# Reasoning Behind Using a Capo



## Bastille day (Mar 2, 2014)

Just heard "Carefree Highways" by Gordon Lightfoot on the radio while on the computer and viewed the tab online only to find "capo on third fret".

Viewed a live version and he had the capo on the second fret.

Just wondering why even a capo on the second fret.

Thanks in advance.


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2015)

To be able to sing in a comfortable key without having to use barre chords or transpose them.


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## Bastille day (Mar 2, 2014)

laristotle said:


> To be able to sing in a comfortable key without having to use barre chords or transpose them.


Makes sense and thanks for that.

Just wondering if has he played the song all his life with the same chords and no capo and now he is just adjusting to his changing voice.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Jerry Garcia lowered a few songs through his career ..so have I ha ha 




Bastille day said:


> Makes sense and thanks for that.
> 
> Just wondering if has he played the song all his life with the same chords and no capo and now he is just adjusting to his changing voice.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I know people who do use a capo to avoid using barre chords--they are self admittedly lazy. (They say they are)

But capos can be used transpose to a different key, without having to think about it too much (Sometime's it's easy for me to transpose in my head, sometimes not--depends on the key change and the chord changes.)
They can also be used to get different voicings for chords or when in open tunings to easily change key without having to retune everything.

Some people use them creatively, some use them to be lazy.

Personally I don't own one and have only ever used one twice--as a last second transposition was needed as I was lying with others who only knew a song in one key and I kew it in another--it was easier for the singers to use the other key--and in each case someone had a spare capo.


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## ykram57 (May 25, 2008)

I like using a capo because it provides alternate voicings for those chords that we are used to hearing in the open position. Very cool when double tracking.


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## Bastille day (Mar 2, 2014)

It's coming more clear now since I found a chart online which shows the what the chord changes to as you move up the fret board.

I never considered a barre chord is the same as using a capo.

Anyway, sure liked that "Carefree Highways" song, heard it all my life my never really listened to it.

One more thing, the first chord in the tab was "D" so if I did not use a capo the song would start with an "E" chord, yes?


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Another reason to use a capo is that it gives you a "reach" that you can't get lower on the fretboard. i.e. you might be able to reach 7 frets instead of four. Helpful if you're ever trying to learn a Dave Van Ronk tune...


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

Bastille day said:


> It's coming more clear now since I found a chart online which shows the what the chord changes to as you move up the fret board.
> I never considered a barre chord is the same as using a capo.
> Anyway, sure liked that "Carefree Highways" song, heard it all my life my never really listened to it.
> One more thing, the first chord in the tab was "D" so if I did not use a capo the song would start with an "E" chord, yes?


I don't get the capo= barre chords...

A capo replaces the 0 fret or the nut depending on what you want to call that fret.
So if you learn a song with NO capo and its E chord F chord and G chord.

Now you place the capo on the third fret ( or what ever fret you want to)
and you play the same song, the capo becomes you nut ( 0 fret) and you play your E, F and G chord just like you did before.
Thats the whole idea about using a capo....
Change a key and not have to change your chord shapes.

Sometimes, there are open chord shapes that can only be played easily with the 0 fret ( normal ).
If you want to change the key and keep those chords, you need to use a capo.

any more questions, please ask some else cause that all I know about this subject..

G.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

Open strings are an important part of the guitar sound. A capo allows you to play open strings on any key.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

This chart might help with the discussion in this thread re: guitar chord transpositions


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## Bastille day (Mar 2, 2014)

Thanks Greco and others for clarification.

Must be difficult if your for some guitar players at an open Saturday matinee and someone comes up to sing and you have to make a quick adjustment.:confusion:


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

I remember when I first started to play (late 60's) and we would find a song (usually in a book in those days) that we wanted to try. It always seemed that there was at least one chord in the song that none of us could manage to do with ease (or at all...LOL). My friend knew theory from piano lessons and could transpose in his head (I was so impressed and envious that he had such skills). We would then put a capo on our respective guitars...only to find that, once again, there was another chord that none of us could manage (we couldn't manage any barre chords at that time). Sometimes we were lucky.

Cheers

Dave


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

GTmaker said:


> I don't get the capo= barre chords...
> 
> A capo replaces the 0 fret or the nut depending on what you want to call that fret.
> So if you learn a song with NO capo and its E chord F chord and G chord.
> ...



But when you put the capo on the third fret and play a G chord, it isn't a g chord. its the shape of the g chord but now it is 3 steps higher. If you took the capo away and played the g chord in that same spot it will sound like shite.


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

But if you figured out how to barre the third fret and then form the open G shape with the rest of the fingers, that would be the same as capo on third fret. That's how capo = barre. No magic, just convenience and/or simplification.

By the way, there are also some fancy "per string" capos out there -- those have no barre equivalency.


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2015)

Spider capo










Single string capos


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

I love the sound of my 12 string capo'd up. It gets a bit of a mandolin sound to it.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

laristotle said:


> Spider capo


That is totally new to me...but then again, I do spend a lot of time in the cave.

Has anyone tried one of these?

Cheers

Dave


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Another reason for using a capo that I haven't seen mentioned yet...

A lot of times you'll see guys using a capo on an acoustic, guitar tuned to Eb, capo 1. Effectively making the guitar standard E tuning but making the huge string a little slacker. You get the big tone from the fat strings without the tension, making it a little easier on your fingers.

My personal favourite use of the capo is to create a different sound for multiple tracks within a given chord progression. Eg. One guitar playing E, D, G in open and another playing D, C, F, capo 2 (actual chords E, D, G). The different voicings used simultaneously add depth and interest.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

JBFairthorne said:


> Another reason for using a capo that I haven't seen mentioned yet...
> 
> A lot of times you'll see guys using a capo on an acoustic, guitar tuned to Eb, capo 1. Effectively making the guitar standard E tuning but making the huge string a little slacker. You get the big tone from the fat strings without the tension, making it a little easier on your fingers.
> 
> My personal favourite use of the capo is to create a different sound for multiple tracks within a given chord progression. Eg. One guitar playing E, D, G in open and another playing D, C, F, capo 2 (actual chords E, D, G). The different voicings used simultaneously add depth and interest.



That was done in Nashville for a lot of recordings. Sometimes with as many as 4 guitars all capo'd at different frets.


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## Bastille day (Mar 2, 2014)

Jim DaddyO said:


> That was done in Nashville for a lot of recordings. Sometimes with as many as 4 guitars all capo'd at different frets.


This guitarist in the video link, from I think France, studied how "Workin Man Blues" was played and come to the conclusion that guitarist James Burton had a capo on the 5th fret. I wish I could watch it but I don't have speakers. Watched the video before trying to learn the song but to complicated for me.

Sorry, the link for this video shortens up when I post it.

Try www.dariocortese.com 


Merle Haggard - Workin' Man Blues


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Try playing Here Comes the Sun without a capo and get it to sound right ...........................


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

JBFairthorne said:


> Another reason for using a capo that I haven't seen mentioned yet...
> 
> A lot of times you'll see guys using a capo on an acoustic, *guitar tuned to Eb, capo 1.* Effectively making the guitar standard E tuning but making the huge string a little slacker. You get the big tone from the fat strings without the tension, making it a little easier on your fingers.


Thanks for this info JB...I'm going to try it.

Cheers

Dave


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## Guest (Oct 31, 2015)

allthumbs56 said:


> Try playing Here Comes the Sun without a capo and get it to sound right ...........................


I play it in D. Sounds fine to me.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I always viewed barre chords as mobile capo chords. Not everyone has the dexterity to form open chord shapes as well as barring some frets. 

I rarely use a capo, but I do think they're cool. Playing Em/Cmaj type stuff on an acoustic capo'd at 4th fret was always fun.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I only use a capo if the song I am playing was recorded with a capo. 

Someone mentioned here comes the sun. Is that one of those songs that was sped up after recording?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Most people don't have enough fingers to play the same chord inversions with the same open notes up the neck in the way you would using root position chords.

Unless you use some electronic trickery as with the Variax, there are some songs that just don't sound right using barre chords.

I hate using capos, because as soon as you try and bend a note, they're out of tune.

Sometimes you can't avoid using them.

I have an assortment of Kaisers, Dunlop, a Shubb and one ot two generics. I rarely use them.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

greco said:


> That is totally new to me...but then again, I do spend a lot of time in the cave.
> 
> Has anyone tried one of these?
> 
> ...


I have one somewhere. Tried it, put it away. Not too sure where it is now. Didn't like it....not too sure why other than it was really finicky. If it wasn't set up right everything sounded dead and things moved.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

I have arthritis. My hands are tight right now and my right knee tells me that it's going to rain/snow soon. Barre chords etc. higher up the neck are basically out. Same goes for bending notes. I'm starting to use a capo more. Makes things easier and I don't need help getting the guitar out of my hand at times.


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