how do I enharmonically re-spell a series of existing chord symbols to match the key?

I presumed I might select them and choose option plus or minus (as I do with actual notes) but it doesn’t seem to do anything? Sorry if this has been covered somewhere and thanks in advance. Basically, I want to make the Gbm into an F#m (etc):


Thanks -
D.D.

Have you tried transposing to diminished unison?

You can also respell a single chord symbol (e.g. on a transposing instrument) by double-clicking it to edit it, and changing the root without changing any other part of the chord’s structure: this will then respell only that instance of the chord symbol and leave chord symbols on other instruments spelled the same way.

I did ultimately end up doing it this way (manually chord by chord) though it was time consuming. I’ll try diminished unison when I’m at my computer (though not the most obvious solution, of course :slight_smile:)…Would be nice if you could just select (filter) all the chords and then hit “alt + or -” as one already does to enharmonically change the spelling of actual note accidentals (for consistency sake?)
Best and thanks -
D.D.

I’m not sure why, but if I have an F#min7 chord symbol, select it, and in the Transpose Window try as you suggest and transpose it to “diminished unison”, I get Fmin7 instead (not Gbmin7 as I was hoping). So (unless there’s another workaround), I still don’t see a convenient way to transpose an entire section of chord symbols to their correct enharmonic equivalent short of manually doing it chord by chord (I’m hoping this will be improved “in the fullness of time”, as Daniel would say :slight_smile:)…
Best!

  • D.D.

Try transposing up by a diminished second rather than a diminished unison.

2 Likes

That did it! Definitely wouldn’t have occurred to me, but I guess there’s a certain logic…Still would be nice if there was a more intuitive way (option + - on selected chords, just as a suggestion? :slight_smile:)

  • D.D.

Sorry, D.D, of course it is a diminished 2nd… to make a F#min7 into a Gbmin7
But I read your post :

Basically, I want to make the Gbm into an F#m (etc):

Hence my answer :joy: which was plain wrong. The accurate answer was a diminished second down.

Agreed, a simple keystroke for enharmonics would be nice.

Hello Daniel,

Is there another transposition to change Fbm7 to Em7, or Ab7 to G#7

Thank you

Those would both be transposition downwards by a diminished second (unless it’s a trick question and I’m misunderstanding you!).

Thank you Daniel,

It was the “downward” key word that I was missing, That is a great thing to know.

Best regards,

In Write menu Shift and drag on chords you want to change (ex G#7 to Ab7) , hit Shift + I write in popover td2 hit enter.