Should You Tune Your Guitar With or Without a Capo?

Why Your Guitar Goes Out of Tune When You Tune First and Then Add the Capo

A capo is basically a movable nut: it shortens the vibrating length of the strings and presses them down against the frets.

The important part is that a capo usually presses the strings a little harder than your fingers do. That extra pressure can slightly stretch the strings and pull the pitch sharp.

• the capo pushes each string down
• the string tension changes slightly
• the pitch can rise a little
• some strings may shift more than others

So if you tune the open strings perfectly and then clamp on the capo, the guitar may no longer be perfectly in tune. Chords can suddenly sound sour, especially higher up the neck.

If you want a refresher on normal tuning first, see How to Tune a Guitar in Standard E (440 Hz).

The Right Order: Capo First, Then Check the Tuning

If you are going to play with a capo, use this order:

1. Put the capo on the correct fret.
   • Place it just behind the fret, not in the middle of the fret space.
   • Make sure it sits straight.
   • Use only enough pressure to hold all strings cleanly.
2. Check the tuning with the capo in place.
   • Play each string normally.
   • Use your tuner to check the actual note produced with the capo on.
   • Make only the small corrections that are needed.

In other words: tune normally first, place the capo, then fine-tune the guitar in the position you are actually going to play in.

You should not normally need large tuning corrections after adding a capo. If several strings move dramatically sharp, the capo may be clamping too hard, sitting badly, or exposing an existing setup or intonation problem.

How Do You Tune With a Capo Exactly?

Let’s say you put the capo on the 2nd fret. The notes produced by the strings are now two semitones higher than the open-string tuning:

• low E becomes F#
• A becomes B
• D becomes E
• G becomes A
• B becomes C#
• high E becomes F#

You do not need to memorise all of those notes just to use a capo. A chromatic tuner will show you the pitch it receives. What matters is that you check the strings with the capo already in place.

If you are unsure which kind of tuner is best for this, see Guitar Tuners and Tuning Devices – Types, Pros and Cons.

Do You Have to Retune Every Time You Use a Capo?

You should at least check the tuning every time you place or move the capo. Sometimes the guitar will still be almost perfectly in tune and only needs one tiny correction. Other times several strings will have shifted noticeably.

Always check again when:

• you move the capo to another fret
• you change from a low fret to a much higher fret
• the room or stage temperature changes
• you have been bending or strumming aggressively
• you are using fresh strings that have not fully settled yet

New strings are especially likely to move until they have stretched and settled properly. If tuning instability keeps returning after a string change, the guide on how to change and properly stretch guitar strings explains how to stabilise them.

Why Does a Capo Make Some Guitars Go More Out of Tune Than Others?

Not every guitar reacts the same way to a capo. Several things affect how much the pitch changes:

• capo pressure
• string gauge
• fret height
• neck relief and action
• intonation
• where the capo is positioned

A very strong spring capo on tall frets can pull notes noticeably sharper. A well-adjusted capo placed close to the fret usually causes less pitch movement.

This is why simply buying a more expensive capo does not automatically solve everything. Correct placement and a properly set-up guitar matter just as much.

Extra Tips for Better Tuning With a Capo

• Place the capo close to the fret. This reduces the amount of pressure needed to produce a clean note.
• Keep it straight. An angled capo can put different pressure on different strings.
• Do not overtighten adjustable capos. Use the minimum pressure needed to stop buzzing.
• Check every string. One string can be sharp even when the others sound fine.
• Check tuning again after moving the capo. A different fret can create a different amount of pitch shift.
• Do not use a capo to compensate for poor guitar setup. If the guitar already has tuning or intonation problems, the capo can make them more obvious.

What If the Guitar Still Sounds Out of Tune After Retuning?

If your tuner says the strings are correct but chords still sound wrong, the problem may not be the basic tuning anymore. Check the capo position first. Then look at the guitar’s intonation, string condition, action, and setup.

Old or badly installed strings can also make accurate tuning much harder. And if you are relying on an unstable tuner or noisy phone app, the reading itself may be part of the problem.

In Summary

• Tune your guitar normally before you begin.
• Put the capo on the fret you are going to use.
• Check all six strings again with the capo in place.
• Make small fine-tuning corrections where needed.
• Move the capo? Check the tuning again.

The main rule is simple: if you are going to play with a capo, check and fine-tune the guitar with the capo on.

It takes less than a minute and can make a huge difference in how clean your chords and recordings sound.

For more practical articles about tuning, guitars, strings, pedals, setup, and tone, explore Gear, Tone & Setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you tune a guitar with the capo on or off?

Tune the guitar normally first, then put the capo on and check the tuning again. If the capo has pulled any strings slightly sharp, make only the small fine-tuning corrections that are needed.

Can you tune a guitar with a capo on?

Yes. In fact, if you are going to play with a capo, you should always check the tuning with the capo already in place. The capo can slightly change string tension and pull some notes sharp.

Do you have to retune after putting on a capo?

Not always completely, but you should check all six strings every time you place or move the capo. Often only small corrections are needed.

Why does a capo make my guitar go out of tune?

A capo presses the strings down onto the frets. If it applies too much pressure or sits badly, it can stretch the strings slightly and make the pitch go sharp.

What tuning is a guitar in with a capo on the 2nd fret?

With a capo on the 2nd fret, the strings sound two semitones higher: F#, B, E, A, C# and F#. The chord shapes stay the same, but the sounding key is higher.

Should you check the tuning every time you move the capo?

Yes. Moving the capo changes where and how the strings are pressed against the fretboard, so always check the tuning again after changing capo position.