Free Capo Chart for Guitar
Which chord every open shape makes with the capo on frets 1 to 7, and the same chart the other way round: which capo fret lets you play a song's key with easy shapes. Free in eight sizes, in US or UK music terms.
Make it yours: see it in another style
Any US home printer (8.5 × 11 in). A binder, desk or music stand.
Download the PDFLetter, US · 57 KB
Customize this posterChange the sections, style and colors, and add your own title, in the Music Theory Poster Maker. $9 PDF.
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Make this poster yours
- Your own title, like “Mrs. Green’s Music Room”
- Only the sections you teach, or add more
- A different style: Dark, Modern or Minimal
Customize this poster →$9 PDF · try it free first
On the Letter poster (3 sections)
- Capo Chart
- Which Capo Fret?
- How a Capo Works
Plus a practice tip in the space left over.
The bigger the poster, the more fits: A2 and larger have all 4 sections.
All sizes and files
| Size | Dimensions | Sections | US terms | UK terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | 216 × 279 mm · 8.5 × 11 in | 3 | PDF, 57 KB | PDF, 57 KB |
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm · 8.3 × 11.7 in | 3 | PDF, 57 KB | PDF, 57 KB |
| 11 × 17 in | 279 × 432 mm · 11 × 17 in | 4 | PDF, 72 KB | PDF, 72 KB |
| A3 | 297 × 420 mm · 11.7 × 16.5 in | 4 | PDF, 72 KB | PDF, 72 KB |
| A2 | 420 × 594 mm · 16.5 × 23.4 in | 4 | PDF, 85 KB | PDF, 85 KB |
| 18 × 24 in | 18 × 24 in · 457 × 610 mm | 4 | PDF, 84 KB | PDF, 84 KB |
| A1 | 594 × 841 mm · 23.4 × 33.1 in | 4 | PDF, 89 KB | PDF, 89 KB |
| 24 × 36 in | 24 × 36 in · 610 × 914 mm | 4 | PDF, 89 KB | PDF, 89 KB |
What’s on the capo chart
- The capo chart: eight open chord shapes (C, A, G, E, D, Am, Em and Dm) down the side, open and capo frets 1 to 7 across the top. Where they meet is the chord that sounds: a G shape with the capo on 2 is A.
- Which capo fret? The 12 keys down the side and the C, A, G, E and D shapes across: the number is the capo fret that puts that shape in the song’s key. A song in B♭ is A shapes on fret 1, G shapes on fret 3 or E shapes on fret 6.
- How a capo works: counting frets from the capo, where to clamp it, and moving it up for a singer.
- Open chords (11 × 17 in and larger): the eight shapes the chart uses, with finger numbers.
Every chord on the chart is its shape moved up one half step per fret, and every capo fret in the key table is checked against the chart, so the two tables always agree.
How to use it
- Play along with a recording. Find the song’s key, then pick the shapes you know best from the key table. A song in E♭ is C shapes on fret 3 or D shapes on fret 1.
- Read a capo chord sheet. “Capo 2: G, C, D” gives the shapes, not the sound. Look along the G, C and D rows to the capo 2 column: the song sounds in A, D and E.
- Fit a singer’s voice. If a song is too low, move the capo up a fret and keep the same shapes; too high, move it down or try a different family of shapes.
- Minor keys. Use the Am, Em and Dm rows. A song in B minor is Am shapes with the capo on 2.
Learn it step by step
The poster is a reminder; these free lessons and guides teach each part, with notes you can play and hear.
- Capo Chart
- Chords in a Key · Lesson 26: Half Steps and Whole Steps
- Which Capo Fret?
- Chords in a Key · Key Signatures
Questions
Is it really free? Yes. Download it, print as many copies as you like, and share the link. No email or account.
Why does the chart stop at the 7th fret? Above the 7th fret the strings get short and the chords thin; most players switch to a different family of shapes instead. Every key has at least one shape at the 7th fret or lower.
Does it work for ukulele? A capo works the same way on ukulele: each fret raises every chord by a half step. The rows on this chart are guitar shapes, though, so start from our ukulele chord chart and count up one chord per fret.
Which size should I print? Letter or A4 has both tables and how a capo works: enough for a guitar case or music stand. 11 × 17 in and larger add the eight open chord shapes.
Can I make my own version? Yes. In the Music Theory Poster Maker you can put your name on it, choose the sections and pick a style. Personalized posters are $9 as a PDF.