Capo on the 2nd Fret: Actual Guitar Notes and Chord Transposition
A capo on the 2nd fret does not retune your guitar. It stays in standard tuning — E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4 — and the capo acts as a movable nut. What changes is what you hear: with the bar at fret 2 the six open strings sound F#2, B2, E3, A3, C#4 and F#4. Every shape you know moves up two semitones with them, so an E shape sounds F# and a G shape sounds A.
This page is a static reference. It does not play audio, transpose for you, or listen to your instrument.
What the open strings sound with a capo at fret 2
Six strings, six sounding notes. Read the row for your string, and read the octave with the note name — F#2 and F#4 are the same letter two octaves apart.
| String | Open note (capo off) | Sounds with capo at fret 2 | Frequency at A4 = 440 Hz | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | E2 | F#2 | 92.50 Hz | +2 semitones |
| 5th | A2 | B2 | 123.47 Hz | +2 semitones |
| 4th | D3 | E3 | 164.81 Hz | +2 semitones |
| 3rd | G3 | A3 | 220.00 Hz | +2 semitones |
| 2nd | B3 | C#4 | 277.18 Hz | +2 semitones |
| 1st (highest) | E4 | F#4 | 369.99 Hz | +2 semitones |
Two semitones is a factor of 2^(2/12), about 1.1225, so each sounding frequency is the open-string frequency multiplied by that number. Values assume 12-tone equal temperament at A4 = 440 Hz, rounded to two decimals. ISO 16:1975, Acoustics — Standard tuning frequency (Standard musical pitch)
The Guitar Tuning Frequency Chart: Notes, Octaves and A4 Reference carries the same numbers for standard tuning and shows what happens to all six when the A4 reference is not 440 Hz.
Three different things "what tuning" can mean
The question has three answers that are all correct at once, and mixing them up is what makes a capo feel confusing.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the guitar retuned? | No. The strings are still tuned E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4 |
| What notes actually sound? | F#2, B2, E3, A3, C#4, F#4 — standard tuning moved up two semitones |
| What happened to my chord shapes? | Every shape still works and sounds two semitones higher, so its name moves up two semitones |
A capo is a movable nut: it presses the strings against a fret and shortens the vibrating part of each string, raising the sounding pitch. The string is not retuned — take the capo off and the open strings are exactly where you left them.
Your chord shapes sound two semitones higher
You do not need new shapes or a capo chord chart. Play what you already play and rename it. The open shapes most players reach for first:
| Shape you play | Chord you hear |
|---|---|
| E | F# |
| A | B |
| G | A |
| C | D |
| D | E |
| Em | F#m |
| Am | Bm |
| Dm | Em |
The same rule covers the rest — F becomes G, B becomes C#, F#m becomes G#m, A7 becomes B7 — and it holds in any tuning.
Three examples, note by note
Example 1 — E shape becomes F# major:
The open E shape sounds E2, B2, E3, G#3, B3, E4 with no capo. With the capo at fret 2 it sounds F#2, C#3, F#3, A#3, C#4, F#4. F# major is F#–A#–C#: every sounding note is a chord tone and the lowest note is F#, the root.
Example 2 — A shape becomes B major:
The open A shape sounds A2, E3, A3, C#4, E4, with the 6th string left out. With the capo at fret 2 it sounds B2, F#3, B3, D#4, F#4. B major is B–D#–F#, and the lowest note is B, the root.
Example 3 — G shape becomes A major:
The open G shape sounds G2, B2, D3, G3, B3, G4. With the capo at fret 2 it sounds A2, C#3, E3, A3, C#4, A4. A major is A–C#–E, and the lowest note is A, the root.
Decision table: what are you trying to do?
Find your row and follow it.
| You want to… | Do this | What sounds |
|---|---|---|
| Know the notes without touching the guitar | Read the sounding-notes table above | F#2, B2, E3, A3, C#4, F#4 |
| Keep the guitar exactly as it is | Leave it in standard tuning and fit the capo | Unchanged tuning, raised pitch |
| Play in E with shapes you know | Capo 2, play D shapes | E |
| Play in A with shapes you know | Capo 2, play G shapes | A |
| Play in B with shapes you know | Capo 2, play A shapes | B |
| Play in D with shapes you know | Capo 2, play C shapes | D |
| Play in F# with shapes you know | Capo 2, play E shapes | F# |
| Play in B minor | Capo 2, play Am shapes | Bm |
| Play in F# minor | Capo 2, play Em shapes | F#m |
| Play in C, F, G, G#, A#/Bb, C#/Db or D#/Eb | Capo 2 with a barre shape from two semitones below | The key you named |
| Check a string you just capo'd | Tuner on, capo fitted, read the sounding note | One of the six notes above |
Open-position shapes at fret 2 reach E, F#, A, B and D major and the minors Em, F#m and Bm. The keys in the last-but-one row need a barre shape at this fret.
Fitting the capo and checking it
- Tune to standard with the capo off: E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4, 6th string to 1st. If you are not sure what your guitar is tuned to, check each string first with the guitar tuning identifier.
- Seat the capo just behind fret 2, bar parallel to the fret, applied from directly above. Shubb Capos' official guidance: "just behind, as you would place your finger", "parallel to the fret", applied "directly onto the strings, not pushing or pulling them to one side". Shubb Capos — Applying the Capo
- Use just enough pressure and not too much, in Shubb's words. If a string buzzes or sounds dead, tighten in small steps; if the strings read sharp, you have gone past what the capo needs.
- With the capo on, check each string against its fret-2 target: F#2, B2, E3, A3, C#4, F#4. A tuner showing those notes instead of E A D G B E is correct, not a fault.
- Play a shape you know and check it against the rule: E gives F#, A gives B, G gives A, C gives D, D gives E, Em gives F#m, Am gives Bm.
- Check the octave in the right place: with the bar at fret 2 the octave sits twelve frets above the capo, at physical fret 14 — not at fret 12. If the capo'd open strings are in tune and the fretted notes are not, the question has moved to the setup.
Limits and caveats
A capo adds tension to each string the way a finger does, and the fundamental frequency of a stretched string rises with tension and falls with vibrating length: f₀ = (1/2L)√(T/μ). HyperPhysics, Vibrating String Clamp harder than the strings need and every note reads slightly sharp. If the capo'd strings are fine but the fretted notes are not, that is an intonation question rather than a capo question; the intonation and setup checks page covers that path.
Three more limits:
- A capo takes the frets below it out of reach: at fret 2 you cannot play frets 1 or 2 in open position
- A capo does not fix a sharp string, a stretched new string, or a guitar that was never tuned
- Partial capos, other capo positions and other tunings are outside this page's scope
- This is a static reference: it does not play notes, offer toggles, or transpose for you
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to retune my guitar when I put a capo on the 2nd fret?
No. The strings stay tuned E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4; the capo only shortens the vibrating part of each string. A tuner used with the capo on reads the sounding notes — F#2, B2, E3, A3, C#4, F#4 — so a capo can look like a retune when it is not.
Is a capo on the 2nd fret the same as tuning up a whole step?
The sounding notes are the same set — F#2, B2, E3, A3, C#4, F#4 — but the setup is not. Retuning every string up a whole step changes the guitar's tuning and keeps all six open strings; a capo leaves the tuning alone and puts frets 1 and 2 out of reach.
Why do my strings read sharp with the capo on?
Because the capo is pressing harder than the strings need. A capo adds tension the way a finger does, and more tension means a higher pitch, so an over-tight capo pulls the strings sharp. Shubb's guidance: seat the bar just behind the fret, with just enough pressure.
Check the six sounding notes
With the capo fitted, a tuner shows F#2, B2, E3, A3, C#4 and F#4 rather than E A D G B E. GuitarTuner.io is a free browser tuner that shows whether a string is sharp or flat against your target — no account, no app download.
Open the free browser tuner