Online Tool Store
Capo Position Calculator
Enter your open chord shape and the key you want to play in to find which fret to place a capo on, and the resulting chord names.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Place the capo on
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Play these shapes → sounds like
How Capo Position Calculator works
- Check the open chord shapes you already know how to play (C, G, D, Em, and so on).
- Pick the key you actually want the song to sound in.
- The tool measures the distance, in semitones, from your first checked shape's root note up to the target key — that's the fret number for the capo.
- Every checked shape is then transposed by that same distance, so you can see exactly what chord name each familiar shape will sound like once the capo is on.
The formula
Placing a capo on fret n shifts every open-position chord up by n semitones. So if you
play a C shape with the capo on fret 3, it actually sounds as
C + 3 semitones = D#/Eb. To play in a target key, the calculator solves this in reverse:
it finds the number of semitones between your shape's root and the target root
(fret = (targetNote − shapeRoot + 12) mod 12), which is the fret that makes the shape sound
in that key.
FAQ
How is the capo fret actually calculated?
Each fret raises every open string's pitch by one semitone. The tool counts the semitone distance, going up, from your chosen open shape's root note to the target key's root note — that count is the fret to place the capo on.
What if I select more than one open shape?
The first shape you check is used to calculate the fret (since one capo position applies to the whole song), and every shape you've checked is then transposed by that same fret so you can see what each one will actually sound like.
Why would I use a capo instead of just playing barre chords in the new key?
A capo lets you keep using easier open-position fingerings while the song sounds in a different key — useful for matching a singer's vocal range, or for songs that rely on the ringing open strings of shapes like G, C, or D, which barre chords can't reproduce.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Counting frets on a chord chart | A printed capo chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| No file upload — runs in your browser | ✓ | N/A | ✗ |
| No sign-up required | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free, no watermark | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
A printed capo chart only covers one shape at a time and needs you to find the right row and column by eye. This calculator handles several shapes at once and instantly shows what each one sounds like once the capo is on.