Mandolin capo chart and chord transposer
A capo raises every string a half step for each fret, so the same shape sounds higher. Type the chords of a song to see what your shapes sound like with a capo, which shapes to play for any chords, the capo that makes them easiest, or the whole song in another key.
With a capo on fret 2, these shapes sound as:
The song is most likely in G major; it now sounds in A major.
The easiest capo for that sound on mandolin
- G D Em C 4 of 4 open shapes
- D A Bm G 3 of 4 open shapes
- A E F♯m D 2 of 4 open shapes
Press any chord to hear it. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere.
The capo chart
Find the shape you play on the left; the chord it sounds as with the capo on each fret is across the row.
| Shape | Capo 1 | Capo 2 | Capo 3 | Capo 4 | Capo 5 | Capo 6 | Capo 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | A♭ | A | B♭ | B | C | D♭ | D |
| C | D♭ | D | E♭ | E | F | F♯ | G |
| D | E♭ | E | F | F♯ | G | A♭ | A |
| A | B♭ | B | C | D♭ | D | E♭ | E |
| Em | Fm | F♯m | Gm | G♯m | Am | B♭m | Bm |
| Am | B♭m | Bm | Cm | C♯m | Dm | E♭m | Em |
| Dm | E♭m | Em | Fm | F♯m | Gm | G♯m | Am |
| G7 | A♭7 | A7 | B♭7 | B7 | C7 | C♯7 | D7 |
| D7 | E♭7 | E7 | F7 | F♯7 | G7 | A♭7 | A7 |
| A7 | B♭7 | B7 | C7 | C♯7 | D7 | E♭7 | E7 |
The capo for every key
To play in a key with open chords, put the capo on the fret shown and play the shapes of the easier key.
| To sound in | Capo and shapes |
|---|---|
| C major | no capo neededcapo 3, A major shapescapo 5, G major shapes |
| D♭ major | capo 1, C major shapescapo 4, A major shapescapo 6, G major shapes |
| D major | no capo neededcapo 2, C major shapescapo 5, A major shapescapo 7, G major shapes |
| E♭ major | capo 1, D major shapescapo 3, C major shapescapo 6, A major shapes |
| E major | capo 2, D major shapescapo 4, C major shapescapo 7, A major shapes |
| F major | capo 3, D major shapescapo 5, C major shapes |
| F♯ major | capo 4, D major shapescapo 6, C major shapes |
| G major | no capo neededcapo 5, D major shapescapo 7, C major shapes |
| A♭ major | capo 1, G major shapescapo 6, D major shapes |
| A major | no capo neededcapo 2, G major shapescapo 7, D major shapes |
| B♭ major | capo 1, A major shapescapo 3, G major shapes |
| B major | capo 2, A major shapescapo 4, G major shapes |
| C minor | capo 3, A minor shapes |
| C♯ minor | capo 4, A minor shapes |
| D minor | no capo neededcapo 5, A minor shapes |
| E♭ minor | capo 6, A minor shapes |
| E minor | no capo neededcapo 7, A minor shapes |
| F minor | capo 1, E minor shapes |
| F♯ minor | capo 2, E minor shapes |
| G minor | capo 3, E minor shapes |
| G♯ minor | capo 4, E minor shapes |
| A minor | no capo neededcapo 5, E minor shapes |
| B♭ minor | capo 1, A minor shapescapo 6, E minor shapes |
| B minor | capo 2, A minor shapescapo 7, E minor shapes |
What does capo 2 mean?
Put the capo across the strings just behind the 2nd fret, then play the chord shapes as if the capo were the nut. Everything sounds two half steps higher: a G shape sounds as A, an Em shape as F♯m.
Does a capo change the key?
Yes. Each fret moves the song up a half step. A song played with G, C and D shapes is in G major with no capo, in A major with the capo on fret 2 and in B♭ major on fret 3. That is why singers use a capo: the same easy shapes, in the key that suits their voice.
How do I transpose chords to another key?
Move every chord by the same number of half steps, the root and any bass note alike: G, D, Em, C up two half steps is A, E, F♯m, D. Choose Change the key above to do it for a whole song, or count it on the chart.
How do I play a song in a hard key?
Type its chords and choose Shapes for these chords: the tool lists the capos that give the most open shapes. A song in E♭ (E♭, A♭, B♭) is the shapes of D (D, G, A) with the capo on fret 1, or of C (C, F, G) on fret 3.
Also: every mandolin chord, the chords in every key, the chord chart maker (it transposes a whole sheet), and the capo chart for guitar, ukulele, banjo.