Hi Guys... I would like to use a capo to add a bit of variation when accompanying another guitarist. I often use a capo to simply find a pitch to suit my voice if I want to stick to a certain set of chords that I like the sound of but are too low or too high for me to sing to. However, I would love to know how to work out where to put the capo if I want to play in the same key as another guitarist but want to add some higher strings for variation. For example, if we are in the key of C and the other guitarist is holding the usual C chord shape, etc. and I want to play higher up with a capo, how do I work out where to put the capo and what chord I would have to hold to be also playing in C... I see other players say things like "Oh, I'm in F so it'll be A minor for you..." but how do you work this out? Any advise would be much appreciated... cheers, Hansi
TO DO IS TO BE - Nietzsche TO BE IS TO DO - Kant DO BE DO BE DO - Sinatra
Comments
E.g. assume the other guy is in standard and you have a capo on the 5th fret (ie a 4th up, in musical terms). He plays a C, Am and G, so you need to go down 5 frets-worth in terms of chord shapes, so you'd play G shape, Em shape and D shape.
If you look at the root of the chords you're playing it's still C's, A's and G's.
In practice, you’ll want to be playing nice easy open chords at your capo’d position, and that will limit your options for where to put the capo. Taking the C example again, you could put the capo at the 5th and play in G, or the 3rd and play in A, or the 7th and play in F, etc. There are always lots of choices, but some will be easier than others.
A shape barred at 3rd fret
G shape barred at 5th
E at 8
D at 10
How do you know which is right? Learn the names of the notes on the fret board. So the A shape has its root note on the 5th string. Put the capo on the 3rd fret, where the note on the 5th string is C. Similarly the E shape has its root note on the 6th string, so put the capo at the 8th fret where you find C.
One advantage of these is that they use fewer notes, so you can exist better alongside other instruments.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
If he plays a standard C you can play an A with the capo on the third fret
For F play a D with the capo on the third fret etc
So on third fret think a third below so
Ignoring major \ minor
He C you A
He D you B
He E you C#
He F you D
He G you E
He A you F#
He B you G#
If you capo'ed on the 5th fret then think a 4th below so
He D you A
He E you B
He F you C
And so on
2
4
4
4
2
x
Play that shape with a capo on the third fret and this is what happens
2 which is an F# is now shifted to an A by the capo
4 which is a D# is now shifted to an F# by the capo
4 was a B now is a D
4 was an F# now is an A
2 Was a B now is a D
x
So we now have the notes A, F#, D which is a classic D major chord despite the fact your playing a B shape ...
He plays a D with no capo, you play a B with a capo on the third fret and you are both playing D
If you're going to play barre chords you may not need a capo, but it could be harder work.
I like hearing 2 guitars (especially acoustics) playing in the same key but using different chord shapes. EG: player 1 using no capo plays in C, and has plenty of scale notes available on open strings. The highest note comfortably reached in the 1st position is probably G on fret 3 of the 1st string. Player 2 uses a capo on fret 5, and uses chord shapes as if he were playing in G, but because he's playing further up the neck, whenever he uses a G shape he's actually playing C. His picking through the chords is going to sound very different even though he's actually playing in the same key. The highest note he will reach comfortably is top C on fret 8 of the 1st string.
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
Edit - although it could be argued the chord should be B7 in which case there *are* open strings and the capo is needed