[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Sky Blue Army

I've got a qu? on this theme .If i have my capo on the 2nd fret and play say a D shape chord ? How do I know what chord that really is ?

Hi Sky...
By understanding scales and knowing the notes/chords higher than the third fret you will be able to figure out what key you are playing in and what chord(s) you are actually sounding.

You can count how many 1/2 steps (frets) you've raised the key and walk up a Chromatic scale that many 1/2 steps from the chord shape you are playing.

For instance...if you place the capo at the third fret, and then play in the key of D, you are three 1/2 steps (frets) up from key of D. So we count up three half steps...D#, E, F...we are playing in key of F.

• The D chord is Eb, E, F...''F''
• The G chord is Ab, A, Bb...''Bb''
• The A chord is Bb, B, C...''C''
• The Em chord is F, F#, G...''Gm''
• The Bm chord is B#/C, C#, D...''Dm''

etc...
Capo at the 5th fret playing in key of E
Count up 5 half steps...F, F#, G, G#, A...playing in key of A...the E chord is really an ''A''

Make it last...
After you go to all the trouble to figure out that key of D capoed up three frets is (Eb, E, F) the key of F...just memorize it. It was good news to me when I discovered that after I went to sleep at night, and woke up the next morning, it hadn't changed. Capoed at the third and playing in D I was still the key of ''F''.

Hope this helps...