Free chart transposer: any instrument, any key
Snap a photo of a lead sheet (or upload a PDF or MusicXML), pick the instrument, and get a clean, engraved part with the melody and the chord symbols transposed. Or go custom: any key, up or down by semitones, an octave shift and the clef you read. PDF + MusicXML + MuseScore file, free.
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5 free charts a month with a free account. Sign in
Edit scores by just asking, inside MuseScore
Tell it “add a string pad under bars 1–32” and it writes the notes into your open score. Walking bass lines, horn voicings, easier parts, chord symbols. One Ctrl+Z undoes it.
Next step after the free tools: change the music itself. Works in MuseScore 4 on Windows, Mac and Linux. 100 free edits to start, then 10 free every month, no card needed.
Get the free MuseScore pluginHow do I transpose a lead sheet for B♭ or E♭ instruments?
Upload the chart, tell us what key it is written in (concert, B♭, E♭ or F), and pick the instrument that will read it. Scorehand Free reads the notes and chord symbols, moves them by the right interval (B♭ instruments a major 2nd up, E♭ a major 6th up, F horn a perfect 5th up), picks the simpler key signature and engraves a new PDF and MusicXML you can open in MuseScore, Sibelius, Finale or Dorico. For singers or any other need, Custom mode moves the chart to any key or up/down by semitones, with an optional octave shift and treble, bass, alto or tenor clef.
Quick reference: concert pitch to B♭, E♭ and F
| Instrument | Written vs concert | Concert C becomes | Concert B♭ (key) becomes | Concert F7 becomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B♭ trumpet, clarinet, soprano sax, tenor sax | a major 2nd up | D | C | G7 |
| E♭ alto sax, baritone sax | a major 6th up (minor 3rd down) | A | G | D7 |
| F horn | a perfect 5th up | G | F | C7 |
| Trombone, bass, cello | concert pitch, bass clef | C | B♭ | F7 |
| A clarinet | a minor 3rd up | E♭ | D♭ | A♭7 |
| E♭ trumpet, E♭ soprano clarinet | a minor 3rd down | A | G | D7 |
| D trumpet | a major 2nd down | B♭ | A♭ | E♭7 |
| Alto flute in G | a perfect 4th up | F | E♭ | B♭7 |
Tenor sax and baritone sax actually sound an octave lower than trumpet and alto, but lead sheets for them are written exactly like the trumpet and alto parts.
What is free
- 5 charts a month with a free account: an email address and a confirmation link, no password and no payment.
- Shared across the Chart Transposer and Sheet Music to MuseScore. Failed runs and refused photos do not count.
- One chart is up to 3 pages or 150 bars. Longer scores get a fixed price first.
- Need more? Scorehand Charts: 20 charts a month for $12/month, cancel any time. Scorehand Pro and Composer subscribers get 20 charts a month included.
- No watermark over the music: only a small credit line under the title.
- If a photo is too blurry to read we ask for a clearer one; that costs nothing. Uploads are deleted after reading; results after 24 hours. Uploads waiting for email confirmation or an unpaid quote are kept up to 24 hours, then deleted.
What you get
- Engraved PDF, ready to print
- MusicXML for MuseScore, Sibelius, Finale, Dorico
- MuseScore file (.mscz)
- Your original page next to the result, with any unclear bars listed
Honest limits
- Full scores: every part is converted (full score + a PDF per part); you can choose to convert only the top or bottom staff.
- A clean PDF or MusicXML file gives the most accurate result. Phone photos must be flat, bright and in focus; if a photo is too blurry or low-resolution to read we ask for a clearer one (free).
- Every chart is read twice independently and the readings are compared bar by bar. Bars where they disagree, or where the beats do not add up, are marked in red ("check this bar") so you can check them against your original.
- Repeats, codas and first/second endings are transcribed as plain bars; check them in MuseScore.
Questions
How do I transpose a lead sheet for B♭ or E♭ instruments?
Upload the chart, tell us what key it is written in (concert, B♭, E♭ or F), and pick the instrument that will read it. Scorehand Free reads the notes and chord symbols, moves them by the right interval (B♭ instruments a major 2nd up, E♭ a major 6th up, F horn a perfect 5th up), picks the simpler key signature and engraves a new PDF and MusicXML you can open in MuseScore, Sibelius, Finale or Dorico. For singers or any other need, Custom mode moves the chart to any key or up/down by semitones, with an optional octave shift and treble, bass, alto or tenor clef.
How do I transpose a lead sheet for B♭ trumpet, tenor sax or clarinet for free?
Upload the concert-pitch chart here, choose "Concert pitch (C)" as what it is written for and "B♭ Trumpet", "B♭ Tenor Sax" or "B♭ Clarinet" as the target. Every note and chord symbol moves up a major 2nd (concert C becomes D) and you download the part as PDF, MusicXML and .mscz.
How do I transpose a chord chart for E♭ alto sax?
Choose "E♭ Alto Sax" as the target. Notes and chord symbols move up a major 6th (same as down a minor 3rd): concert C becomes A, concert F7 becomes D7, a chart in concert B♭ becomes G.
Can I go the other way, from a B♭ part back to concert pitch?
Yes. Set "The chart is written for" to B♭, E♭ or F instrument and the target to Concert pitch, treble or bass clef.
Can it transpose sheet music to any key?
Yes. Choose "Custom: to a key" and pick any of the 12 keys. The tool detects the key of your chart and whether it is major or minor, and shows the move, for example "From F major → to A♭ major". A minor chart stays minor.
How do I transpose a song for a singer?
Choose "Custom: by interval" and move the whole chart up or down by 1 to 12 semitones, for example "up a minor 3rd" or "down a whole step", until it fits the voice. If the melody would end up too high or too low for the staff, the octave is shifted automatically (or choose up/down an octave yourself).
Can I transpose by semitones?
Yes, from 12 semitones down to 12 semitones up. Each step is named: 1 = a half step, 2 = a whole step, 3 = a minor 3rd, 4 = a major 3rd, 5 = a perfect 4th, 7 = a perfect 5th, 12 = an octave.
Can I choose the clef and sharps or flats?
Yes. Custom mode writes the part in treble, bass, alto (viola) or tenor clef, and you can prefer sharp or flat keys (F♯ or G♭ major); chord symbols are spelled the same way as the notes. The result title says what was done, for example "Transposed up a minor 3rd (F → A♭)".
Are chord symbols transposed too?
Yes. Chord symbols move with the melody, so a concert Bb7 becomes C7 on a B♭ part and G7 on an E♭ part.
Can it read a phone photo?
Yes, but a PDF or MusicXML file is more accurate. Printed lead sheets photographed flat, close and in focus work best. If a photo is too blurry or low-resolution to read we ask for a clearer one (free). Every chart is read twice and any bar the two readings disagree on is marked in red for you to check.
Which instruments are supported?
B♭ trumpet, clarinet, soprano and tenor sax; E♭ alto and baritone sax; F horn and English horn; A clarinet; D and E♭ trumpet; E♭ soprano clarinet; alto flute in G; baritone/euphonium in treble clef (B♭); concert pitch in treble or bass clef, viola (alto clef) and tuba. For anything else use Custom: any key, any interval, any clef.
Is it really free?
Yes: 5 charts a month with a free account (just an email address, no password), shared with Sheet Music to MuseScore. No payment, no watermark over the music, just a small credit line. Need more? Scorehand Charts is $12 a month for 20 charts.
Do you keep my chart?
No. The upload is deleted as soon as it has been read, and the results are deleted after 24 hours. Uploads waiting for email confirmation or an unpaid quote are kept up to 24 hours, then deleted.
Step-by-step guides
- How do I transpose a song for B♭ trumpet?
- How do I transpose a chart for E♭ alto sax?
- What key is a B♭ instrument in compared to concert pitch?
Need more than one part?
Scorehand writes a full arrangement of your chart for the exact instruments you have: score, transposed parts, MuseScore file and audio. Free 16-bar preview.
Arrange this chart Sheet Music to MuseScore