[TBman]

Originally Posted by kairo

Please bear with me as I trudge through the arduous task of teaching myself guitar.
I notice that alot of songs have capos, particularly at the second or third fret. I imagine this changes the key of the guitar, but how does it affect chording? I don't have a capo yet, or I imagine I'd be able to figure this out myself.
For instance, if you capo the second fret, your guitar now plays G,C,F,A#,D,G. So you have to learn an entire new set of chords each time you capo? I'm having enough trouble getting down 20 or 30 chords on an open guitar. I can't imagine learning those sets or being able to write music with capos in so many places. Which leads me to believe there's some trick behind it...is there?

Thanks!

The chords stay the same. In the music notation they will tell you "Capo 2nd Fret" but give you the same chord diagram for an A chord and call a "A" chord although technically it isn't anymore. Primarily capos are used to help singers accompany a guitar. I mostly use mine to clip a bag of potatoe chips. Keeps them nice and fresh.