Calling All CAPO Users..A Debate!

J Dan Brown · Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject:

Jake, my brother, I was in no way insulted and hope and pray I didn't appear that way. I just find the over-complication of stuff amusing at times and have encountered beginning guitarists countless times that appeared corrupted and discouraged by guitar teachers that tried to teach so much more than is really necessary too rapidly, yet taught making a G chord with the first 3 rather than the last which hampers rapid changes to C and G7 and especially to G2 (Gadd9 or Gsus2, whatever) and Gsus4 when they are ready to move up to "flavored" chords. I have known folks that have quit playing as beginners due to the frustration of being expected to instantly grasp the math and science of it all. I have also met old guys that know not one name of one chord or could explain what a "relative minor" or a "circle of 5ths" was, but that could outplay all of us, completely by ear and instinct.

And I do have the original sheet music of "Prodigal Son Suite" in a 2 book collection of all his music, which starts in Cminor that I could photograph and post on photobucket or webshots for you or I could email you a "MS word" lyric and chord chart I wrote and learned from that starts in Aminor if you have a way to hear how it goes. I don't think I use as many chord changes as the sheet music does, but then I'm one guitar, not the London Philharmonic. I would be honored to share this with you, if we can find a medium, especially if some of you other guys would like to have it. I could even photocopy and mail it, if we had to and you needed to read it to play it. He was truly one of the first great "No compromise/Contemporary Christian" songwriters(the late '70s). He wrote so many bold and annointed songs and still has a great following, especially for a guy who's been with the Lord for over 25 years!
Blessed, by the sharing of the Lord's music, Dan

music wasn't part of me · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:45 am Post subject:

Just wanna welcome Jake, fellow newbie Laughing

This Forum is Great, at first a bit sceptic to really participate...but now....Just blessed to be here! and it's getting more crowd! Thx Mods!

after reading all,hmm...I guess I'll play F with capo at 5th with less guilt now Very Happy

hahahahaha....

but sometimes for certain songs, F can sound really nice and warm without capo..just play it straight. Some Hillsong Songs are great this way

George E · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject:

For the first time in many years of playing, I've had to start using a capo. After years of playing either alone or with only a bass player and keyboard player who could adjust keys by using a virtual capo on her Korg, I'm now playing in a witness band with many other musicians. And that means I'm encountering songs that I already know really well in different keys from what I'm used to. My capo has made my life much simpler.

Just a few Sundays ago, for the monthly contemporary music service at the church I'm now attending, theyused the song "They'll Know We are Christians" as the sermon hymn. Instead of opening with Em they played it up one notch, starting at Fm. The thing was that they wanted it done uptempo (which is always a good thing, that song shouldn't be done as a dirge), and they wanted me to also do a lead vocal intro whilst strumming madly on my new 12 string.

Going from Fm to Bbm with barre chords wasn't a problem. Singing lead wasn't a problem. Doing both at the same time was a big problem. So, I strapped on the old capo I hadn't used since trying to make an electric 12-string sound like a mandolin while practicing and went to town.

Afterwords, I noticed that the 12 also had a better "ring" with the capo and lots of open strings than it did with barre chords when the song called for extensive strumming. It doesn't make much different when flat picking or doing arpeggios, and my right hand refuses to fingerpick. But when I'm going for that really big "choir of angels" sound with aggressive strumming, first position chords seem to work the best.