Capo chart — capo position against target key

A capo clamps the strings at a fret and raises the sounding pitch of every open string by that number of semitones, without changing the intervals between the strings. Chord shapes keep their fingering and lose their names: play an E shape with a capo at the third fret and the chord that comes out is G.

How to read the tables

Two facts are needed to use a capo: the fret it sits on, and the key you want to be in. The rule is subtraction. The shape key is the target key minus the capo fret, counted in semitones in either direction.

shape key = target key − capo fret · target key = shape key + capo fret

To play in B♭ with the capo at the third fret, the shape key is B♭ − 3 semitones = G. Play G shapes. To play in A with the capo at the second fret, the shape key is A − 2 = G: again G shapes, and the same fingering sounds a tone higher than it would without the capo.

The tables list the shape key for every combination. A cell shaded and printed without a marker is one of the five shape keys that have a full set of open chords on the guitar — C, A, G, E and D. A cell with a marker is a key you can still play with a capo, but with barre or movable shapes rather than open ones, because the open strings of that key family do not sit conveniently on the neck.

Major target keys

Rows are the key you want to be in; columns are the capo fret. Each cell is the key whose shapes to play.
Target key	Capo 1	Capo 2	Capo 3	Capo 4	Capo 5	Capo 6	Capo 7	Capo 8	Capo 9	Capo 10	Capo 11	Capo 12
C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C
C#	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·
D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D
Eb	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·
E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E
F	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·
F#	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·
G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G
Ab	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·
A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A
Bb	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·
B	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·

Minor target keys

The same rule applied to minor keys: play the minor shapes of the key a given number of semitones below the target.
Target key	Capo 1	Capo 2	Capo 3	Capo 4	Capo 5	Capo 6	Capo 7	Capo 8	Capo 9	Capo 10	Capo 11	Capo 12
C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C
C#	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·
D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D
Eb	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·
E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E
F	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·
F#	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·
G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G
Ab	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A	Ab ·
A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·	A
Bb	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·	Bb ·
B	Bb ·	A	Ab ·	G	F# ·	F ·	E	Eb ·	D	C# ·	C	B ·

Which capo positions give open shapes

For each key, the capo positions at which the shape key is one of C, A, G, E or D. Positions are listed from the lowest fret upwards.

Key	Capo positions with open shapes	Key signature	Relative minor
C major	capo 3 → A shapes · capo 5 → G shapes · capo 8 → E shapes · capo 10 → D shapes · capo 12 → C shapes	no accidentals	A minor
C# major	capo 1 → C shapes · capo 4 → A shapes · capo 6 → G shapes · capo 9 → E shapes · capo 11 → D shapes	7 sharps	Bb minor
D major	capo 2 → C shapes · capo 5 → A shapes · capo 7 → G shapes · capo 10 → E shapes · capo 12 → D shapes	2 sharps	B minor
Eb major	capo 1 → D shapes · capo 3 → C shapes · capo 6 → A shapes · capo 8 → G shapes · capo 11 → E shapes	3 flats	C minor
E major	capo 2 → D shapes · capo 4 → C shapes · capo 7 → A shapes · capo 9 → G shapes · capo 12 → E shapes	4 sharps	C# minor
F major	capo 1 → E shapes · capo 3 → D shapes · capo 5 → C shapes · capo 8 → A shapes · capo 10 → G shapes	1 flats	D minor
F# major	capo 2 → E shapes · capo 4 → D shapes · capo 6 → C shapes · capo 9 → A shapes · capo 11 → G shapes	6 sharps	Eb minor
G major	capo 3 → E shapes · capo 5 → D shapes · capo 7 → C shapes · capo 10 → A shapes · capo 12 → G shapes	1 sharps	E minor
Ab major	capo 1 → G shapes · capo 4 → E shapes · capo 6 → D shapes · capo 8 → C shapes · capo 11 → A shapes	4 flats	F minor
A major	capo 2 → G shapes · capo 5 → E shapes · capo 7 → D shapes · capo 9 → C shapes · capo 12 → A shapes	3 sharps	F# minor
Bb major	capo 1 → A shapes · capo 3 → G shapes · capo 6 → E shapes · capo 8 → D shapes · capo 10 → C shapes	2 flats	G minor
B major	capo 2 → A shapes · capo 4 → G shapes · capo 7 → E shapes · capo 9 → D shapes · capo 11 → C shapes	5 sharps	Ab minor

Key

Capo positions with open shapes

Key signature

Relative minor

C major

capo 3 → A shapes · capo 5 → G shapes · capo 8 → E shapes · capo 10 → D shapes · capo 12 → C shapes

no accidentals

A minor

C# major

capo 1 → C shapes · capo 4 → A shapes · capo 6 → G shapes · capo 9 → E shapes · capo 11 → D shapes

7 sharps

Bb minor

D major

capo 2 → C shapes · capo 5 → A shapes · capo 7 → G shapes · capo 10 → E shapes · capo 12 → D shapes

2 sharps

B minor

Eb major

capo 1 → D shapes · capo 3 → C shapes · capo 6 → A shapes · capo 8 → G shapes · capo 11 → E shapes

3 flats

C minor

E major

capo 2 → D shapes · capo 4 → C shapes · capo 7 → A shapes · capo 9 → G shapes · capo 12 → E shapes

4 sharps

C# minor

F major

capo 1 → E shapes · capo 3 → D shapes · capo 5 → C shapes · capo 8 → A shapes · capo 10 → G shapes

1 flats

D minor

F# major

capo 2 → E shapes · capo 4 → D shapes · capo 6 → C shapes · capo 9 → A shapes · capo 11 → G shapes

6 sharps

Eb minor

G major

capo 3 → E shapes · capo 5 → D shapes · capo 7 → C shapes · capo 10 → A shapes · capo 12 → G shapes

1 sharps

E minor

Ab major

capo 1 → G shapes · capo 4 → E shapes · capo 6 → D shapes · capo 8 → C shapes · capo 11 → A shapes

4 flats

F minor

A major

capo 2 → G shapes · capo 5 → E shapes · capo 7 → D shapes · capo 9 → C shapes · capo 12 → A shapes

3 sharps

F# minor

Bb major

capo 1 → A shapes · capo 3 → G shapes · capo 6 → E shapes · capo 8 → D shapes · capo 10 → C shapes

2 flats

G minor

B major

capo 2 → A shapes · capo 4 → G shapes · capo 7 → E shapes · capo 9 → D shapes · capo 11 → C shapes

5 sharps

Ab minor

The five shape keys

C shapes: open C shape family: C, F, G, Am, Dm, Em
A shapes: open A shape family: A, D, E, F#m, Bm, C#m
G shapes: open G shape family: G, C, D, Em, Am, Bm
E shapes: open E shape family: E, A, B, C#m, F#m, G#m
D shapes: open D shape family: D, G, A, Bm, Em, F#m

Points that are easily missed

A capo does not change the intervals between strings, so every shape keeps its geometry. Only the note names change.
A capo at the twelfth fret is an octave. Everything above the twelfth fret is a repeat of the first twelve frets, so capo 12 works the same way as capo 0 with the shapes an octave up.
A partial capo covering only some strings produces chords that are not transpositions of anything, because the covered and uncovered strings are no longer in a standard relationship. The charts on this page assume a capo covering all six strings.
Because a capo shortens the vibrating length, bending becomes harder and intonation drifts slightly flatter than the frets suggest. Setting the capo directly behind the fret, rather than in the middle of the space, reduces both effects.
Capos are usually used to avoid barre chords or to keep an open-string accompaniment. If the target key already has open shapes at pitch, a capo adds nothing.

HubCapo referencecapo 1 to 12, all target keys
ReferenceIntervals12 intervals, with compound extensions
ReferenceKey signatures15 major keys, 15 minor keys
ReferenceCircle of fifths12 keys, relative minors, order of accidentals
ReferenceNashville number systemdegrees 1-7 in all 12 keys
CapoCapo at fret 11 semitone above the open strings
CapoCapo at fret 1010 semitones above the open strings
CapoCapo at fret 1111 semitones above the open strings

Section: Capo · Theory Atlas