Guitar Capo Chart — Key of C
All capo positions and open chord shapes that produce C Major chords.
Ways to play C with a capo
Capo fret
—
Play shape
C
(open, no capo needed)
Capo fret
3
Play shape
A
Capo fret
5
Play shape
G
Reference shapes: C, D, E, G, A, Am, Em, Dm. Switch to “Capo → Chords” mode to see the full equivalency chart for any position.
Playing in the Key of C Major with a Capo
To play in the key of C Major, you can use a capo to shift common open chord shapes up the neck. The easiest options are capo fret 3 with a A shape, capo fret 5 with a G shape. Each capo position gives you a different set of fingerings while sounding the same pitches, so you can choose the position that feels most comfortable or produces the tone you want.
Capo Positions for C Major
The table below shows every combination of capo fret and open chord shape that produces a C chord — the tonic (I chord) of the key of C Major.
| Capo Fret | Open Shape | Sounds Like |
|---|---|---|
| No capo | C | C |
| Fret 3 | A | C |
| Fret 5 | G | C |
Chords in the Key of C Major
The key of C Major uses seven diatonic chords. Once you find your preferred capo position for C, use the same position shift to play all the other chords in the key — the relative shapes between them stay constant regardless of capo position.
See our chords in the key of C Major reference for Roman numeral analysis and common progressions.
Writing a song in C Major? Build the full chord sheet in Chordly — add capo notes and share it with your band.
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