Capo Comprehension

[albert_d]

I remember it like this: With no capo on you are at the root for the chord shape. So if you are in an e chord shape, there is no capo for e. If you move up a half with the capo you would be at an f with the e chord shape. If you move up a whole step from there with the capo you would be at a g with the e chord shape. Another whole step with the capo an a…another whole step a b… another half step a c (half steps are between b and c and e and f, all others are whole steps). I hope that helps.

I would memorize the major scale sequence (W,W,h,W,W,W,h) I remember it as major is 2 and 3 shared (meaning 2 whole steps and a break and 3 whole steps and a break). I remember Minor scale sequence (W,h,W,W,h,W,W) as minor is 1 and 2 and 2. It is a lot but it opens a new door.

[Nate_H]

Thanks Albert,

So if I’m playing with another guitarist and I want to play the same chords but want to move up the neck…..Is there a trick for knowing where to put the capo?

[OwenGL]

It depends on what cord shapes you want to use. For example, if I like the cord shapes in the key of G, but the song is in the key of B, I would need to put the capo on the fourth fret.

The G chord is rooted on the 3rd fret 6th string. I need to move the chord shape until that G is now a B, which is 4 frets.

So, you pick the key that has the chord shapes you like, take the chord that key is based on, and move that chord until the root note is the root of the key you want. Count how many frets you moved, then put the capo that many frets up from the nut.

[That_Guy]

Whether or not you use a capo the chord is always named after whatever the note is on the thickest string. For example if you make a G shaped chord at the fifth fret of the E string the fifth fret is an A note whether or not you have a capo.