To choose the right capo fret, find the key you want to play in, pick the open shapes you want to use, and count the semitones between them: to play in D major with C shapes, use the 2nd fret, because C plus two semitones is D, and to play in Eb major with C shapes, use the 3rd fret.
How do you choose the right capo fret?
To choose the right capo fret, find the key you want to play in, pick the open shapes you want to use, and count the semitones between them. To play in D major with C shapes, use the 2nd fret, because C plus two semitones is D. To play in Eb major with C shapes, use the 3rd fret, because C plus three semitones is Eb. To play in F major with C shapes, use the 5th fret, because C plus five semitones is F. The fret is the distance between the shape and the key, and the capo calculator counts it for you. The choice also depends on the sound you want and the singer you are playing for. A low capo fret, the 1st or 2nd, keeps the guitar sounding full and natural, while a high capo fret, the 5th or 7th, makes the guitar sound bright and jangling, which is good for shimmering, open sounds but bad for a warm, full accompaniment. A singer who wants a song a little higher will move the capo up a fret or two, and a singer who wants it lower will move it down, and the guitarist will choose the fret that puts the song in the singer's range while keeping the shapes easy. The key of D major and the key of Eb major are the two most common capo keys.
How capo fret choice works
The method is to work backwards from the key. First, find the key you want to play in, which is the sounding key, the key the listener hears. Second, pick the open shapes you want to use, usually C, G or D shapes, because they are the easiest open chords. Third, count the semitones from the shape to the key: if the shape is C and the key is D, the distance is two semitones, so the capo goes on the 2nd fret. If the shape is G and the key is A, the distance is two semitones, so the capo goes on the 2nd fret. If the shape is C and the key is Eb, the distance is three semitones, so the capo goes on the 3rd fret. Sometimes two frets will work, and the choice is about the sound and the shapes. To play in A major, you can use G shapes with a capo on the 2nd fret, or C shapes with a capo on the 9th fret, and the 2nd fret is the better choice, because the 9th fret is too high and the guitar will sound thin. To play in E major, you can use D shapes with a capo on the 2nd fret, or C shapes with a capo on the 4th fret, and both work, so the choice is about which shapes you prefer. The capo chart shows all the options at a glance, and the G major guitar chord with a capo on the 2nd fret sounds as A major.
Worked example — choosing the fret for a song in Bb major. Bb major is a hard key on guitar, because its chords, Bb, Cm, Dm, Eb, F, Gm and Adim, are mostly barre chords. Pick the open shapes you want to use: G shapes are easy, and G plus three semitones is Bb, so the capo goes on the 3rd fret. Check the other chords: a C shape at the 3rd fret sounds as Eb, which is the IV chord of Bb major, and a D shape at the 3rd fret sounds as F, which is the V chord of Bb major, and an Em shape at the 3rd fret sounds as Gm, which is the vi chord. The 3rd fret with G shapes is the right choice, and the key of Bb major lists the chords.
How to practise choosing a capo fret
Practise by picking a key and finding the fret for it, so the calculation becomes quick and automatic, and you can choose a fret without a chart.
- Pick a key, such as Eb major, and work out the capo fret for C shapes, G shapes and D shapes, by counting semitones from each shape.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major with a capo on the 2nd fret, and name the key it sounds in, D major, before you play it.
- Take a song in a hard key, such as Ab major, and find two different capo frets that let you play it with open shapes, then choose the lower one.
- Practise with a singer: ask them to sing a song, find the note they struggle with, and move the capo up or down a fret to fix it.
- Use the capo calculator to check your answers, and repeat the exercise until you can choose a fret in seconds.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a fret that is too high — A capo above the 7th fret makes the guitar sound thin and jangling, and the frets are so close together that the shapes are hard to play. If the calculation tells you to use the 9th fret, choose a different shape at a lower fret instead.
- Choosing the fret from the shape key, not the sounding key — The fret is the distance from the shape to the sounding key, the key the listener hears, not the shape key. If you are playing C shapes and you want to sound in D major, the fret is the 2nd, because C plus two semitones is D, not because the shapes are in C.
- Ignoring the singer — The right fret is the one that puts the song in the singer's range, not the one that is easiest for the guitarist. Always check the singer's range before you choose the fret, or the song will be too high or too low for them.
Quick reference
This table lists the best capo fret for seven common keys, with the open shapes that work best at that fret, so you can find the fret for a key without counting semitones. The shapes are chosen because they are easy open chords, and the fret is the distance from the shape to the key, counted in semitones.
| Key you want | Best shapes | Capo fret |
|---|---|---|
| D major | C shapes | 2nd fret |
| E major | D shapes | 2nd fret |
| A major | G shapes | 2nd fret |
| Eb major | C shapes | 3rd fret |
| Bb major | G shapes | 3rd fret |
| F major | C shapes | 5th fret |
| G major | C shapes | 7th fret |
Use the table as a starting point, and then work out the fret yourself, by counting semitones from the shape to the key, so you can find the fret for any key, not just the seven in the table. When you can work out the fret without looking, you can choose a capo fret in seconds, for any song and any singer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose the right capo fret?
Find the key you want to play in, pick the open shapes you want to use, and count the semitones between them: to play in D major with C shapes, use the 2nd fret, because C plus two semitones is D, and to play in Eb major with C shapes, use the 3rd fret.
What is the most useful capo fret?
The 2nd fret, because the C, G and D shapes make D, A and E major, which are the chords of D major, and the 3rd fret, because the same shapes make Eb, Bb and F major, which are the chords of Eb major.
Can I use a capo above the 7th fret?
You can, but the guitar will sound thin and jangling, and the frets are so close together that the shapes are hard to play. If the calculation tells you to use a high fret, choose a different shape at a lower fret instead.
Does the capo fret affect the sound?
Yes. A low capo fret keeps the guitar sounding full and natural, while a high capo fret makes it sound bright and jangling, with less bass and more sparkle. Choose the fret for the sound you want, not just for the key.
How do I choose a capo fret for a singer?
Find the singer's range, find the range of the song, and move the capo up or down until the song fits inside the singer's range. A semitone or a whole tone is usually enough, and the capo makes the change quick and easy.