Transpose Dialog

Command Location: Measures Menu / Transpose

The Transpose dialog allows you to transpose the notes in some or all of the measures in the score.  If you would like to transpose only note sounds as they are played, but leave notes where they are on the staff, see Transpose note sounds in the MIDI Configuration section of the Staff Manager Dialog.

Using the Transpose dialog, notes may be transposed:

Transposing notes

There are four ways to transpose notes:

  1. by using the left and right arrows on the right of the Key Signature Graphical Display and by clicking through until you find your desired key;
  2. by selecting a major or minor key from the drop down boxes located below the Key Signature Graphical Display;
  3. by shifting notes by a selected number of half steps either up or down towards the bottom of the dialog box; or
  4. by checking the ‘Transpose entire piece to key closest to C Major (minimize accidentals)’ box.
Apply new key to ALL staves Enables you to change the key on all staves in the piece rather than just the selected staff.
Apply Allows you to experiment with new settings, applying current values to the score whilst leaving the dialog open for any future changes.
Undo Changes Allows you to instantly undo any changes made to the score since the dialog was opened, useful for auditioning and reversing changes with the Apply button.
Do not transpose Drum notes: MIDI Channel 10 is generally used to play a particular group of drum instruments. These drums use MIDI information in a different way to other instruments. Transposing these drums may have undesirable effects, so you can opt to leave drum notes as they are when transposing the rest of the score. If a given staff is using Channel 10 then MidiIllustrator will assume it contains drum notes.

For more information see the MIDI Channels and Drum Instruments section.

Recalculate existing Chords/Guitar Frets If the score is displaying chord names and/or guitar frets, these chord values will be automatically recalculated (based on the newly transposed notation) when the transposition is complete.

Select Current Key Analyses the piece to determine the key it is currently in.
Transpose entire piece to key closest to C Major (minimize accidentals) Transposes the piece to the key closest to C Major, thereby simplifying the notation as much as possible and making the piece as easy to play as possible.