• From: Wales
  • Registered: 2009-01-09
  • Posts: 220

Topic: Keys and Capos and stuff

I have this key chart which basically shows what combination of major and minor chords make what key and it also tells you where to place the capo to change key, I had it off here somewhere and it's been a great help.

I've established C suits my voice so it’s made things easier to either transpose the key of a song or use the capo if the chords are too difficult to change to.

Anyway, I’ve also been told that the first chord of a song usually determines the key of a song, is that correct?

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crevs.1972's Website

  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Keys and Capos and stuff

Most times that is correct. Often the last chord of a song returns to the root or home key.

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tubatooter1940's Website

  • From: Wales
  • Registered: 2009-01-09
  • Posts: 220

Re: Keys and Capos and stuff

cheers!

Epiphone EJ200  -  Epiphone SG400  -  Fender Strat Blacktop.
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crevs.1972's Website

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Keys and Capos and stuff

Ever since I saw this, and a discussion on another thread... I had a plan to make myself a cheat sheet (I wish I could just find the one Crevs is referring to instead though!!!)

So, I want to know if I have done this accurately?
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_44cV0eprJ94/TAVAYheCGDI/AAAAAAAAAFo/aWWYqfvtEco/capocheatPic.JPG

I put the half changes in there to try to remind myself ... I'm sorry if it doesn't make a TON of sense to everyone!  I realize we don't generally play a Gflat, but technically it is the same as an F# so on and so forth with other notes.

Also, if you're playing an Em and you capo on the 5th fret, are you then playing an Am in the Em shape?  What about E7 capo on 5th is that an A7?  Are the minors and 7th's truly as simple as open shaped chords when you add a capo?  Thanks in advance for the help in figuring this out!

I know it's a small step in music theory, but it feels enormous for me to KNOW what I'm playing rather than just listen to others say "put a capo and play this and it'll sound right"!  smile

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: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: Keys and Capos and stuff

Hi Amy,

It looks OK to me apart from the "A to B to C  half half". There is a Bb (A#) between A and B so A to B is a whole tone and not a half.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Keys and Capos and stuff

You are right!  Whoopppps!  All that going back and forth between looking at piano keys and thinking of notes and fretboards messed me right up.  I thought something was off with my whole half conversion!  THANK YOU!  Ok... if anyone wants me to fix that, I will and will upload it again.  Otherwise I think I'm printing this puppy as it seems the actual chart end of it is correct (take your black marker out and remember to black out my goof in the whole/half on the bottom and ignore that color change - it's from E-F and B-C ONLY).

What about capos and minors and 7ths? 

Oh... and if anyone wants something bigger - try this out for your printing cheating needs (almost wish I'd have found this sooner - I don't need the chord charts, but it's going into my "theory book" too anyway):  http://www.halfhill.com/cheatsheet.gif

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: Cardiff, Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2008-08-25
  • Posts: 182

Re: Keys and Capos and stuff

Yes it really is as simple as that. smile
If you play an Em shape with a capo on the 5th fret you are playing Am (but with the Em shape). The same for all the other open shapes.
There's a very interesting trick if you are playing as a duo with two acoustic guitars both strumming the same chords. For a bit of variety and to create a much richer and more interesting sound, one guitar plays, lets say, Am in the standard position, and the other plays the Em shape with capo on 5th. (So also plays in Am).
So if your song has chords, say, Am, G, C, player 1 plays those as usual and player two capos the 5th fret and plays the shapes Em, D, G.

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Keys and Capos and stuff

Fantastic Stonebridge!  Thank you!  NOW I understand why that one guy on youtube is always doing the "how to's" with a capo... and I love him even more now that I get it!  Although it's a leap to get theory down, I really think leaning this is going to help me a LOT with my theory and comprehending bar chords etc.  It's funny how the oddest things seem to help make things click in my head.

BTW... NELA put a capo chart up in this thread (with the help of Jeff) http://www.chordie.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15072
for anyone that wants to see yet another version of a capo chart.  It has all the same things as mine, but up to the 12th fret and includes sharp chord conversions.  Also, it's not too big.

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

mekidsmom's Website