Why Use A Capo?

October 29th, 2005 Print Tip E-mail Tip

A capo is a handy little device that clamps onto your guitar neck across all the strings at a given fret position, thus raising the pitch of the strings. Though it is unfairly called a "cheater" , the capo is a very useful tool that allows you to accomplish some things that would be nigh impossible without it (just ask Keith Richards, among others).

How about if you want to play a song from sheet music in its proper key, but it's in a "guitar unfriendly" key such as Ab or Eb? No problem. To play the diatonic chords in the key of Ab, simply attach the capo to the first fret (the capo should sit directly behind the fret, close to the first fretwire) and strum the chords of the "guitar-friendly" key of G. Now your chords will sound in Ab, even though you're using the familiar chord fingerings of G. Treat the capo as a temporary new nut, and finger your chords the appropriate distance away from the "nut".

Also, what if your vocal range or a friend's falls naturally in the "guitar-unfriendly" key of Eb. Have fun playing those Eb, Ab and Bb7 chords all the time---yeah right. Once again, slap it on the first fret (it isn't always the first fret, honest) and play those nice, shimmering chords of the key of D to sound in the key of Eb.

What if you want to play some delicate "tinkly" notes high up the neck? Strap or clamp it on further up the neck. Once again you can still utilize "open strings" just by playing an unfretted, but capoed, string. George Harrison used this technique to very good effect on The Beatles' "Here Comes The Sun" (Abbey Road) by using a capo on his guitar at the 7th fret. If your guitar's action is a bit too high, a temporary measure might be to apply a capo. This will lower the action and make fretting a bit easier for you.

I've never really tried this, but if you attach a strap-on capo loosely enough to the neck it might sub for a Kleen-Axe string damper. And as Jennifer Batten has amply illustrated, a string damper is a great device for fretboard tapping and other two-handed playing techniques, since it effectively silences unwanted string noise and sympathetic vibrations.

These are just some of the reasons to acquire a capo---I'm sure you'll come up with your own.