Theory type question regarding Capo, please help.

Meine liebe

I am in the process of writing a song but something isnt *just* right.....

Question is, does applying a capo only serve to change key? If you have a progression that you like in standard tuning, it should still "work" when you put a capo on, right? Any help is much appreciated.

mfc2006

well...what doesn't sound "right" to you? the capo can help if you want to change the key and you can play the same progression. you can also bar the chords to keep it open..that may provide more options to your song by giving yo uthe whole neck to work with.

i use a the capo a LOT on my songs. a friend once called me the capoking.

but the key is to know what you're wanting to do...and changing the key by using a capo may not be enough.

hope this helps!

keeponrockin

Yeah, exactly. The progression will work, just sound higher.

ianvomsaal

Capo's basically change the open strings pitch - much like barring everything
with your index, but it allows you to play in another key with the freedom you
had without barring (except any note lower than the capo now isn't available).
You just really need to make sure that you have the capo on correctly - try
to make sure the capo isn't bending any strings or things will sound a bit off.

Capo's do just what they're supposed to do - if you place a capo across the
2nd fret and play a G-Major shaped Chord (320033), everything now sounds
like an A-Major chord (because those are the notes that are being played).
Therefore, if you play an A-Major shaped chord (002220) with a capo on the
2nd fret, this chord is actually now a B-Major chord (the A shape now sounds
like . If you place a capo on the 7th fret and play that same A-Major shape
(002220) it's now an E-major chord (the notes being played are now E-Major).
Capo's just raise the key depending on where you place them.
Cheers . . .

- Ian

xtremehardy388

I use a capo in a few songs and it changes the feeling. It can make one song totally different.

lucylespian

Is it possible you are using the capo, but then playing some other notes without taking them up the fretboard to keep them in key ?

xtremehardy388

lucylespian wrote:

Is it possible you are using the capo, but then playing some other notes without taking them up the fretboard to keep them in key ?

Ahhh...good point

Meine liebe

lucylespian wrote:

Is it possible you are using the capo, but then playing some other notes without taking them up the fretboard to keep them in key ?

it's not that, but good guess.

i think the song is fine actually. i fight perfectionist tendencies sometimes when i write and i need to just get over that. i am jealous of those people that songs just seem to flow out of naturally.

lucylespian

hah, world peace is an easier fix than perfectionist tendencies.

"I seek to excel at overcoming my perfectionist tendencies"........mad laugh

jcmark611

Meine leibe wrote:

I am in the process of writing a song but something isnt *just* right.....

Question is, does applying a capo only serve to change key? If you have a progression that you like in standard tuning, it should still "work" when you put a capo on, right? Any help is much appreciated.

You can keep a song in the same key while applying a capo. If the progression starts with a E-major chord in standard tuning you can apply a capo to the second fret and if you play a D-major shape it will become a E-major. This will give all the chords a different feel and sound but they will still be E-major.

Of course if you place the same chord shapes as you move your capo around you are just changing the key.

jordn6971

I love to play Man of the Hour with a capo on the 3rd fret.