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The small, but mighty capo is a seriously useful tool to have in your gig bag.
It opens up your fretboard, means you can learn lots of songs without learning complicated chords, and makes transposing songs into different keys a breeze.
Capos are great for making guitar playing simple. But, figuring out which fret to place your capo on can sometimes be confusing.
That’s where guitar capo charts come in! They’re a handy resource for working out where you need to place your capo to get the sound you’re going for.
Here at Thalia, we’ve created two capo charts for your perusal.
The first, our capo chord chart is a concise, handy guide for transposing chord shapes that’s great for beginners, as well as for quick reference.
Our capo key chart meanwhile, is a more complete resource for those that want to go a bit deeper. Click either chart to get a PDF for easy printing or downloading.
Both are used the same way, and the instructions below are applicable to the chord and key charts.
Guitar Capo Charts: The Two Main Uses
Your guitar capo chart has two main functions, both of which will help you get the most out of your capo in your guitar playing.
Function number one is to learn a song in the original key, but with simpler chords
If you’ve ever wanted to learn a song, but have been thwarted by the array of complex chord shapes you’re presented with, then this is the function you need.
All you have to do is:
From there, it’s easy to play classic songs in the original recording key. You won’t be referring to a chord dictionary every five seconds to learn an obscure, one-time-use chord shape. In short, you can get on with the most fun part of guitar playing; the playing itself.
Function number two is to work out which chords you’re playing when using your capo.
As we’ve talked about in a previous post, your guitar capo is an amazing creative tool when it comes to unlocking new sounds. But, while it’s all well and good coming up with a new and exciting riff while using your capo, communicating that riff to capo-less band mates/jamming buddies is sometimes a challenge.
Fortunately, the capo chart makes this process easy:
Now that you’ve worked out what you’re actually playing, you can communicate that information to the other musicians you’re with, making the process of jamming much more fun!
When we’re young, there are several firsts that we’re not aware of, though our parents may relish in those moments. These are milestones such as first steps, first words, first trips to the potty, and so on.
As we age, there are more firsts that we become more aware of, such as our first kisses, first dates, and first times behind the wheel (often to our parents’ great fear in the passenger seat).
While punk and pop-punk are arguably defined by stacks of power chords and clean guitar passages, incorporating capos benefits the genre.
They can make some things more accessible to play. In interviews, Mike Ness of Social Distortion said he has a Gold Top Les Paul tuned down from E standard to Eb standard and capos the guitar at the second fret. This is to make playing certain things more accessible and comfortable, accommodating an old injury on his fretting hand. Thanks to capos, Ness can play in different keys.
While he can imitate the greats, his voice on the instrument is also distinct, blending virtuosic technique, great tone, incredible musicality and a healthy dose of humour. All of that has made him an in-demand clinician and very busy player, recording and touring with Asia, Dizzee Rascal, Steven Wilson, Hans Zimmer, and his project, The Aristocrats.
One does not travel this world without gaining experience and wisdom, which Guthrie has shared with many through the years. Without further ado, here is some of the knowledge he has passed on over the years.
