How to Use a Capo (With Capo Chart)
A capo clamps across all the strings and raises the pitch of the guitar. It lets you keep using easy open chord shapes while playing in a different key – to match a recording or to fit your voice.
What a capo does
Each fret raises the pitch by one half step. With the capo on the 2nd fret, a G shape sounds like A, a C shape sounds like D, and so on. The chord sheet still tells you to play G and C; only the sound is higher.
When a chord sheet says "Capo 3", put the capo on the 3rd fret and play the shapes exactly as written.
Putting the capo on correctly
- Place it just behind the fret wire, not in the middle of the fret and not on top of the wire.
- Use just enough pressure to stop buzzing. Too much pressure bends the strings sharp.
- Keep it straight across the neck, parallel to the fret.
- Re-check your tuning after attaching it.
Capo chart
Find the shape you play on the left and the capo fret to see the key you actually hear:
Shape | Capo 1 | Capo 2 | Capo 3 | Capo 4 | Capo 5 | Capo 7 -------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+------- C | C# | D | Eb | E | F | G D | Eb | E | F | F# | G | A E | F | F# | G | Ab | A | B G | Ab | A | Bb | B | C | D A | Bb | B | C | C# | D | E Am | Bbm | Bm | Cm | C#m | Dm | Em Em | Fm | F#m | Gm | G#m | Am | Bm
Using a capo to avoid barre chords
Songs in keys like Eb, Ab or Bb are full of barre chords. With a capo you can often replace them with open shapes. For example, a song in Eb (Eb – Cm – Ab – Bb) can be played with the capo on the 1st fret using D – Bm – G – A, or on the 3rd fret using C – Am – F – G.