Use the tool below to instantly find what chord shapes to play with your capo. Select the key of the song, pick a capo position, and see exactly which shapes to use.
Capo Transposition Tool
How It Works
Quick Answer: Here’s how capo transposition works:
Pick your target key — that’s the key you need to sound in. Maybe it’s the key of the song, or the key that matches your voice, or the key the band is playing in.
Go DOWN the chromatic scale from your target key until you hit a playing key you like — C, A, G, E, or D. These are the keys with easy open chord shapes.
Count the semitones between those two points.
Capo UP that many frets and play your shapes.
Example: The target key is F major. You go down the scale: E, Eb, D — that’s 3 semitones down. You like playing in D because the shapes are easy. Capo on 3rd fret, play D shapes, sound in F.
The basic rule: Whatever playing key you choose will sound HIGHER by the number of frets where the capo sits.
When to Use Capo Transposition
Avoid difficult barre chords. Here’s the thing — songs in F, Bb, or Eb are full of barre chords. Nobody loves playing in Bb unless they have to, right? With a capo, you can play easy open shapes instead. Same key, way easier on your fingers.
Match a singer’s range. Let’s say the song is written in C but your singer needs it in Eb. Capo on the 3rd fret and keep playing your C shapes. No mental math during the gig, and your fingers stay happy.
Get that open-string sound. Open chords ring differently than barred versions of the same chord. You get that fuller acoustic tone that you just can’t replicate with barre chords — all your fingers are already committed to holding down the barre, so you’ve got no freedom to add those little modifications and spices that make rhythm guitar interesting.
Make songs easier for beginners. Instead of teaching someone barre chords right away, transpose the song to a playing key with open shapes. They can learn the “real” chords later once their fingers are stronger.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Confusing which direction to count. The capo always makes pitch go UP. That’s why you count DOWN from your target key to find your playing key. If you need to sound in F and you want to play D shapes, you count down (F ? E ? Eb ? D = 3 semitones), then capo up 3 frets.
Only transposing some chords. When you transpose, every single chord in the song moves by the same amount. If you capo on 3rd fret to play in the key of F using D shapes, then ALL your chords use D-family shapes — not just some of them.
Forgetting the natural semitones. E to F and B to C are only one fret apart. All other notes are two frets apart. Count carefully on the chromatic scale.
The Number System Shortcut
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Instead of thinking in letter names, you can assign each chord a number based on its position in the scale. In any major key, the chords follow this pattern:
| I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major | minor | minor | Major | Major | minor |
So the key of F becomes: F – Gm – Am – Bb – C – Dm
(Or just: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6)
And the key of D becomes: D – Em – F#m – G – A – Bm
(Same numbers: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6)
Here’s how both keys line up:
| Number | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key of F | F | Gm | Am | Bb | C | Dm |
| Key of D | D | Em | F#m | G | A | Bm |
Once you see the pattern, transposing becomes instant. You’re not converting F to D to G — you’re just moving the same relationships to a new starting point.
This is the foundation of how professional musicians think about music. The capo tool above handles the conversion for you, but understanding why it works unlocks everything else.
This shows you what to play…
Still confused about why these chords work together? (You’re not alone.)
Real World Example: Sweet Home Alabama in the Key of B
Reader Chuck asked: “If someone said ‘I sing in the key of B,’ and you’re playing Sweet Home Alabama (normally D-C-G), what do you do?”
Here’s the approach:
The song is in G (playing D-C-G shapes). Your new target key is B.
Go down from B on the chromatic scale: Bb, A, Ab, G — that’s 4 semitones down.
So: Capo on fret 4, play your D-C-G shapes, sound in B.
You’re just counting down from your target key until you hit a playing key you like, then capoing up that many frets.
Watch the Full Explanation
Want me to walk through this step by step? Here’s the complete video lesson:
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use a capo if the chords sound the same?
The capo lets you use easier chord fingerings while staying in the same key as other musicians. If the band is playing in F, you can capo on 3rd fret and play easy D, Em, and G shapes — much easier on your fingers, but you’re still in F.
Do I move the capo up or down the neck?
When we say “capo goes up,” we mean toward the body of the guitar (higher frets). This raises the pitch. To compensate, use chord shapes from a LOWER key.
Can I transpose without a capo?
Yes — you can learn the chord shapes in different positions. But a capo is faster and gives you the open-string resonance that sounds great on acoustic.
What if the capo position is too high?
Capo positions above the 7th or 8th fret start sounding thin. If you need to go that high, consider learning the actual chord voicings in that key instead.
How do I transpose when playing alone?
If you’re playing solo, put the capo wherever sounds good for your voice or feels comfortable. You don’t need to match anyone else’s key.
Related Lessons
Your delivery of the material is very cool. Learning alot. Very relaxed and to the point.You make learning enjoyable and relaxed while at the same time motivating. I don’t feel intimidated at all by the material because of how you present it. Thanks alot.
Thanks Jimmy!
Thanks Jonathan! That was a really useful lesson on a subject I hadn’t given enough thought to in the past. Thanks again
This video keeps stopping and then goes. What is causing this problem? It is irritable.
Hi Jesse – that’s probably a function of your internet connection. I’d recommend pausing it, allowing the full video to buffer, and then viewing it – that should allow the whole video to transfer before you go to play it.
Thanks Jonathan, but why use the capo if the chords sound the same as what U were playing? I get the capo for use to obtain another key using chord configurations that I’m more familiar with.
Ted
In the capo lesson, when you use the terms up and down, it would help to indicate if you are talking in terms of scale (up = higher frequency notes) or the neck of the guitar. I guess it is the scale.
John
Thanks for the tips Jonathan.
This is a great intro into transposing, which is so important to really getting a grip on what the guitar can do. The concept of up means down using a capo is very clearly demonstrated. Thanks, Jonathan!
Great Lesson, thanks. Only thing missing is a real world example. If someone said, “I sing in the key of “B”, and you are playing “Sweet Home Alabama”, a normal D-C-G, what do you do?
Hi Chuck, In that particular case, I’d probably take the G, and move it up so that you’re now playing it coming off the 7th fret, where you find a B (6th string). This would mean putting the capo on the 4th fret… and you’d be able to use the exact same chord patterns you’re used to playing (D C G), and yet be in the key of B. Basically you’re just identifying the root note that you want to move, and then move it to the new key, and capo appropriately (ie open G root note is on the third fret, so you need to capo appropriately leaving yourself 3 frets until your root note, in this particular case. Each key looks different, but the principle is the same.
soopper !!!!
Thanks Jonathan I had never heard of that way before how easy go up one go down one good job thank you
this is the first time that i have seen your site and i have learnt more about a capo than the crummy little guitar teacher i have.
thank you so much.
Hi James, welcome to the site! Glad you’re learning something here…
Thanks, Jonathan. Your teaching style is so refreshing, without all the noisy hype so many favour. Much appreciated by an Englishwoman! I have your scale patterns course and so much of the mist has cleared. You have a lovely smile, too – it reminds of one of my sons . . .
Thanks Jonathan it was a great lesson most teacher would not even go there so
again thank you.
In a way it sounds confusing,but,its all about learing how a guitar works and the comfusion will start to disapear.I try not to rush things,I like to take it slow and everything that I have taken in so far is paying off. Thanks and rock on.
Great Capo Lesson!
As a plus:
I didn’t realize that the minor chords in the key are the relative to the majors in the key (Except for the 6th).
World of knowledge. Thanks!
Hello! i watched the video, and a little bit confused.
all over the internet, there are charts, showing what chord will i get if I put capo on 1st, 2nd, 3rd Fret and so on.
Let’s say, i want to transpose the song Riptide- Vance Joy, that in the key of C# ( A#m,G#,C#,C#- VI,V,I,I progression) to the key of E (C#m,B,E,E) .
So, to get that Key of E, but to play the same chord shapes as in the key of C, according to all Capo charts , I have to put the capo on 4th fret.
But from your video, if i will go back , so ill get a totally different chords : F#m,A, D, E
So, thats my confession all around the capo and what will get if i use it.
Hi Alina, F#m, A, D and E are the chords from the key of A, not the key of E. If you want E, and you’re currently in C#, then you need to move the capo the same number of frets as the number of semitones between those two.
C# – D (1 fret) – D# (2 frets) – E (3 frets)
So, you need to move up three frets and keep your chord shapes the same.
Now with that said, If you’re playing in E major, it might be easier to just play the open chords version of those same chords…
Thank you
Thank you – very helpful.