Transposing chords for baritone tunings

One of our new members has asked how to compensate for the baritone guitar's tuning in order to play with others who are playing standard tuned guitars. Let's review how baritones are tuned. A standard guitar's standard tuning (from lowest string to highest) is E A D G B E. Baritone guitars are usually tuned a perfect fifth lower (A D G C E A) or a perfect fourth lower (B E A D F♯ B). Now recall your circle of fifths (key signatures). Going around the circle from C toward the sharp keys you get C G D A E B etc. Each successive key is a fifth above the previous. Assuming you have your baritone tuned to A (we will talk about the B tuning later) in order to play the same chord your friend is playing on his standard tuned guitar you would need to take the chord he is playing and raise it up a fifth to compensate for the fact that your baritone is tuned a fifth lower than his guitar. This is easily done by remembering the circle of fifths. So if he plays a C your play the next chord in the circle a G. This will sound as a C chord when played on your baritone. If the band is playing a G chord you would play a D, the next one in the circle. The will sound as a G chord. This works no matter what "flavor" the chord is. In other words, if they play a G minor you play a D minor. If they play a G7 you play a D7 etc.

So what do you do if you tune your baritone to a B (low string) rather than an A. I have an electric baritone that buzzes if I try to use the A tuning so I tune it to B. In this case you have dropped the guitar down a fourth so you need to move your chords up a fourth to compensate. Once again recalling the circle of fifths, if you move in the opposite direction you are moving in fourths. Moving in this direction through the sharp keys and into the flat keys you have B E A D G C F Bb Eb Ab Db etc. Now if the band is playing a C chord you need to raise yours up a fourth to compensate so you would play an F etc.

I hope this helps you get going on your baritone guitar. Memorize your circle of fifths and your on your way.