Intro to Using a Capo

Using a capo is a valuable skill for anyone learning guitar. Fortunately it’s not difficult to learn how to use a capo properly, though there are a few things you need to know to get the maximum benefit from this simple but powerful tool.

There are several different ways to use a capo on the acoustic guitar. However 90% of the time it’s used to change the pitch of a song up or down to make it easier for either you or someone else to sing along with.

It’s not the only way to change the pitch of a song to accommodate the singer, but it is often the quickest and easiest way.

By learning how to use a capo in this way you’ll also be developing the ability to use it for other purposes as well…

Kinda a “threefer”… that’s like a twofer but more… well, you get the idea.

What Is A Capo… And Why Use One?​

I’ll start off with what capo is for in the basics of using it.

Then I’ll cover more in-depth aspects of raising and lowering the pitch of a song using a capo. This will include a brief music theory lesson on changing keys. If you don’t know what that means yet don’t worry. You’re in the right place.

Finally I’ll give you a Jam track that you can use to get more adept with the techniques you’ll learn.Let’s get started with some capo basics…

Capo Basics: The Movable Guitar Nut​

When you play an open chord on the guitar some of the notes are being created by where you put your fingers on the frets. Others are what we call “open”. Where the string meets the nut of the guitar is what creates the note… this little white thing the the strings sit on.

If you move the chord up the guitar neck it won’t sound right anymore because the open strings didn’t change. They’re still making the same note as before where they sit on the nut.

One way to think of a capo is as a kind of movable nut for the guitar. You can put the capo on, for example, the second fret. Then play that same chord up two frets. Now all the open strings will move up to frets also in the chord will sound right.

In this case I’m making a G form of the chord. It’s important that we distinguish between the guitar chord form and the chord sound. In this case they’re one and the same. When I play that G chord without a capo it’s both the G chord form and it sounds like a G chord.

Now when I put the capo on the second fret and finger the G chord form it’s no longer the sound of a G chord. By moving it up two frets it becomes an A chord.

Up two frets means going from G, to G#, then to A…

Here’s another example. Now I’m playing a C chord form that is also a C chord sound. When I put the capo on the second fret I can still play the C chord form, but it’s no longer the sound of the C chord. I raised it up one. To become the sound of a D chord.

Related Video:

Why & How to Use A Capo