Any key · open shapes · song chord finder
Capo Calculator
Want to play in a key full of barre chords using the easy open shapes you already know? Choose the key you need and the calculator tells you where to put the capo — or type a song's chords and see which capo fret turns them into open chords.
| Chord shapes you play | Capo | Notes |
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Find the best capo for a song
How a capo works
A capo clamps across all six strings and acts like a new nut. Every fret it moves up raises the pitch by one semitone, so chord shapes keep their names relative to the capo but sound higher. With a capo on fret 3, a G shape sounds as Bb, a C shape as Eb and a D shape as F.
The rule: shape + capo fret = sounding chord. Count up the musical alphabet in semitones (C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B) from the shape's name, one step per fret.
Which shapes sound best with a capo?
- G and C shapes ring with open strings and are the most common capo choices for singer-songwriters.
- D shapes high up the neck (capo 5–7) give a bright, mandolin-like shimmer — great for a second guitar part.
- E and A shapes keep a full, bassy sound for capo positions 1–4.
Prefer to rewrite the chart instead? The chord transposer changes every chord in a song sheet. Using an alternate tuning? Capo positions work exactly the same way — see the tunings library.
Questions
What capo fret do I need to play in Bb?
Use G shapes with a capo on fret 3, C shapes on fret 10 (too high — use G), A shapes on fret 1, or E shapes on fret 6. Capo 3 with G-family chords (G, C, D, Em) is the usual choice.
Does a capo change the chord names?
The shapes keep their names relative to the capo, but they sound higher. Musicians usually talk about the shape ("G shape, capo 3") so other guitarists can read it, while the real key is Bb.
Is it cheating to use a capo?
No. Capos are used by professional players in every genre to put songs in a singer's key while keeping the ringing open strings that make open chords sound good.