How does a capo work?

A capo raises the pitch of the open strings by one semitone for every fret, effectively shortening the neck and allowing you to play higher keys with open chord shapes.

Why use different shapes?

Playing with 'G shapes' vs 'C shapes' changes the voicing and timbre of the guitar. Acoustic players often choose shapes that maximize open ringing strings.

ChordTools

Guitar Capo Calculator

Find the perfect capo position to match a song's key using easy open chords.

Original Song Key

The actual key the song is in (e.g. from recording).

TRANSPOSE TO

I want to play in

The "easy" chord shapes you want to use.

Recommendation

Capo 4

Place capo on fret 4 and play C Major chords.

Common Capo Conversions

Original Key	Capo Position	Play Shapes
Eb Major	1st Fret	D Major
Eb Major	3rd Fret	C Major
F Major	1st Fret	E Major
F Major	3rd Fret	D Major
F Major	5th Fret	C Major
F# / Gb Major	2nd Fret	E Major
F# / Gb Major	4th Fret	D Major
Ab Major	1st Fret	G Major
Bb Major	3rd Fret	G Major

The Science of Transposition

A capo (short for capodastro, Italian for "head of fretboard") effectively shortens the active length of your guitar strings. By doing so, it raises the pitch of the open strings by one semitone for every fret.

Why use a capo?

Vocals: Match the song's key to your vocal range without learning new shapes.
Timbre: Open chords played higher up the neck have a "chiming," mandolin-like quality that barre chords lack.
Playability: Avoid difficult barre chords (like Eb or Bb) by using a capo to play open "C" or "G" shapes instead.

Pro Tip: "Cut Capo" Voicings

Some advanced acoustic players use a "partial capo" that only covers strings 3, 4, and 5 (A, D, G). This emulates DADGAD tuning while keeping standard chord shapes available. This tool focuses on standard full-neck capos.

How to Read the Chart

Our chart works in two directions using the "CASHER" system logic (often called CAGED). If the song is in F Major (difficult), look at the "Original Key" column. You'll see you can put the Capo on Fret 3 and play D Major shapes (easy).