Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Changing Keys

Hello Forum, I just joined the Lifetime Gold Membership. I have a question regarding banjo and guitar tabs on the site. Is it possible to change the Key on the tabbed songs?

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What’s up, @timothycorn12! Welcome to the forum! The easiest way to play a song from tabs in a different key would be to put a capo on your instrument and play it exactly as it is on the tabs. However, if you’re wanting to do it without a capo, I am unsure if TablEdit can do that.

Hi @timothycorn12 Timothy welcome to @BanjoBen 's Forum. Wise decision signing up to a Lifetime Gold Pick Membership. It will probably take you a lifetime to work through all the content Ben has assembled here.

To your query. There is a feature in TablEdit that will allow you to transpose TABs to a different Key, however it has it’s limitations. Especially when it involves Licks.

Is there a specific tune you want to play in a different Key ?

It would be better to study playing tunes in different Keys and how to use the capo. Cutting down the dependency of using TAB.

Here are a couple of lessons that may be of some help explaining the process. You’ll see from this first lesson the sort of problems you would encounter transposing licks.

https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/how-to-play-in-c-banjo-intermediate?from_track=intermediate-banjo-learning-track
Using a Capo
https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/banjo-capo-strategy-banjo?from_track=beginner-banjo

Playing tunes with Key Changes built in - These are some of my favourite lessons. I love tunes with Key changes they are such a challenge to learn
https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/red-river-valley-build-a-break-banjo?from_track=advanced-banjo-checklist

https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/bury-me-beneath-the-willow-build-a-break-banjo

Welcome @timothycorn12! Honored to have you as a lifer!
In TablEdit you can change the capo setting (e.g. set it to capo 2), which will leave the tab the same, but change the playback pitch to match that capoed setting.

Thank you Michael. Very helpful to know.

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