Know exactly what to play with your capo.

Enter your song's key and the key you want it to sound like. Get instant chord shape mappings, a visual fretboard, and a printable cheat sheet.

The key on the sheet music or chord chart
The key that fits your singer or recording
Leave blank to let the tool suggest the best fret

Select your keys and press Translate to see chord mappings.

Common Capo Positions

Jump straight to the capo position you need. Each preset shows the most useful chord mappings for that fret.

How Capos Actually Work

The basic idea

A capo clamps across all six strings at a fret. It acts like a moving nut, raising the pitch of every open string by the same amount. When you play a C chord shape with the capo on fret 2, the strings are now tuned two semitones higher, so that shape sounds like a D chord. The shape stays the same. The pitch goes up.

Finding the right fret

Count the semitones between your song's written key and the key you want it to sound like. Each semitone equals one fret. C to D is 2 semitones, so capo on fret 2. G to Bb is 3 semitones, so capo on fret 3. If the number goes above 7, it is often better to go the other direction or use barre chords instead.

Common mistake: wrong fret

The most frequent error is putting the capo on the wrong fret and playing the same shapes, thinking the key will match. If your song is in G and your singer needs it in A, you need capo 2. Putting it on fret 3 would make it sound like Bb, not A. Always double-check the semitone count before you clamp down.

When capo beats barre chords

Use a capo when you want the bright, open-string sound of shapes like C, G, Am, and Em in a different key. Use barre chords when the key is very low (below open E) or when you need fuller control over voicing. Many guitarists use both in the same song, capo for the verse open chords and barre shapes for the bridge.

Songs that break the rules

Some songs rely on specific open-string drones or ringing notes that do not translate cleanly with a capo. A song in open G tuning with heavy open-string work will sound very different when capped. Drop D songs with low D drones lose that bass note above capo 2. In these cases, you may need to rework the arrangement or accept a different texture.

Transposing on the fly

For gigging musicians, keep a mental short list of the five most common capo positions. Capo 2 (G shapes sound A), capo 3 (G shapes sound Bb), capo 4 (C shapes sound E), capo 5 (C shapes sound F), and capo 7 (C shapes sound G). These cover the majority of real-world transposition requests from singers.

Questions Guitarists Ask

What if the suggested capo position is higher than fret 7?
Positions above fret 7 start to sound thin and trebly. If the tool suggests fret 8 or higher, try going the other direction. For example, instead of capo 9 to go from C to G, think of it as capo 4 going the other way (down 5 semitones). Consider learning barre chords for extreme transpositions.
Can I use this with a partial capo?
Partial capos change the math entirely. This tool is designed for a standard full capo. If you use a partial capo, the string relationships shift depending on which strings are capped, so the chord mappings here will not apply directly.
Why do some chord shapes sound odd with the capo?
Open chord shapes like C, G, Am, and Em depend on open strings for their characteristic ring. When the capo moves up, those open strings become higher pitches and the voicing shifts. The chord name is correct, but the texture changes. Try different shapes higher on the neck if the capped version does not sound right.
How do I transpose for a singer who needs the song lower?
A capo can only raise pitch, not lower it. If the singer needs it lower, either play without a capo in the original key, or learn barre chord versions in the lower key. You might also consider having the singer try the song a half-step lower first before rearranging everything.
Is there a quick way to figure out capo position without the tool?
Yes. Remember the chromatic scale: C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B. Count the steps from your song key to the target key. Each step is one fret. For flats, use the enharmonic sharp (Bb = A#). With practice, the most common jumps (2, 3, 4, 5 semitones) become second nature.