Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange
Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [capos]

A capo is a device used on the neck of a stringed (typically fretted) instrument to shorten the playable length of the strings, hence raising the pitch.

It is frequently used on guitars, mandolins, and banjos.The capo is most commonly used to raise the pitch of a fretted instrument so that a player can perform a piece in a different key using the same fingerings they would use if played "open". In effect, a capo uses a fret of an instrument to create a new nut at a higher note than the instrument's actual nut.

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Does leaving a capo on "hurt" the strings?

On occasion I've accidentally left a capo on (overnight). Does this decrease the life of the strings, staying in tune time, hurt the neck, or anything else that's bad?
bobtheowl2
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Are there any benefits of using a Capo?

What is the benefit of using a Capo versus just playing in a different key without one? In other words, why not just transpose the song and play it in the desired key without the capo?
JustnBeaver
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On a guitar, what keys correspond to different capo positions?

I've long had this question. I know some music theory, but I can only get a vague idea as to the progression of keys when moving the capo down a guitar's neck. I'm fairly certain that the guitar is in the key of E minor when no capo is used, but…
mckryall
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Does using a capo put you out of tune?

i just want to ask if using a capo affects the tuning of the strings. I bought my first capo and I played my guitar with the capo on all day long. When I removed the capo, I played another song and it seemed like my guitar was out of tune. It…
Dempang
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Do capos exist that can be disabled without removing them from the guitar?

There's a song I want to play (in C) where the verse sounds best played on regular 1st-fret chords and the chorus sounds great using chords around the 8th fret - I can't barre them all reliably enough so would normally capo on fret 8 and transpose…
Mr. Boy
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Do I need to use a guitar capo for this song?

I'm singing Bella ciao (an Italian song) with 4 chords: Am E A7 Dm The problem is that I find it very low to me, so I tried to barre the 5th fret with my index finger and play the usual chords with my other fingers and it sounds good. My question…
Marwen Trabelsi
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What is the difference between a flat and curved capo?

I want to buy a capo... What is the difference between a flat and a curved capo? Can I use either for both an electric and acoustic guitar?
brian
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Is there any way to improve the life of my capo?

I have a spring-action grip style capo that is designed for changing the position easily. It used to be great, however now I am finding that quite often it will not fret some of the strings properly, which results in buzzing or in some cases muting…
bcpettifer
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Why might one *not* want to use a capo?

Apparently some guitarists use a capo in certain circumstances, while some others use one never or rarely. This question is for those who use it reluctantly or never. Why? Why are some people reluctant to use a capo?
aparente001
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On the guitar, if I play a song which is in the key of D, where should I put the capo?

How can I determine where to position a capo based on the key of the music I am playing? I current can only play songs in the key of C with no capo. Is there any rule to follow?
Ted Wong
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Differences between capos

I wanna buy the first capo for my acoustic guitar, and I'm just wondering if there are many types of capo .. I mean .. if I went to a shop, can any capo work ? Or is there a difference?
Someone
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Is it OK to play guitar with capo on 5th fret, since I have arthritis in thumb & finger joints?

I'm an early learner, 70 yrs old, have been 'practicing' for a couple of years on a steel string acoustic guitar, and I have arthritis in my thumb and finger joints. For instance, it's very hard to stretch my fingers from 1st fret(C) to 3rd(D) and…
PATRICK OTOOLE
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Which fret do I place a capo on, to play Eb music using C chords?

If the sound of the music is in the key of Eb and I want to play using chord shapes in the key of C, what fret do I put the capo on?
Linda Hoare
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Is it possible to mute some of my strings?

I'm working on a part of a song where I need to strum the top two strings (B & E) together very fast. I'm wondering if there is some sort of a damping capo that I can put over the other four strings so I don't have to worry about accidentally…
user365
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Different kinds of capos

I recently saw a capo (I think) that had something like teeth(?) that the player changed while he played. I'm not sure what its purpose was. (I'm really not sure how to explain it) -- If I'm not mistaken, you choose what chords to capo and which to…
Shevliaskovic
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