How to Use a Capo | Play Any Key With the Chords You Know

Can you use a capo to play in any key you need with the chords you want to use? How to use a capo • capo placement • capo for beginners • what fret to put a capo on • find any key with a capo • chromatic scale • half steps • open chords • capo vs barre chords • James Taylor capo Four good uses for a capo and one bad one. Good: move a song higher so you can sing it, play in a hard key like B flat or F sharp with chords you already know, make a song sound brighter and crisper, and get open-chord/key runs, walks, and fills you hear from James Taylor, Ed Sheeran, and bluegrass players. Bad: leaning on a capo for years instead of learning barre chords. To place the capo, first, if you have a capo where parts stick up (ex. Kyser) that usually goes on top, then set it just behind the fret (about an eighth to a quarter of an inch), make sure every string rings clean, retune, and test the tuning with open chords like C, A, G, E, and D - and some of the chords in your song. You have learn the chromatic scale, which is the same as learning the notes on each string - one fret per half step. For the chromatic scale just remember B to C and E to F are one fret only apart, every other pair of letter names is two frets [for example: C to D, and A to B]. To find what fret for the capo you have to know the key/chords you want to use and the key you want to come out of the guitar. Using C chords in E is capo 4, demonstrated. D chords in F is capo 3, demonstrated. A chords in D flat is capo 4, demonstrated. When you already know the key you need to play in but are looking an easy key/chord to use, count backward. So, for E flat, use D chords with the capon on the fret 1, C chords on the fret 3, or A chords capoed on the fret 6 – all illustrated. 0:00 Can you use a capo to play in any key? 0:18 Why use a capo: sing a song higher, key too difficult, 3 more reasons 0:30 Types of capos (Kyser, Shubb, partial capo) 1:01 4 good uses for a capo and 1 bad one 2:13 The bad use: you won't learn barre chords 2:50 How to place a capo: what goes on top 3:16 Where to put the capo: just behind the fret 3:50 Check that every string rings clear 4:25 Retune after you put the capo on 4:41 Test with open chords: C, A, G, E, D 5:22 IN A HURRY! – START HERE: How to find any key with a capo: 2 things to know 6:17 Quick demo: C chords in the key of E 7:13 You have to know know the chromatic scale (the notes on the fretboard) 7:59 Two frets between most letter names (F to G, G to A, A to B, C to D, D to E) 8:32 Half steps: B to C and E to F are only one fret apart 9:39 Back to the method: use your chords and find your key 10:02 Example 1: C chords in the key of E (capo 4) 11:22 Example 2: D chords in the key of F (capo 3) 13:11 Example 3: A chords in D flat (capo 4) 15:21 Reason 1: the song is too low to sing 16:32 Reason 2: you're a beginner and need a hard key 16:48 To Reverse engineer: start from the key you need to hear, and find the key/chords you want to use 17:26 E flat with D chords: capo 1 18:07 E flat with C chords: capo 3 18:29 E flat with A chords: capo 6 20:07 Reason 3: a brighter, crisper sound 21:04 Reason 4: open-chord runs like James Taylor and Ed Sheeran 22:22 Reason 5, the bad one: don’t put it off - learn barre chords 22:36 — Summary of how to use a capo: 4 good uses and 1 bad one. FULL LIVE VERSION: How to Use a Capo | How to Sing With a Fuller Tone    • How to Use a Capo | How to Sing With a Ful...   NOT WEEKLY LESSONS: If you want a one-hour Playing & Singing Assessment ($150) and a 30–90-day plan: https://www.markteachesmusic.com/teac... Voice and Instruments. All styles. All levels. Questions? Leave a comment or email mark@dallasmusiclessons.com Online and in-studio lessons: https://www.markteachesmusic.com Have Fun. Be Awesome. #HowToUseACapo #Capo #CapoForBeginners #Guitar #GuitarLessons #ChromaticScale #MusicLessons #MarkTeachesMusic