• From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Topic: Capo Training

Hi Folks

Is there such a thing? When I was taking voice lessons along with my guitar, my instructor moved my capo down to "D" (I think. I have memory problems). Is there a site that will take me by the hand ("Capo for Idiots", maybe?) and show me when I need to use it?

Thanks VERY much!

Bill

Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com
  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: Capo Training

Howdy Bill,

You might check out this chart:   http://www.don-guitar.com/transpose.html

One of many out there....  as for the simple version, a capo is generally used to change the key signature of the tune to better suit your voice.  It requires a little experimentation to find where it works for you.... but usually once you find your "spot" it will hold true for almost anything.      Handy hint:
Capo on 2 to put your guitar in alignment with piano sheet music.

The main reason I have one clamped on my guitar is to get around some of the more difficult chord fingerings that my gnarled old fingers don't like to do as well anymore..... not to mention that my natural key vocally is Bb, so I capo on 1 quite a bit.  Songs that are listed as being scored "con Capo"  will usually be annotated in the header, and a good example would be Landslide which I believe was Capo'd on 3 .

Hope that helps;
Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Capo Training

Hey Bill!  At the top of this Acoustic section there's a "sticky" post that's Green.  There's yet another chart in that sticky as well!  Here's the link to save you from having to search for it:  http://www.chordie.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15164

That's the one I've printed out and have in the front of my binder.  smile  Doug's link looks pretty similar! 

Amy

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: Capo Training

Another good use for a capo is to offer an alternate finger shape to play in the key you want. For example, the shape for a normal D is easy to make with 2 fingers (index barring top 3 strings at 2nd fret, with middle finger on the second string in the 3rd fret. Now if the song you want to play is in G, you can capo at the 5th fret, and play the D shape above that. You then have your ring finger and little finger free to do other things, to liven the tune. This would can be more versatile than playing an open G in the first position. Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) does this a fair bit.

A trigger-style capo can also be used to do an instant "drop E" tuning, by capoing the top 5 strings at the second fret (capo upside down) leaving the bottom E string open. Bruce Cockburn and Tom Cochrane do this on occasion.

It's a nice simple tool that can add options to a lot of tunes. Have fun experimenting with it, because your imagination is really the only limitation.