Our group, "Grace On Fire", is always changing keys from the written music for various reasons so I had to learn how to transpose on the fly. what really helped me was the Solfeggio System. Above the chords on a chart I label each chord according to its position in that scale. Upper and lower case Roman Numerals are used. Upper case for majors, lower case for minors. For example in the key of C, C is I, Dm is ii, Em is iii, F is IV, G is V, Am is vi, Bmb5 is vii. 7ths are like this, example G7 is V7 and Dm7 is ii7, etc. After labeling the chords like that on the chart, if our director tells us that we are changing keys from C major to Eb major all I have to do is position my fretting hand to play in Eb major and follow the Solfeggio symbols. Of course, knowing your arpeggio patterns without looking at the fretboard helps, because I find that if I'm playing a chart written in D major, but am following the Solfeggio symbols to play in E or F if I look at my fretboard I get screwed up!!! You may want to do more research on this. Also, if the chord is not in the chordal scale, then just put a flat symbol in front of it........for example in the key of C if you are playing a Bb7, then the Solfeggio symbol would be bVII7, an Ebm7 would be biii7. It isn't as hard as I explained it. Once you play more often like this, you will get so used to switching keys for any song to any key you want and you won't even have to think about it. If you go to
www.realbook.us you can sign up and then download for free the charts for a bunch of songs. The charts can be printed in any key you want or using the Solfeggio System. They aren't fancy charts, no lyrics, etc., but they are fun to use if you have recordings of the songs.
Johnny
