Transposing Tool

Here is the PLUC Circle of Fifths diagram, adapted into a useful transposing wheel:

PLUC Circle of Fifths – Free Transposing Wheel (Click for full-sized image – note Lewis Club venue is permanently closed & our new venue will be announced later in 2021)

To use:

• Print out the image onto card (or stick it onto card)
• Cut out both circles
• Assemble with the smaller circle in the centre using a paper fastener or similar
• The outer ring gives the original key (capital letters are major keys / lower case letters the relative minors)
• Turn the inner wheel to show the new, target key
• This then shows the transposed chords to use
• Larger individual versions – outer wheel (original key) & inner wheel (target key)

Example

PLUC Circle of Fifths – Assembled Transposing Wheel

PLUC Circle of Fifths Assembled Wheel – Transposing C – D

If your song in C has the chords C – F – G7 & you want to transpose it to the key of D:

• Spin the inner wheel (new key) so that the D lines up with the C on the outer wheel (original key)
• All the C chords will become D chords in the transposed tune
• Look for F on the outer wheel – this matches with G. So any F chords become G in the new key
• G in the original key matches with A for the new one, thus all the G7 chords will become A7s
• So your transposed song has the chords D – G – A7

Other blog entries with Circle of Fifths information include: PLUCking Ukes – Striking A Chord; PLUCking Ukes – Transposing; PLUC Weekend Workout – 12 Keys In 12 Weeks; PLUC Weekend Workout – Music Theory In 16 Minutes

Original Circle of Fifths diagram from Wikipedia’s public domain images.