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02 Jan 03 - 06:18 AM (#857110) Subject: Bouzouki and capo befuddlement From: Stu Help please! Can anybody explain to me in idiot terms what happens when I place a capo on a bouzouki (tuned GDAE)? I understand it changes the key, but when I play a G chord with no capo it sounds G, so when I put the capo on (for example) the second fret and play the G chord it doen't sound G does it, but another chord? So . . . if I'm playing a tune in A, I put my capo on the second fret and play what chords? If the tune is chorded in D on the sheet music, do I play the D chords or do I have to learn a complete new set of chords? If this seems elementary, it's because it is and i can't find a decent explanation of what a capo actually does. Cheers! stigWeard |
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02 Jan 03 - 08:26 AM (#857161) Subject: RE: Bouzouki and capo befuddlement From: Willie-O Here is is, stig: When you put a capo on at second fret, and play a G chord as if you had no capo on, it is an A chord. Because each fret between the nut and the capo raises the pitch a semi-tone. So capo on second fret makes a G an A, C a D, D an E, etc. Capo on the fifth fret makes a G chord into a C. What the capo actually does, when on second fret, is it presses the strings down firmly on that fret, so that fret becomes the nut, the string length is shorter, and the pitch higher. If it buzzes, the capo isn't tight enough. If its out of tune, the strings were pushed sideways as you put the capo on (the actual nut has grooves to prevent this from happening). You are not just asking about capoes though, I think, but also about transposing chords. To know how to do this you have to learn to think in numbers rather than letters: in the key of G, the I, IV and V chords are G C and D; in key of D they are D, G and A, and so on. The numbers correspond with which note of the scale, ascending, in that key, is the tonic (the dominant note) of the chord. You can get charts for transposing, or you can just count them out--remember a major scale goes tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone. The good news, though, is that since your bouzouki is tuned the same as a mandolin or a fiddle, you don't really have to use a capo very often unless you like the effect, or the singer you're playing with favours awkward keys like F or B flat, or anything flat. Nothing hard about playing the A key chords for example. Other reasons you might use a capo are just to get a different sound, that's a little crisper with fewer overtones, to reduce the action on a hard-to-play instrument, or because you don't know the chords for a particular key. It's a highly useful accessory to have, especially when playing with other people. Hope this helps. Willie-O |
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02 Jan 03 - 08:47 AM (#857171) Subject: RE: Bouzouki and capo befuddlement From: clansfolk Play G chord shapes wothout capo - Key of G PLAY G chords with capo:- capo 1st fret - key = G# capo 2nd fret - key = A capo 3rd fret - key = Bb capo 4th fret - key = B capo 5th fret - Key = C capo 6th fret - key = C# capo 7th fret - key = D capo 8th fret - key = Eb capo 9th fret - key = E capo 10th fret - key = F capo 11th fret - key - F# capo 12th fret - key - G (octave higher than open chords) likewise any chords play will increase by a semitone everytime you move the capo higher up the fretboard. eg if you play a G Em C D chords rotation in the open position and then play the same chord shapes with a capo on the 7th Fret you will be playing D Bm G A If the chord shapes on the music are in D (as per you above) and you wish to play the same chord shapes but want the Key to be A place the capo on 7TH FRET Hope the above makes things a little clearer? cheers - Pete |
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02 Jan 03 - 11:09 AM (#857226) Subject: RE: Bouzouki and capo befuddlement From: Stu thanks chaps! This is excellent. I'm now going to sit down and do the graft and try to put this into practice. This is a real help – I really appreciate your replies. cheers, stigWeard |
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03 Jan 03 - 11:12 AM (#857774) Subject: RE: Bouzouki and capo befuddlement From: GUEST,capodefender Although the above have stated that you don't always need to use a capo when playing in different keys -should you try a modal tuning such as GDAD or ADAD (and I recommend that you give these tunings a try as the bouzouki as an accompaniment to melody instruments or voice really displays its character to the fullest as a modal instrument) you will find that interesting possibilities will occur if your fingers let them and the capo can then be used as part of the instruments integral sound! let go and the instrument will play itself and you can have fun! |