Author Topic: Capo placement (Read 5200 times)

Tom · « **on:** September 27, 2014, 07:31:32 PM »

For us non-music theorists, here's a handy dandy capo placement guide.

I understand the relative intervals, but can't bring my brain to figure out where to place the capo. This inexpensive guide makes it easy. On the flip side is an easy chord transposition guide.

A few days ago, while watching one of the talent competitions on TV, I caught myself pausing the replay to count the frets where the performer placed the capo on her guitar

Molaker · « **Reply #1 on:** September 27, 2014, 07:38:56 PM »

Now if you were really good, it would go in your pocket.

Tom · « **Reply #2 on:** September 27, 2014, 07:50:14 PM »

It sits on my music stand, so I must not be good

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2014, 10:30:30 PM »

I must be really bad then. I have an assortment of capos and sometimes use more than one at a time.

I've seen some pretty good (I.e. world class) guitarists use capos.

Wanna bet there's a smartphone app for this? Yep! Just found one for $.99

There are no first position grooves worn in the neck of any of my guitars.

Tom · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2014, 11:07:20 PM »

Now I'm really lost: How do you use more than one capo at a time

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2014, 11:40:26 PM »

By taking a hacksaw to 'em. 😱 I cut them to various lengths to cover however many strings I want.

I tried to explain this to someone while I was in French Camp and he got that deer in the headlights look until I showed him how it works.

Any one of these videos will give you the general idea.

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=partial%20guitar%20capo&sm=3

(The Pete Berrenger piece is nice)

Tom · « **Reply #6 on:** September 28, 2014, 05:31:30 AM »

Some neat videos. Now I understand. I was trying to picture more than one regular capo being used at the same time. But it's all way too clever for me

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #7 on:** September 28, 2014, 11:41:39 AM »

It a really simple way to 'broaden' the range of the sound in much the same way a pianist might play the bottom end of a chord an octave down. As you can see from the number of videos there are lots of people using this technique.

But back to the 'bad' comment. I wanna be BAD! Badder is better.

Tom · « **Reply #8 on:** September 28, 2014, 11:56:32 AM »

The videos had the desired effect; I've ordered a short (aka cut) capo from amazon.

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2014, 12:17:34 PM »

You're going to drive your guitar teacher up the wall dude!

Glad I could help.....

Tom · « **Reply #10 on:** October 03, 2014, 08:24:17 AM »

Silly me, I inadvertently ordered (and received) a Drop-D capo

I've re-ordered and hopefully clicked the right button this time.

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #11 on:** October 03, 2014, 09:33:32 PM »

I use the drop D the most! Hang on to it.

Tom · « **Reply #12 on:** October 03, 2014, 10:24:16 PM »

I've been ~~playing~~ stumbling around with it today, and I'm amazed at the sounds I was producing, even if I didn't know what I was doing

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #13 on:** October 04, 2014, 02:15:09 PM »

I'm glad you're enjoying it. Told you!

Tom · « **Reply #14 on:** October 04, 2014, 02:22:50 PM »

I just wish I knew what I was doing

Ordered a book and CD on using partial capo; Just picked it out of the mailbox, and hope this will help my understanding.

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #15 on:** October 04, 2014, 02:45:39 PM »

Don't let yourself get bogged down by the technical stuff. Just play what sounds good to you. If it sounds bad your neighbors will let you know 😜

Tom · « **Reply #16 on:** October 04, 2014, 03:27:01 PM »

You give me too much credit

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #17 on:** October 04, 2014, 10:15:19 PM »

In experimenting with new stuff you just never know what's going to happen. I was fooling around with straight D tuning and almost random chords while I was in Columbia and got two new songs out of it. I've been recording tracks like a madman.

Of course in the middle of this one of the disk drives in my audio workstation decided to go rogue on me in such a way that it took hours to figure out what was causing the weird pops, buzzing noises, and total system hangs.

Tom · « **Reply #18 on:** October 09, 2014, 06:14:07 PM »

I'm starting to collect capos

I have 1 for ukulele and 3 for guitar. Today I ordered a fourth for guitar. No more!

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #19 on:** October 09, 2014, 10:19:43 PM »

Whatever you do DON'T start messing around with alternate turnings. You'll find yourself buying a guitar for each tuning.

Tom · « **Reply #20 on:** October 10, 2014, 02:29:14 AM »

Quote

... DON'T start messing around with alternate turnings.

I plan to stick to normal turns

FWIW my "extra" capo is merely a quick-attach clamp style to replace the original Shubb full capo that I bought; The Shubb is a great capo if it's not required to quickly attach and remove, then it becomes a PITA. All the others I bought (for guitar) are quick attach/remove.

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #21 on:** October 10, 2014, 11:00:25 AM »

I use nothing but Shubbs. the time it takes to attach one and adjust it properly gives me time to get in a quick one liner.

Tom · « **Reply #22 on:** October 10, 2014, 11:10:02 AM »

If I were fiddling with changing several Shubb capos in a 'live' show, I'd be afraid of inadvertently uttering something I shouldn't

8Muddypaws · « **Reply #23 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:10:51 PM »

ah, to hear the groaning of an audience in response to a bad joke.

Nothing finer!

Tom · « **Reply #24 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:20:56 PM »

I wasn't thinking of a joke; More like a profanity when I struggle to get the (Shubb) capo on in a hurry

rockinstephen · « **Reply #25 on:** December 22, 2014, 08:40:56 PM »

Two observations on capos:
1.) I have seen an excellent acoustic guitarist use 3 capos at once! How he did it, I'll never know...
2.) The great electric bluesman Albert Collins always used a capo...

News:

Author Topic: Capo placement (Read 5200 times)