Capo calculator
A capo raises everything by one semitone per fret: you keep playing the same shapes and the song sounds in a different key. Pick the fret and the shape below to get the sounding key and the mapping for every chord in your hand.
What key is capo on fret N?
Choose the fret the capo sits on and the shape your fingers actually play. The result is the key the audience hears.
Sounding key
A
G shape · Capo fret 2
| You play | It sounds |
|---|---|
| G | A |
| Am | Bm |
| Bm | C#m |
| C | D |
| D | E |
| Em | F#m |
| F#dim | G#dim |
The other way: I want to play in this key with a capo
If a song sits in an awkward key (Bb, Eb…), a capo lets you go back to easy open shapes. Pick the target key to see which fret and which shape to use.
- Capo fret 1put the capo here and play the shapeA
- Capo fret 3put the capo here and play the shapeG
- Capo fret 6put the capo here and play the shapeE
Capo chart — fret × shape
What each of the five common open shapes sounds like at every fret. Where a pitch has two spellings both are shown; it is the same sound, and the song's key decides which one you write.
| Fret | C shape | A shape | G shape | E shape | D shape |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No capo | C | A | G | E | D |
| 1 | C# / Db | A# / Bb | G# / Ab | F | D# / Eb |
| 2 | D | B | A | F# / Gb | E |
| 3 | D# / Eb | C | A# / Bb | G | F |
| 4 | E | C# / Db | B | G# / Ab | F# / Gb |
| 5 | F | D | C | A | G |
| 6 | F# / Gb | D# / Eb | C# / Db | A# / Bb | G# / Ab |
| 7 | G | E | D | B | A |
| 8 | G# / Ab | F | D# / Eb | C | A# / Bb |
| 9 | A | F# / Gb | E | C# / Db | B |
| 10 | A# / Bb | G | F | D | C |
| 11 | B | G# / Ab | F# / Gb | D# / Eb | C# / Db |
A capo only makes the shapes easier — it genuinely changes the key. If you play as a band, make sure everyone hears the same key: a guitarist with a capo and a bass player without are playing the same thing with different shapes.