Josh-Hayes
As I said in the title, when you find yourself using a capo do you tune to compensate for the resulting offset due to the uneven pressure on the strings.
I am particularly talking about live situations here, rather than home/practice where you have all the time in the world... ? Often, you don't have time between songs to make sure.
I'm keen to hear your thoughts. ?
Squonk
I have never had that problem yet. Sometimes I rearrange the capo if the tuning sounds out. I use a Kyser capo. The spring type.
GuitarDoge
If a guitar's intonation is good it sounds fine with a capo after standard tuning.
warrenpridgeon
I don't really have time to do anything between songs... sometimes the drummer forgets I need to capo a song and I hear the count starting as I am reaching for my capo... and I have to start the song ? can be pretty intense...
I find that my tuning is pretty ok when I use a capo though.
DonRoos
I do a quick strum of a chord or two after putting mine on and then re-seat the capo if it sounds off but never re-tune - just don't have the time and then it has to be tuned again when you take it off as well.
AlanRatcliffe
If it's a decent capo and is adjusted properly, it should be in tune. As Don says, if it's not, quickly loosen and reseat.
Manfred-Klose
I have always hated using a capo, and found alternative ways to play the chords.
but i recently had to do some quick key changes and needed to use a capo, i used the G 7th nashville capo, and really amazed at how soft it applies to the neck, it doesn't put any pressure on the neck at all
Bob-Dubery
No problems here. Caveat: i play acoustic with 12s.
As with all things quality helps. I either use Shubb or G7. The Shubb I like a bit more, but you have to adjust it for a guitar. My Shubbs are set up for my Morgan, they're not quite right on the Larrivee. Tweak 'em for the Larry and they're a tad too tight on the Morgan. The G7 works well on just about any steel string guitar at any position. Its a little heavier than the Shubb and I tell myself this has an effect on tone. But that may just be something I tell myself.
A lot of cheap capos are copies of a keyser but with too heavy a spring. Those can put your guitar out of tune by sheer pressure. In extreme cases they can mark the neck if they're particularly cheaply made.
Bob-Dubery
Also get into the habit of positioning the capo properly. I like them a bit back from the fret because sometimes the capo gets in the way of the hand a little (only a little, and this is less of a problem with the Shubb because they're pretty small, and yes - I do have a technique that a gorilla would sneer at) but you can only go back so far before the strings start buzzing. Ideally you want it just behind the fret and you want it straight.
Squonk
Manfred Klose wrote:
I have always hated using a capo, and found alternative ways to play the chords.
but i recently had to do some quick key changes and needed to use a capo, i used the G 7th nashville capo, and really amazed at how soft it applies to the neck, it doesn't put any pressure on the neck at all
I don't think playing the Capo is a bad thing. Sometimes chord voicings don't sound right using alternate ways to play chords. And if you are into alternate tunings, string tension comes into play, If I have down tuned a lot of strings, capoing makes sense.
I have the Kyser spring capo and I have found by accident capoing with the lock on the bottom works better!
The G7 works on all my guitars 100 percent, never have a problem with tuning going out.
Prefer the Kyser for quicker changing....
DaFiz
I luv my capo... It's a Dunlop and it works beautifully.
The Takamine stays in tune and I have no problem.
IceCreamMan
I see some capos now have built in tuners, if time is of the essence possibly this could save u a wee bit of time...
Squonk
IceCreamMan wrote:
I see some capos now have built in tuners, if time is of the essence possibly this could save u a wee bit of time...
very sharp ICM
DonRoos
Putting the capo too close to the fret will stretch the strings by pulling down just before the fret and extending the distance the sting has to travel to get over the fret. I have found that about 1/3 away from the fret is about right - about where you would press with a finger - to minimise stretch and minimise buzz.
I mostly transpose but that sometimes results in strange chords that are difficult to play and then it is just easier to slip the capo on.
Arno-West
Sorry mate, I can't give you my 2c or any advice on this matter - I don't use a capo.....ever.
Bob-Dubery
Haha! THat's what I get for reading the manual ?
I think the thing is to get the pressure right on the capo. With the Shubb there's a procedure you go through to set it up for a guitar, with the G7 there is no spring pressing down and you can adjust the pressure on the fly so you don't have a problem with the strings being pressed down too hard - but I take your point.
Is it a cheat or a crutch? I've seen some great players use capos live - generally more when playing solo than when with a band. If you play fingerstyle and alternate tunings then I think the capo has to come into play. You use a tuning that gives you the bass notes that you want but also allows you to play up high on the other strings, but you can't sing the song in that key... a capo will come to your rescue.
I've seen really, really good players use them. Players who are good enough to not need a crutch. Guy Buttery, Tony Cox, Martin Simpson.... a lot of guys who play solo, finger style and in non-standard tunings. This cured my hang up about OMG am I using it because I can really only play in one key.
Check this out. Note how Russ Barenberg is capoed way up so that he can play that high part that keeps out of the way of the other guitar and adds some great ear candy.
Even the dobro player in that clip, Jerry Douglas, uses a capo sometimes. (Nitebob - if you want to get into country lap steel playing then Douglas is a guy you want to pay attention to)
So it can be a crutch, but it can be a valid tool as well.
Shibbibilybob
I had never ever considered my capo to be a crutch. Finding alternate ways to play chords is all well and good, but it's not just about hitting the same notes, different voiceings sound different, and sometimes you have to play a chord in a certain way in order to have your fingers ready in time to play the next one.
No shame whatsoever in using a capo, and the G7 is, in my experience, the most awesome one around.
And no, I don't retune once I put it on, but I do adjust it so that it sounds best when it's on (as the guys above said, you get used to it and kinda learn how to place it for best results).
Squonk
A lot more to Capo's than we think
Listen to what he says at the end
AlanRatcliffe
Squonk wrote:
A lot more to Capo's than we think
Listen to what he says at the end
"Someone said that using a capo is like cheating. Well, so is frets." ?
Keaggy's a great player. He's getting a positively gorgeous sound from that Bedell guitar.
Bob-Dubery
And just to confer unarguable street credibility upon the capo
