![]() As the capo also changes the tonal range of the guitar, you may find some interesting combinations. One of you can use a capo, or you can each capo in a different location. ![]() If you have a guitar-playing friend, try jamming on a song wherein you each play in a different position. In order to really let these ideas sink in, take a song you are already familiar with and find other ways to play it with your capo. (Answer: place the capo at fret 2 for A and fret 5 for C.) Repeat the process for the I–IV–V–I progression in E notated in Example 5. See if you can figure out how to use the capo to transpose the figure to the keys of A and C. Wrap up this week’s exercises by starting the same I–IV–V–I progression on a sixth-string-rooted chord, G ( Example 4). Before proceeding to the next example, play through Ex. If you were to place a capo at the third fret, the chords would sound a minor third higher than written, in the key of C, or the same as Ex. Next, try playing the I–IV–V–I progression with a different set of chords, A (I), D (IV), and E (V), as shown in Example 3. 2, and see if you can correctly identify the sounding chords. Try placing the capo at other frets when playing Ex. If you clamp on the capo at the second fret, the progression will sound a major second higher (D–G–A–D) the third fret, a minor third higher (E b–A b–B b–E b) and so on. Now let’s extend the concept to a common chord progression: I–IV–V–I or C–F–G–C, as notated in the key of C major in Example 2. Before playing, check your tuning, sounding each open string to ensure that it is ringing freely. ![]() Hopefully, your answer is E.įind a capo that snugly fits the radius of your fretboard and presses all six strings evenly. ![]() In the case of that open A shape, with its fifth-string root, can you figure out what the chord would sound as with a capo at the seventh fret? I encourage you to pause and think about it. As long as you have a basic familiarity with the fretboard and are able to reference some familiar guideposts, such as the root note of each chord shape, you can figure out a variety of ways to play any given chord with the capo. This idea repeats with every chord shape on the neck. Play the same A chord with the capo at the third fret and it sounds as C move the capo up an additional fret and the chord sounds as C #. Looking at Example 1, if you were to place a capo at the second fret and strum an open A chord, it would sound as B. The easiest way to get comfortable with your capo is to start simply, with just one chord. It’s also useful to have a knowledge of the Roman numeral system used to label chord progressions independently of key signatures-I–IV–V, I–vi–ii–V, etc. For instance, that the note a minor second (one fret) higher than C is C # that a major third (four frets) above E is G #. At a bare minimum, you should understand intervals, or the distances between notes. In order to get the most benefit out of your capo, a small amount of music theory will go a long way. With the aid of a capo, you can know only three open chords and easily play in all 12 keys. WEEK ONEĮssentially, the capo functions as a nut and when placed on the neck, transposes, or raises the notes of the open strings but retains the individual relationships between strings. For instance, have you been at a jam when someone calls out a tune in the key of E b and panicked, as you thought it might be a good time for a capo, but had no idea how to use it in a pinch? This lesson aims to remedy that situation. When you ask folks if they know how to use a capo, the answer is often: “Sure, you put it on, and it makes the guitar sound higher, right?” While that is true, in order to fully comprehend the capo’s role as a pocket-size transposition machine and more, knowing exactly where to place it for different keys is an invaluable skill. T he capo is a small but powerful tool that can be found in most guitarists’ piles of miscellaneous guitar picks and accessories. This article is free to read, but it isn't free to produce! Make a pledge to support the site (and get special perks in return.)įrom the May/June 2019 issue of Acoustic Guitar | BY JAMIE STILLWAY
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