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To transpose music, move every pitch by the same interval. Moving C–E–G up two semitones gives D–F♯–A. The chord stays major because its internal intervals remain the same. Apply the same shift to the other pitched parts that belong to the passage.
Hear the examples.
Choose an example, then press Play. Compare the notes as well as the sound.
C–G–Am–F
Compare this ordering with C–Am–F–G. The return to the first chord changes.
These are not Captain Plugins audio.Ready to play
Choose the destination and count semitones
Write down the starting and destination roots. C to D upward is two semitones; C to E upward is four. Moving C–F–G up two gives D–G–A, and C–E–G becomes D–F♯–A. Include black keys when counting.
Choose the direction deliberately. C up to G is seven semitones; C down to G is five semitones. Both reach the pitch class G, but place the part in different registers. Check the highest and lowest notes, not just the root.
Preserve chord quality and the phrase
A minor chord remains minor under a fixed chromatic transposition. Am–F–C–G moved up two semitones becomes Bm–G–D–A. Roman numerals help you recognise the same relationships in the new key.
Moving notes by scale degrees within one scale is different: the semitone distances may change. C–E–G shifted one degree within C major becomes D–F–A, changing major to minor. Do not describe this as the same operation as shifting every note up two semitones.
Treat MIDI and recorded audio differently
MIDI transposition changes note instructions, so the instrument plays different pitches. Audio pitch shifting processes an existing recording and may affect timbre or introduce artifacts. Depending on the processing mode, pitch and duration may be linked or independent.
Audition a recorded vocal or sample after shifting it. Listen to consonants, transients, sustained notes and formants. Do not assume that an accurate note change guarantees natural sound. Keep the original recording for comparison.
Check the whole arrangement
Select the pitched parts that should move together: chords, melody, tuned bass and any melodic samples. Leave unpitched drum mappings alone unless you intend to change the sounds they trigger. Check pitch-bend and automation too.
Play through the transition into and out of the transposed section. Watch sustained notes crossing the boundary. A singer-friendly key may put a bass below the useful range of your instrument, so adjust that part by octaves after the overall shift.
Keep the notes in view.
| Original | Up 2 semitones | What stays the same |
|---|---|---|
| C–E–G | D–F♯–A | Major triad |
| A–C–E | B–D–F♯ | Minor triad |
| C–G–Am–F | D–A–Bm–G | I–V–vi–IV |
| C major → C minor | Not a uniform pitch shift | Mode/quality changes |
Try it in Captain Chords.
Keep a copy of your progression, transpose it to a second key and inspect the resulting notes. Use MIDI export for further editing, and compare the arrangement with the singer or recorded material.
See the current editing workflow.
The Captain Plugins 8 update video shows the canvas and selection-based editing.
Common questions
Does transposing major to minor keep the same intervals?
No. Changing scale or chord quality alters some intervals. A uniform chromatic transposition preserves them.
Do I transpose the drums?
Usually not for an ordinary key change. Moving drum MIDI notes may trigger different kit pieces. A pitched percussion sample can be retuned separately when it needs to fit.
Is transposing a song the same as modulation?
Transposition can move the whole piece to a new key. Modulation changes key within the piece.