Guitar Capo Chart — Key of E
All capo positions and open chord shapes that produce E Major chords.
Ways to play E with a capo
Capo fret
—
Play shape
E
(open, no capo needed)
Capo fret
2
Play shape
D
Capo fret
4
Play shape
C
Capo fret
7
Play shape
A
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 E Major with a Capo
To play in the key of E Major, you can use a capo to shift common open chord shapes up the neck. The easiest options are capo fret 2 with a D shape, capo fret 4 with a C shape, capo fret 7 with a A 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 E Major
The table below shows every combination of capo fret and open chord shape that produces a E chord — the tonic (I chord) of the key of E Major.
| Capo Fret | Open Shape | Sounds Like |
|---|---|---|
| No capo | E | E |
| Fret 2 | D | E |
| Fret 4 | C | E |
| Fret 7 | A | E |
Chords in the Key of E Major
The key of E Major uses seven diatonic chords. Once you find your preferred capo position for E, 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 E Major reference for Roman numeral analysis and common progressions.
Writing a song in E Major? Build the full chord sheet in Chordly — add capo notes and share it with your band.
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