If you happen to be in a band that plays music from other artists, it will not take you long before you understand that the singer or singers in your group will occasionally not be able to sing those songs in the same key. You only have two choices at that point.

1. Not do the song
2. Transpose

Actually, there is another choice -- you can desperately scan the internet for those songs to see if another version exists.

But all too frequently with this option you will either not find what you're looking for, or if you do find something in the right key for your singers you'll discover that the chords are all wrong.

The best option is to transpose.

But many people don't understand this apparent "lost art".

It's really not that hard -- if you understand the Chromatic Scale:

A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A

Here's what you need to know about this scale:

1. The distance between each note is what's called a 1/2 step. If you can add 1/2 steps, you can figure out that 1 step (a whole step) above B for example is C#/Db (B + 1/2 = C + 1/2 = C#/Db)

2. This is also know as a 12 tone scale. It represents ALL of the notes used in music.

3. Some notes have 2 names -- some with sharps (#) and flats (b). A sharp raises a note 1/2 step by definition. A flat lowers a note 1/2 step by definition. Whether you call a note an F# or a Gb depends on whether you are raising an F or lowering a G.

4. The chromatic Scale is an infinitely continuous scale that can start from any note:

F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb

If you understand this scale, and memorize it, transposing music becomes an easy exercise in chord substitution.

For example, let's say that you have a song in the key of "G" with this chord progression:

G Em C D G Em C D D F C D

To your annoyance, you then find that your singer or singers cannot sing it in that key, but they think that they can do it in the key of "Bb". So, you will have to transpose this chord progression to the key of "Bb". This can be done quickly and easily if you use the Chromatic Scale. Here's how you would do it:

First, write out the Chromatic Scale starting from the key that you already have the song in. That would be "G".

G G# A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G (There are no flats in the key of G)

Then underneath it, write out another Chromatic Scale starting from the key that you NEED it to be. That would be "Bb" (a flat key).

G...G#...A...A#...B...C...C#...D...D#...E...F...F#...G

Bb...B...C...Db...D...Eb...E....F...Gb...G...Ab...A....Bb

Now all you have to do is to do direct substitution from top to bottom and you will have:

G Em C D G Em C D D F C D

Bb Gm Eb F Bb Gm Eb F F Ab Eb F

And there you go. Your singers will now be able to sing the song.