Capo or No Capo?

[Jim Comeaux]

I am a beginning guitar player. I started playing a little after the start of the COVID 19 pandemic as something to occupy my time and it has really taken hold of me. My question is should I use a capo or not? I learned a simple lead for “Red Haired Boy” in the keys of A Maj. and again in G Maj. To me one isn’t any more difficult to play than the other. I have noticed, however that most tutorial/instructional videos about this tune teach you to play it in G Maj. and capo up to frets to sound it in A Maj. I see similar situations in other tunes, so what is the advantage of playing everything in G? Are they all banjo players or something? I can understand changing the voicing, but is that the only reason?

[warfrat73]

There are a couple of reasons.

One is to be able to play open chord shapes, which can be easier for a lot of folks. The sound of those open chord shapes/voicings is also preferred in bluegrass. And it can be helpful to keep the song in your vocal range.

But there's certainly no reason that you can't play it in whichever key that you'd like, other than tradition.

[TBman]

I play instrumental finger style only and many of the tunes I cover and write use a capo. Its use in this regard is only for the different "colors" you can bring to the tone of the guitar.

[zmf]

Another reason to use a capo is to get a different sound out of the guitar. I capo the 5th fret and use mainly open chords because it turns the guitar into almost a different instrument.

And then there are songs that don't sound right without a capo -- like "Here comes the sun".

[pickinray]

Capos are most useful when you're playing chords, rather than leads. That's because in some keys, chord shapes are easier to play on the guitar. Typical guitar-friendly keys are G, C and D. So if you have a song in the key of F, for example, it's generally easier to use a capo on the third fret and play D, G, and A shapes rather than play without a capo have to play F, Bb, and C. Another reason for using a capo is for singing, i.e., you can move the capo up or down to fit your vocal range.

[Denny B]

Glen Campbell was playing guitar on late night television some years ago, and held up a capo, and said he owed his career to it...

[The Bard Rocks]

I play it in A. But I was years from being a beginner when I learned it. Congratulations for advancing so far so fast.

I feel, that generally you will be a better player if you can avoid too much capo use. The capo allows one to play in an easier fingering and still get the correct notes. If you can do it without, you will advance further. But it's no biggie either way. Mostly I don't use them on fiddle tunes, though there are tunes where I prefer to use them. Either works fine until you reach the point of great nuances in your playing.

[douglasfan1]

One side note, fret wear will be quicker if you keep using capo. However, it shouldn't be a reason to avoid using it. As a result, better use the adjustable one to apply minimum force on the fretboard. Bare in mind that capo also alter the sound a bit. I've tried Thalia capo and G7 capo, the difference is quite dramatic.

I think G7 capos are the most convenient capos since the ART technology, you don't need to worry about the radius of your fretboard, just put it on and screw or press minimum force that you satisfied . I got a Newport and Performance 3, both work very well. They have lifetime warranty too, although the biggest problem of capo is being lost instead.

[Jim Comeaux]

Originally Posted by pickinray

Capos are most useful when you're playing chords, rather than leads. That's because in some keys, chord shapes are easier to play on the guitar. Typical guitar-friendly keys are G, C and D. So if you have a song in the key of F, for example, it's generally easier to use a capo on the third fret and play D, G, and A shapes rather than play without a capo have to play F, Bb, and C. Another reason for using a capo is for singing, i.e., you can move the capo up or down to fit your vocal range.

I got several responses similar to this his one and I only sort of agree with some of it. Firstly, I mentioned in my original post that I see the the use of a capo to provide coloration. My interests are in bluegrass and old time music with a large helping of fiddle tunes, mainly of the Scott’s/Irish/English variety. The vast majority of these are written in A,D or G. Well, O.K. Wildwood Flower was written in C. None of those four which comprise 95 per cent of what I play, or at least want to play, pose any great chord challenges. I mean, how many bluegrass songs are written in B flat. The 1,4&5 chords are A,D&E, D,G&A and G,C&D and C,F&G respectively none of those are difficult chord forms. Even the relative minors are pretty easy or at least doable even for me. So I ask again, what is the great advantage of capping up two frets and playing in G rather than A or in C rather than D?

“You can move the capo up or down to fit your vocal range”. That one has me stumped. If you are in a certain key, you are in that key irrespective of what octave you are singing in.

[Playguitar]

When playing bluegrass the common licks like the G run are based on having open strings. If you use a capo you play the licks the exact same way in different keys.

[RalphH]

if you are just playing on your own then I guess a capo is technically optional, but you'll make it very hard (/impossible) for yourself to play with other people who are playing in different keys that require a capo.

As noted above, you can also use a capo to change the tone of your guitar, and even capoing up a few frets can dramatically change the sound of an instrument.

I personally never used a capo until I started singing and playing. Then it's an invaluable tool. I play with other people now and it's also very important for that. It's not just a case of everyone agreeing not to capo; if you're playing with different instruments like uke's and wind instruments that can't just capo to transpose, it's a lot easier for you to capo than for everyone else to re-learn the song in a new key.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by Jim Comeaux

I got several responses similar to this his one and I only sort of agree with some of it. Firstly, I mentioned in my original post that I see the the use of a capo to provide coloration. My interests are in bluegrass and old time music with a large helping of fiddle tunes, mainly of the ScottÂ’s/Irish/English variety. The vast majority of these are written in A,D or G. Well, O.K. Wildwood Flower was written in C. None of those four which comprise 95 per cent of what I play, or at least want to play, pose any great chord challenges. I mean, how many bluegrass songs are written in B flat. The 1,4&5 chords are A,D&E, D,G&A and G,C&D and C,F&G respectively none of those are difficult chord forms. Even the relative minors are pretty easy or at least doable even for me. So I ask again, what is the great advantage of capping up two frets and playing in G rather than A or in C rather than D?

“You can move the capo up or down to fit your vocal range”. That one has me stumped. If you are in a certain key, you are in that key irrespective of what octave you are singing in.

Hi Jim,

Just half an hour of sitting in at a bluegrass or old time campfire jam, and you'd wish that you'd bought a capo with you!

A bluegrass song may not be written in Bb in a bluegrass fake book but you can guarantee that someone is going to sing it in Bb or C or Eb or F# or whatever - because that pitching for that particular song suits their vocal range. In bluegrass the singers take primacy over the instruments.

In Old Time (like the fiddle tune Red Haired Boy) it is the fiddle that takes primacy, so old time tunes tend to be written and played in the key that the fiddlers have traditionally used for those tunes. Red Haired Boy is a key of A tune (in fact it is not A maj but A Mixolydian - the 7th of the scale is flattened). Red Haired Boy "falls to the fingers" when played on a fiddle in the key of A, which is why it sits there. Also, old time fiddlers will often cross tune a fiddle to AEAE (rather than standard GDAE) as it means that they always have a root note or 5th note drone to play against to drive the rhythm when shuffle bowing. So fiddlers, once re-tuned, will stay in that tuning for a whole round of tunes simple because it is a bugger to retune a fiddle - hence there are a lot of fiddle tunes in the key of A (mainly Mixolydian and Aeolian but some in Ionian). The role of a guitar at an old time session is a moot point - but basically a guitar is not there to play the tune!

“You can move the capo up or down to fit your vocal range”. That one has me stumped. If you are in a certain key, you are in that key irrespective of what octave you are singing in.

Rather than me explain, just try this simple experiment yourself.

Pick an easy and familiar song like "Blowing in the Wind". It is normally written to be played in the key of G with the easy open chords of G, C, D and Em. Here is a version: Blowing in the Wind

Sing it while playing.

Now put a capo on fret 2 and, using the same chord shapes, sing it again.

Now put the capo on fret 4 and, using the same chord shapes, sing it again.

You are changing the key of the song with the capo from G to A then to B. And it will change your ability to sing the song comfortably.

Pretty much everyone learns to play Blowing in the Wind from the G chord shape as the root chord. But many will capo to move the tune to a comfortable pitch for them. Now you could play the tune using different chords to get into a different pitch rather than use a capo. But, at a session, you could have a singer who likes it in G#, or A, or Bb, or B etc. Using a capo means you only have to learn one version of a popular song (perhaps two, the second from a C chord base). However, without a capo you would have to learn a different version for each key (that's 11 versions!) some of which would have some very awkward chord fingerings.

[PajamasMusic]

A deftly applied capo can bring out texture and tone in many guitars you wouldn't otherwise be able to tap into (some better than others). But I also confess to liberal use of a capo just to boost a song up better into my natural singing range. My favorite so far is the F1 variant from Shubb, and their original S1 is also easy to use and effective. So that's why I use 'em.

But if you've taken the time and effort to learn a tune a couple of different ways, and it sounds good to you, then that's awesome! I suspect most people (like me) would just slap a capo on the second fret and call it a day. Kudos to you.

[pickinray]

Originally Posted by Jim Comeaux

So I ask again, what is the great advantage of capping up two frets and playing in G rather than A or in C rather than D?

“You can move the capo up or down to fit your vocal range”. That one has me stumped. If you are in a certain key, you are in that key irrespective of what octave you are singing in.

There are no hard and fast rules about using a capo. Generally speaking, you use a capo to make certain songs easier to play. But sometimes players use a capo just as a matter of personal preference. Here's a video in which Norman Blake explains why he plays "Whiskey Before Breakfast" with a capo on the third fret:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYau7QfiiuM

Robin, Wales provides an excellent explanation above about using a capo to suit your vocal range and make a song more comfortable to sing and I have nothing more to add to that.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Jim Comeaux

…I can understand changing the voicing, but is that the only reason?

Hi Jim…
Is it the only reason? For some players…

For some people, a capo is a one-trick-pony, where for others it's just one tool in the kit.

Capo yes/no…it's your call.

I've met two players over the past 57 years who only play in a single key and capo (and arrange) every song to accommodate that practice.

Many players use a capo to adjust the range playing in the key they know a song in (or have a chart for in a specific key).

Others use capos to adjust their chord voicing so it's different than another guitarist in the arrangement/song/band.

Some also use cut/partial capos to enhance playing and simulate alternate tunings.