My Chord Finder
Capo chart and transpose table
This capo chart shows which chord sounds when you play a familiar shape with a capo on frets 0–12. Find the shape in the left column, then read across to your capo fret. Each cell names the chord you hear.
Swipe the table sideways for higher frets. No capo is fret 0.
| Shape played | No capo | 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 | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B | C |
| Db | Db | D | Eb | E | F | Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B | C | Db |
| D | D | Eb | E | F | Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B | C | Db | D |
| Eb | Eb | E | F | Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B | C | Db | D | Eb |
| E | E | F | Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B | C | Db | D | Eb | E |
| F | F | Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F |
| Gb | Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | Gb |
| G | G | Ab | A | Bb | B | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | Gb | G |
| Ab | Ab | A | Bb | B | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | Gb | G | Ab |
| A | A | Bb | B | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | Gb | G | Ab | A |
| Bb | Bb | B | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb |
| B | B | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B |
Free printable capo chart (PDF)
Full capo, all six strings, standard tuning. Names repeat at fret 12; the played register is an octave higher. A cell gives a chord name, not a fingering or a promise that the shape is comfortable.
Which fret should I put the capo on?
Pick the song key on the left and one open-shape family across the top. The number is the capo fret: the song key minus that shape's key, in half steps, from 0 through 11. Fret 12 repeats the same chord name one octave higher, so this table stops at 11.
| Song key | C shapes | A shapes | G shapes | E shapes | D shapes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| D♭ | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 |
| D | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 0 |
| E♭ | 3 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 1 |
| E | 4 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| F | 5 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 3 |
| G♭ | 6 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 4 |
| G | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| A♭ | 8 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| A | 9 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| B♭ | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 |
| B | 11 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 |
Which capo fret for your key
If you know the key you want to play in, pick a set of open shapes you are comfortable with and put the capo where those shapes land in that key. Each row lists the open-shape families that reach the key with the capo at fret 7 or lower.
| Key you want | Shapes and capo fret |
|---|---|
| C | C shapes, no capo · A shapes, capo 3 · G shapes, capo 5 |
| D♭ | C shapes, capo 1 · A shapes, capo 4 · G shapes, capo 6 |
| D | D shapes, no capo · C shapes, capo 2 · A shapes, capo 5 · G shapes, capo 7 |
| E♭ | D shapes, capo 1 · C shapes, capo 3 · A shapes, capo 6 |
| E | E shapes, no capo · D shapes, capo 2 · C shapes, capo 4 · A shapes, capo 7 |
| F | E shapes, capo 1 · D shapes, capo 3 · C shapes, capo 5 |
| G♭ | E shapes, capo 2 · D shapes, capo 4 · C shapes, capo 6 |
| G | G shapes, no capo · E shapes, capo 3 · D shapes, capo 5 · C shapes, capo 7 |
| A♭ | G shapes, capo 1 · E shapes, capo 4 · D shapes, capo 6 |
| A | A shapes, no capo · G shapes, capo 2 · E shapes, capo 5 · D shapes, capo 7 |
| B♭ | A shapes, capo 1 · G shapes, capo 3 · E shapes, capo 6 |
| B | A shapes, capo 2 · G shapes, capo 4 · E shapes, capo 7 |
The same table helps a singer. If a song sits too low in G, try A or B♭ and read the row: G shapes with capo 2 or capo 3 keep the fingering while the song moves up. If it needs to go lower than the open shapes allow, use Transpose chords to rewrite the chords instead of moving the capo.
Two guitars, different capo frets, the same harmony
Suppose the first guitarist plays G–C–Em–D7 with capo 2. The audience hears A–D–F♯m–E7. A second guitarist using capo 4 needs F–B♭–Dm–C7 shapes to match those chords. The shape labels differ, but the sounding roots and chord types agree.
- Use Shape played → chord heard to read the first guitar's shapes under column 2.
- Switch to Chord wanted → shape to play. Find those sounding roots and read column 4.
- Keep each chord type attached: the minor chord remains minor and D7 becomes E7 in sound, then C7 as the second shape.
A matching chord name does not mean identical voicing, octave or timbre. The two parts can sound different while fitting the same harmony.
Choose the direction before reading a row
In forward mode, the left label describes your fretting hand. For example, an Am shape at fret 3 produces Cm. In reverse mode, the left label describes the harmony you want: to hear Cm with capo 3, look for Am in that column. The fret stays fixed while the direction of the calculation changes.
This capo transpose chart moves roots around the twelve-note pitch cycle. Forward cells add the capo fret; reverse cells subtract it. The chord-type menu applies one suffix to the entire table. It does not convert a major chord into a minor chord.
For a slash shape such as C/E, read both roots: capo 2 gives D/F♯. Keep the slash relationship when reversing the lookup as well. For an entire written song, use Transpose chords to process the chord sheet.
Take a readable reference to rehearsal
Copy table places tab-separated text on your clipboard. Download TSV saves those same rows for a spreadsheet, including the direction and chord type. Download SVG saves the complete selected matrix as a scalable image. Print table produces a landscape reference without the page navigation or lesson text.
All four actions use your current direction, chord type and spelling. The highlighted fret is only a reading aid; exports retain all columns. Nothing is uploaded and no account is required.
Where a capo chart stops helping
These rows assume ordinary chord shapes in E–A–D–G–B–E tuning and a capo covering every string. With a partial capo or altered tuning, unchanged strings can break this root-only mapping. Work out the notes of that particular fingering instead. Tuned a half step down? See half step down tuning.
Higher columns are mathematically valid without being practical on every guitar. Body clearance, fret spacing and hand comfort may rule a position out. Recheck tuning after fitting the capo: excessive pressure can sharpen notes.
Flat and sharp settings use simple chromatic names, so an enharmonic label may differ from a score's key-signature spelling. To compare low-fret song examples and read the fingering diagrams, see transpose guitar chords with capo guidance.
Capo chart questions
Does capo 0 change anything?
No. Its column repeats the row's chord in either direction and gives you a quick check that you are reading the table correctly.
Can I use a major row for a minor chord?
The root calculation is identical, but the suffix still matters. Select Minor to make it explicit in every cell; selecting Dominant 7 or Major 7 works the same way.
Why can the same chord appear at frets 0 and 12?
Chord names here describe pitch classes. Twelve frets add an octave, so the names cycle back even though the actual notes are higher.
What capo fret do I need for a key?
Subtract the shape key from the key you want, counting in half steps. G shapes reach A at capo 2 and B♭ at capo 3. The table under "Which capo fret for your key" lists every open-shape option up to fret 7.
What chord is G with capo 2?
A. Every fret raises the sounding chord by a half step, so G → G♯ at capo 1 → A at capo 2. Read the G row under column 2 to check.
Is a capo the same as transposing the chords?
It gives the same chord names, but only upward and with the open-string sound kept. A capo can raise a song; it cannot lower it below your open shapes. To move a song down, or to rewrite a chord sheet, use the chord transposer.