Capo Calculator & Capo Chart

Use this capo calculator and transpose capo chart to find the key a capo gives you, or the capo fret and chord shapes that make a song easy to play.

Capo 2 + G shapes = sounds in A major

You play (shape)It sounds as
GA
CD
DE
EmF♯m
AmBm
BmC♯m

How to use the capo calculator

  1. Choose a direction. Capo → real key tells you what you hear. Key → best capo tells you where to put the capo for a key you need.
  2. Set the capo and the shapes. Pick the capo fret and the key of the shapes you play (G shapes, C shapes…). The answer appears at once: "Capo 2 + G shapes = sounds in A major".
  3. Or set the key you want. Pick the key the song must sound in. Every capo position from 0 to 9 is listed with the shapes to play and how hard they are; the easiest is marked.
  4. Use your own chords. Type the chords of your song to get an exact answer: one hard chord (like F♯m) can change which capo is easiest.

Worked examples

Capo on fret 2 with G shapes

Every shape sounds 2 semitones higher, so the song is in A major:

You playGCDEm
It sounds asADEF♯m

A song in B♭ without barre chords

B♭ major has three barre chords on guitar (B♭, E♭ and often Gm). Put the capo on fret 3 and play G shapes instead: every chord moves down 3 semitones and the song still sounds in B♭.

The song (sounds)B♭E♭FGm
You play, capo 3GCDEm

Capo chart: what each chord shape sounds like on frets 1–9

Rows are the chord shapes you play; columns are the capo fret. The major shapes (C, A, G, E, D) also tell you the key: the C row is the key of a song played with C shapes. Tap any cell to highlight its row and column.

Tap a cell: the shape, the capo fret and the chord you hear appear here.

Capo transposition chart for guitar (also correct for ukulele and mandolin shapes with the same names)
Shape capo 1capo 2capo 3capo 4capo 5capo 6capo 7capo 8capo 9
C D♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭A
A B♭BCD♭DE♭EFF♯
G A♭AB♭BCD♭DE♭E
E FF♯GA♭AB♭BCD♭
D E♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B
F F♯GA♭AB♭BCD♭D
Am B♭mBmCmC♯mDmD♯mEmFmF♯m
Em FmF♯mGmG♯mAmB♭mBmCmC♯m
Dm D♯mEmFmF♯mGmG♯mAmB♭mBm
C7 D♭7D7E♭7E7F7F♯7G7A♭7A7
A7 B♭7B7C7D♭7D7E♭7E7F7F♯7
G7 A♭7A7B♭7B7C7D♭7D7E♭7E7
E7 F7F♯7G7A♭7A7B♭7B7C7D♭7
D7 E♭7E7F7F♯7G7A♭7A7B♭7B7
B7 C7D♭7D7E♭7E7F7F♯7G7A♭7

Capo tips

The capo rule in one line

Sounding key = shape key + capo fret (in semitones). Capo 4 with C shapes: C + 4 semitones = E.

Capo or transpose?

Use a capo when the key is right for the singer but the chords are hard. Transpose (change the chords) when the key itself is wrong for the singer. You can do both: transpose the song to a better key with the chord transposer, then open its Capo panel to find easy shapes for that key.

Pick shapes with open chords

The friendliest shape keys on guitar are C, G, D, A and E (and Am, Em, Dm for minor songs). If the calculator's easiest option still has one barre chord, look for a second option with similar difficulty: it may avoid the barre on the chord you play most.

Tell the band the real key

Bass, piano and horn players don't use your capo. Say "capo 3, G shapes — we're in B♭", or print the chord sheet in the real key for them.

Frequently asked questions

How does a capo change the key?

A capo shortens every string by the same amount, so every note goes up one semitone for each fret. You keep playing the same chord shapes, but they sound higher: G shapes with a capo on fret 2 sound in A, and with a capo on fret 5 they sound in C.

Does a capo transpose up or down?

Always up. A capo can only raise the pitch. To play a song lower than the shapes you know, choose lower shapes (for example D shapes instead of G) and add a capo to bring them to the right key.

Capo on the 2nd fret: what key is it?

Two semitones above the shapes you play. G shapes → A, C shapes → D, D shapes → E, E shapes → F♯, A shapes → B. The capo calculator above shows this for every fret and every key.

What fret do I put the capo on to play in C?

It depends on the shapes you want to use: A shapes with a capo on fret 3, G shapes on fret 5, E shapes on fret 8, or no capo with C shapes. Pick C in "Key → best capo" to see which one is easiest for your chords.

How do I convert capo chords to chords without a capo?

Move every chord up by the capo fret number. Chords written for capo 3 (G C D Em) are B♭ E♭ F Gm without a capo. The calculator above works as a capo chord converter: choose "Capo → real key", type the chords, and read the right-hand column.

How do I use a capo chart?

Find the chord shape you play in the left column, then follow the row to the column for your capo fret. The cell is the chord that actually sounds. Read the other way to find which shape and fret give the chord you need.

Do the chord names change with a capo?

The shapes keep their names (you still play a "G shape"), but the sound changes. Many song sheets write the shapes and add "Capo 2" at the top. When you play with other musicians, tell them the real key, for example "capo 2, G shapes, sounds in A".

Can I use a capo on a ukulele or mandolin?

Yes, it works the same way: one semitone per fret. Choose Ukulele or Mandolin in "Key → best capo" to rank the capo positions by how easy the shapes are on that instrument.

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