Find out what your chord shapes really sound like with a capo, which shapes to play to match a recording, or the capo fret that turns any key into easy open chords. Paste a whole chord sheet and get it back transposed, with every capo position from 0 to 11 laid out in a table.
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What do you want to do?
Type only chord names, e.g. G Dsus4 Em7 C/G Bb F#m. Bar lines | are kept.
Leave empty to rank capo positions by the key's main chords (I, IV, V, vi or i, iv, v, VI, VII). Add the actual chords for a ranking based on your song.
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Capo Calculator
Choose a mode: what your shapes sound like, what shapes to play, or the best capo for a key.
Type or paste your chords, one line per row of the song, with spaces between chords.
Pick the capo fret, or in best-capo mode pick the target key and the highest fret you will use.
Read the result: the converted chords, the song key and how easy the shapes are.
Check the 0–11 table to compare every capo position, then copy the chord sheet.
How a capo changes your chords
A capo clamps all six strings at one fret, so every open string and every chord shape sounds one semitone (half step) higher per fret. The shape your fingers make keeps its name relative to the capo, but the pitch that comes out changes:
Real (sounding) chord = shape + capo fret. A G shape with the capo on fret 2 sounds as A.
Shape to play = real chord − capo fret. To sound in E♭ with the capo on fret 3, play C shapes.
Slash chords and extensions move together: Cadd9/G with capo 2 sounds as Dadd9/A.
Twelve frets complete the octave, so capo 12 sounds the same chord names as no capo, just an octave higher. In practice most guitarists stay at fret 7 or below, because higher positions sound thin and leave little room for the fretting hand.
Capo chart: open shapes and the chords they sound
Shape
Capo 1
Capo 2
Capo 3
Capo 4
Capo 5
Capo 6
Capo 7
C
C#/Db
D
Eb
E
F
F#
G
A
Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
Eb
E
G
Ab
A
Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
E
F
F#
G
Ab
A
Bb
B
D
Eb
E
F
F#
G
Ab
A
Am
Bbm
Bm
Cm
C#m
Dm
Ebm
Em
Em
Fm
F#m
Gm
G#m
Am
Bbm
Bm
Dm
Ebm
Em
Fm
F#m
Gm
G#m
Am
The tool shows the full chart from fret 0 to 11 under the results, along with your own chords at every position.
Choosing the best capo position
Aim for the "CAGED" keys. C, A, G, E and D major (and Am, Em, Dm) have the easiest open shapes, so the best capo fret is usually the one that turns the song into one of them.
Flat keys love a capo. Songs in B♭, E♭ and A♭ are full of barre chords without one: B♭ is A shapes at fret 1 or G shapes at fret 3, E♭ is D shapes at fret 1 or C shapes at fret 3.
Two guitars, two positions. One player in open G shapes and another at capo 7 with D shapes play the same key but different voicings, which sounds fuller than doubling.
Singers first. Find the key that suits the voice, then use the "best capo" mode to keep the guitar part easy.
Retune after clamping. A capo can pull strings slightly sharp; check tuning with the capo on.
Frequently asked questions
How does a capo change the key?
Each fret raises the pitch by one semitone. Add the capo fret number to the shape you play to get the real chord: a G shape at capo 2 sounds as A, and a C shape at capo 3 sounds as E♭ (D♯).
What capo fret do I need to play in a certain key?
Subtract a shape key from the target key. To play in B♭ you can use A shapes at fret 1, G shapes at fret 3 or E shapes at fret 6. The best-capo mode tries all twelve positions and ranks them by how many open chords you get.
What chords do I play with a capo on 2?
Play each real chord two semitones lower. A song in A (A, D, E, F♯m) becomes G, C, D and Em shapes with the capo on fret 2.
Does a capo change the chord names?
Musicians usually name chords by the shape relative to the capo ("capo 2, play G"), but the sound is the real chord. When playing with a piano or bass, give them the real chord names, which this calculator shows.
Is capo 12 the same as no capo?
It sounds the same chord names, one octave higher, because twelve semitones make an octave. That is why the table stops at fret 11. Most players rarely go above fret 7.
Can I use this for ukulele or other instruments?
Yes for the chord names: a capo shifts every chord by one semitone per fret on any fretted instrument. The difficulty ranking is based on standard-tuned guitar open chords, so it may not match ukulele or banjo shapes.
How is this different from a chord transposer?
A chord transposer moves chords to any new key. This capo calculator is built around the capo: it converts between the shapes you finger and the real pitch, ranks capo positions by ease, and shows all frets from 0 to 11 at once.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.