Capo: Keys and Chord shapes

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: PoppaGator
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 03:21 PM

I'm sorry, but this subject has been rehashed SO often, and the information being sought is SO elementary and obvious, that I fully expected there to be more responses of the "look before you ask, as****le!" variety than there would be sincere informational answers.

Almost didn't even bother to look in.

Lo and behold, while there were the obligatory objections to even opening this old can of worms ~ it's pretty simple stuff, after all, and it does get old after a while ~ there were actually a couple of helpful straightforward reponses, plus at least one hint about "advanced" capo usage (employing two of them, at different frets), and one bit I actually never knew before. I didn't know about the high-action capo designed to fit under the strings. Makes sense; that would be the only way to capo up without puling the action down too tight for slide playing.

But, really, unidentified GUEST who asked "How do you use a guitar capo on an acoustic guitar?" ~ was that actually a serious question? Is it possible that you really didn't know that ~ assuming that you do know what a capo IS, and how to use it on a non-acoustic guitar?

Or were you just stirring up trouble, trying to bait someone into (A) blowing a gasket and posting a serious tirade, or (B) resorting to sarcasm?

If (A), you failed. The last two messages may have been sincere efforts to explain the painfully obvious. I can't tell whether they come from a spirit of sarcasm or not ~ which is why I admire them!

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: Darowyn
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 06:55 PM

You clamp it onto the neck at the appropriate fret position.
The only exceptions to the standard type of capo are the ones used for lap steel and square neck resonator guitars, where the action is very high, and you don't want the strings to touch the neck anyway. They use a capo that fits under the strings.
Cheers
Dave

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: GUEST,Murray MacLeod
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 06:55 PM

I find the best way is to put the straight bit (with the rubber sleeve) across the strings, and the curved bit underneath the neck.

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 06:49 PM

How do you use a guitar capo on an acoustic guitar?

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: GUEST,Paranoid Android
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 01:51 PM

Just a side-track. If you need to tranpose the chords of a song do a google search using the words "logue transpose". The first result brings you to a screen where you simply "drag" the song you wish to transpose, enter the key you require and bingo! (You can also select to have the diagram of each chord printed, if you so desire.) Sorry I can't do the blue clicky thing, perhaps one of the "whizz kids" will os this for you.

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: GUEST,Marion
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 01:18 PM

Hi Jon, and welcome to Mudcat (I'm assuming that you're not another person who often posts as Guest Jon).

Are you sorted out? Dick Greenhaus and Grab have answered your specific question, but you should also take a close look at Amos' post - it's very useful information to have. Do you understand how to use the table he made? If not, ask us for clarification; if yes, then copy it down and keep it in your guitar case and you'll be able to easily figure it out yourself next time.

Marion

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: M.Ted
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 12:04 PM

Two Important Points!!!!!!!!

1)I agree with Mooh on this--no one should post a question having anything to do with music unless they've exhausted all the other possibilities first: search the forum, ask friends, make a trip to the library, call Rush Limbaugh--then, and only then, should you ask the question--


2)If you can't play in F# without a capo on the second, six, and eleventh frets, you are a wimpy littly girly man--your hands are too weak to play closed position chords, and you should give away your guitar and spend your time wrapping cotton candy around paper cones--

If you make that the excuse that the action is too high on your guitar, maybe you should stop spending your money on beer and cyberporn and save it for a decent instrument--

Keep asking those questions, GUEST, Jon--

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 07:52 AM

You pick the chord shapes you feel happiest playing for the piece, and then just count up the frets, with one semitone for each fret, and that's where yo put your capo

So if you want to use C shapes, to play in the key of F, F is five semtitones above C (C -> Csharp -> D -> Eflat -> F), so you put the capo just behind the fifth fret. If you wanted to use D shapes it only be three frets. If you wanted to use G shapes it'd be ten frets, and I wouldn't think you'd want to do it that way. (Though it actually makes quite an interesting sound.)

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: Grab
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 07:26 AM

For F and F#, you can also capo 3 or 4 respectively and play D chords. Gives a nice tinkly kind of sound which suits some tunes.

Graham.

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: Mooh
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 06:57 AM

I know I've mentioned this alot, but this thread subject refuses to go away. Does anyone "search first ask questions later" anymore? A baritone guitar or lower tuning helps. If you're tuned down a semi-tone, F# is acheived with G fingerings, B with C fingerings. If you tune down two semi-tones, F is acheived with G fingerings, Bb with C fingerings. Capo up a fret for the F# with G fingerings, two frets for standard. If you try this, guage up to mediums from lights for a little better string tension.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 03:58 AM

That's easy for you to say Mark, you learned how to do stuff like that in medical school ...

I do one song in F#, ("The Soldier's Return") and use two Shubb capos, one across all the strings at the second fret, and one across the top five strings at the fourth fret. Playing normal D chords in this position means you are playing in the actual key of F#, with the root note on the bottom E string.

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 03:15 AM

Or for F# you can play in G and capo down one. If you're good enough.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: Amos
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 11:26 PM

0    1       2       3       4       5 (fret)
a      a#    b       c       c#      d
c       c#    d       d#    e       f
d      d#    e      f       f#      g
e      f       f#    g       g#      a
g      g#    a       a#    b       c


Pays yer money and takes yer choice, amigo. What suits your fingers and your voice. The fingerings in column 0 are with no capo.


A

Subject: RE: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 10:55 PM

If you like the key of G, capo up 3 frets for Bb, 4 frets for B. If you prefer to play in A, capo up 2 frets for B, one fret for Bb.

F and F# are easiest if you finger E chords capoed up 1 and 2 frets respectively.

Subject: Capo: Keys and Chord shapes
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 10:50 PM

when playing in the keys of B, B flat, F, and F sharp, where do you place the capo (to make fingerpicking, etc easier) and what easier chord shapes are used? i hope i'm making sense here.