Guitar Capo Chart
See what chords each capo position produces, or find which capo and shape plays any chord you need.
Capo position
Capo on fret 2 — shapes sound 2 semitones higher
Chord equivalents with capo 2
Shape
C
Sounds like
D
Shape
D
Sounds like
E
Shape
E
Sounds like
F#
Shape
G
Sounds like
A
Shape
A
Sounds like
B
Shape
Am
Sounds like
Bm
Shape
Em
Sounds like
F#m
Shape
Dm
Sounds like
Em
How Does a Guitar Capo Work?
A capo clamps all six strings at a chosen fret, raising the pitch of every open string by one semitone per fret. Your open chord shapes produce different sounding chords as a result: an E shape with a capo on fret 2 sounds like F♯, and a G shape with a capo on fret 5 sounds like C. Capos let guitarists play songs in difficult keys using comfortable open chord fingerings, match a vocalist's range without changing chord shapes, and achieve a brighter, chiming tone by playing high up the neck.
How to Read a Capo Chart
The “Capo → Chords” mode shows you what each open chord shape sounds like at a given capo position. The “Shape” column is the chord you physically finger; the “Sounds like” column is the actual pitch that comes out. For example, with capo 3: a C shape sounds like E♭, a G shape sounds like B♭, and an Am shape sounds like Cm. The reverse lookup (“Chord → Capo”) is useful when you know the chord you need to play and want to find the easiest fingering.
Capo as a Transposition Tool
A capo is essentially a mechanical transposer. It shifts the pitch of your open chord shapes without requiring you to learn new fingerings, making it a practical alternative to full chord transposition for simple songs. If a song is written in B♭ major (a difficult key for open-position guitar), for example, a capo on fret 3 lets you play it using G-shape chords, which are much easier to finger. To work out the exact interval between two keys or transpose a complete chord chart, use our chord transposer alongside this chart.
Build the full chord sheet in Chordly — add capo notes, format your lyrics, and share it with your band.
Drag and drop chords directly onto your lyrics, build guitar tabs, and practice hands-free with autoscroll Play Mode. All in your browser — no download needed.
