 | G7 | D7 | D7 | C7 | F7 | C7 | C7 |
| B♭7 | B♭7 | F7 | D7 | C7 | C7 | G7 | E7 | G7 | G7 | D7 | B7 | F7 | F7 | C7 | A7 |
| G−7 | C7 | F7 | C7 | A−7 | D7 | G7 | D7 | E−7 | A7 | D7 | A7 | D−7 | G7 | C7 | G7 |
Spelling the new key
Write a part in the key's own spelling: flats for flat keys, sharps for sharp keys. A B♭ part for a tune in concert E is in F♯, so its chords are F♯, B, C♯ — not G♭, C♭, D♭. When in doubt, pick the spelling with fewer accidentals.
Transposing in ChartBand
- Pick your instrument — concert, B♭, E♭, F or guitar — and the chords show in your key, spelled for that key. The band and the keyboard stay in concert pitch, like the rest of the ensemble.
- Move the band to any concert key, for a singer or just for practice.
- Your page stays as printed. When the key moves, the view switches from your photo to the chords written in the new key; where the app read the melody, it writes that out in the new key too.
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