A Capo is a Wonderful Thing

A capo is a clamp with which you can change the pitch of the open
guitar strings, simply by placing the clamp behind different frets
on the fingerboard. With a capo, you can change the key of any song
quite easily. I love to use a capo, for a number of reasons.

The thing I do most on the acoustic guitar is play old-time fiddle
tunes. Many fiddle tunes are played by fiddlers in the keys of A
and D. However, when picking these tunes on a guitar, they sound
the best, and are played most easily, in the keys of G and C. Now
say that I wanted to jam with a fiddle player who wanted to play
"Black-Eyed Susie" in the key of D. I would want to alternately
play back-up for him while he played the lead, and then play lead
on the guitar while he backed me up on the fiddle. All I would need
to do to accommodate his key (D), yet play with the same fingering
that I am used to (in the key of C), is to place a capo behind the
second fret of the fingerboard. We would then be playing in the key
of D, but I'd be using the fingering I always use when playing in
the key of C without the capo. If he was playing in the key of A, I
could keep the capo on the second fret and play the tune as I had
learned it in G.

By using the capo, you can more easily play with musicians who play in
keys that are different from the ones you are used to. However, I
like to use the capo (usually behind the second fret and sometimes
behind the fourth fret) even when I play the guitar all by myself.
One reason is that the higher pitch allows the separation of the
individual notes to be heard more clearly. Each note seems to ring
out a bit more crisply and distinctly than it would at the lower
pitch. Another virtue of using a capo is the ease of playing. The
higher on the fretboard you use the capo, the less distance between
each fret, so your fingers don't have to stretch as far. And the
action becomes slightly lower, so the strings are easier to press
down. And, you don't have to place the capo way up the fretboard to
feel the difference. Just placing the capo behind the second fret
results in playing that is noticeably easier.

One caution is important to mention. Do not leave the capo on the
instrument when not playing it. The capo, when clamped on the neck,
holds the strings down on the fretboard and creates extra tension
on the neck and the top of the guitar. All acoustic guitars are
destined, at some point in time, to have problems due to the
tension of the strings. Why hasten the process by leaving a capo
clamped on your guitar?

As to the best capo to use, there are a number of different kinds.
I used to use the kind that is a bar with an elastic belt that is
adjustable. In recent years, I have found the Shubb capo to be the
best. It is easy to use, and clamps tightly and quickly behind any
fret. Check with your local guitar dealer and determine what is
best for you.

Capos make things much easier for the guitarist, and they provide
many benefits. If you have never used a capo, you owe it to
yourself to experiment with one!

Copyright © 2007 Lee Griffith. All rights reserved.