How to Use a Guitar Capo: A Simple Guide for Beginners

A capo is one of the cheapest, most useful accessories a guitarist can own. It lets you play songs in different keys using the chord shapes you already know, and it makes many songs easier to sing along to. Here's how to use one properly.

What does a capo do?

A capo clamps across all the strings at a chosen fret, acting like a movable nut. Everything above the capo is raised in pitch. Put a capo on the 2nd fret and play a G chord shape, and it will sound as an A chord. Your chord shapes stay the same; only the key changes.

How to put a capo on

1. Choose your fret. Check the song's chord sheet; it will often say "capo 2" or "capo 3".
2. Place it just behind the fret wire, not in the middle of the fret and not on top of the metal fret. Close to the fret gives the cleanest sound.
3. Clamp it straight across the neck so it presses all six strings evenly.
4. Tune up again. A capo can pull the strings slightly sharp, so check your tuning after you put it on.
5. Play an open chord and listen for buzzing. If any string buzzes, adjust the capo position slightly.

How to work out the key

Each fret raises the pitch by one semitone. With a capo on fret 1, a C shape sounds as C sharp; on fret 2 it sounds as D; on fret 3, D sharp; and so on. This is why singers love capos: you can move a song up until it sits comfortably in your voice, without learning new chords.

Common capo mistakes

• Placing it too far from the fret, which causes buzzing and tuning problems.
• Clamping at an angle, so one side presses harder than the other.
• Leaving it clamped on the neck for days when you're not playing. Store it on the headstock or in your case instead.
• Forgetting to retune after putting it on.

Which type of capo?

The most popular type is the trigger capo: you squeeze it like a clothes peg to open it, then release it onto the neck. It's quick to move between songs and works on most acoustic and electric guitars. Our personalised capos are trigger capos with ribbed rubber pads that hold the strings evenly and protect the neck.

A capo that's unmistakably theirs

Because guitarists use a capo so often, it's a great accessory to personalise. We laser-engrave a name, initials or a short message along the clamping bar, so it shows every time it's on the neck. Choose a Light or Dark Wood finish, or Silver or Black metal.