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Practice Tools · v2.5

Capo Key Converter

Place a capo on any fret and see what chord your open shapes actually sound — or pick the key you want to play in and the tool returns every capo position that gets you there with familiar shapes, sorted by playability. Two-way capo math, instantly.

Capo Position
Shape You're Fingering
Major
Minor
You're playing
— shape + capo —
—

Pick a capo position and a chord shape above.

Target Chord / Key
Quality
All capo positions
Target: — major
Reverse mode result list is wired up in Chunk 2.

Pair this with —

Other Guitar Lick Lab tools that work well alongside the Capo Key Converter:

Drone & Backing Track Player Sustained drones in 5 voicings + click track — solo, shred, and ear train over a tonal center Open → Tap Tempo & BPM Finder Tap along to detect any song's BPM in seconds Open → World Music Scales 32 scales from 7 world traditions — fretboards + audio playback Open → Interval Ear Trainer Daily ear-training drills with streak tracking Open → Browser-Based Guitar Tuner Tune any string in the browser — mic-based, 15 tunings Open → Chords in Key Finder All 7 diatonic chords for any key — useful for songwriting around a capo Open → Chord Progression → Scale Finder Type in a progression, get scales to play over it Open → What Chord Is This? Tap a chord shape, find its name with inversions Open →
How It Works

A capo is just a movable nut.

01 — Capo math

One semitone per fret

A capo on fret N raises every open string by exactly N semitones. Finger a G shape with the capo on fret 2 and you're sounding A — because A is two semitones above G. That's the whole math.

02 — Forward

What am I playing?

Pick your capo position and the open shape you're holding. The tool spells out the sounding chord and shows other capo positions that yield the same chord — useful when one option is awkward and another is right next to your hand.

03 — Reverse

Find my capo position

Pick a target key and the tool returns every capo + open-shape combination that produces it, sorted from lowest fret to highest. The most ergonomic option always lands at the top.

04 — CAGED shapes

The five shapes that cover everything

The tool uses the five major (C, A, G, E, D) and three minor (Am, Em, Dm) open shapes — the CAGED system. These cover the vast majority of songs and let any key be played without ever fingering a barre.

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Frequently Asked

Capo FAQ

How does a capo change the chord I'm playing?
A capo raises the pitch of every open string by N semitones, where N is the fret number it's clamped on. Finger a G shape with the capo on fret 2 and every note goes up 2 semitones, so the chord sounds as A. That's the whole math — one semitone per fret.
What are the CAGED shapes and why does the tool use them?
CAGED refers to the five basic major open-chord shapes — C, A, G, E, D — that together cover every major chord across the neck when combined with a capo. The tool also includes the three common minor open shapes (Am, Em, Dm). These eight shapes let you play almost any song in any key without ever fingering a barre chord.
Why isn't there a Gm or Cm shape in the picker?
There's no true open-position fingering for Gm or Cm — both require a barre (typically Em or Am shapes barred up the neck). The tool intentionally sticks to shapes that work without any barring, since that's the whole point of using a capo as a workaround.
What's the difference between Forward Mode and Reverse Mode?
Forward Mode answers "I have a capo on fret X and I'm fingering Y shape — what's the sounding chord?" Reverse Mode answers the opposite: "I want to play in key Z — where do I put my capo and which shape do I finger?" Same capo math, opposite directions. Reverse Mode returns every valid combination sorted by playability.
Why are higher capo positions less playable?
Frets get progressively closer together as you move up the neck, and the strings above the capo lose room to vibrate, compressing the sound. Capos above the 7th fret are usable but most players prefer positions in the 1–7 range, which is why Reverse Mode sorts lowest fret first and tags the lowest option as Most Playable.
Can I use this to transpose a whole song?
Yes. The math applies one chord at a time, but every chord in a song shifts by the same number of semitones, so the relationships between chords stay identical. Find the capo position that puts the song's home key under a shape you know, and every other chord in the song falls into the same family of CAGED shapes from that position.
Does this work for 12-string or baritone guitar?
The capo math is identical regardless of instrument — a capo always raises every string by N semitones. The CAGED shape names referenced here assume standard tuning, so if you're playing a baritone tuned a perfect fourth lower than standard, the sounding chord names will all be shifted down a fourth from what the tool reports.
Is the Capo Key Converter free?
Yes, completely free. It's part of the Guitar Lick Lab toolkit — a free set of guitar tools built by Music With Marky.

More free tools for guitar players.

The Capo Key Converter is part of a growing toolkit at Guitar Lick Lab. Explore them all and see what else might help your playing.

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