capo


I've been using a capo 3 on an electric guitar regularly since the 1970s. And occasionally hearing how I should grow up and use barre chords (which I also do, just BTW).

 

I think this is starting to change. I think actually rock guitar is starting to grow up. And about time.

 

As I see it, there are three stages to guitarists' using the capo:

 

Stage 1: Beginner. Uses a capo for some keys because they don't know the chords or have the technique to play them any other way.

 

Stage 2: Advanced player. Never uses a capo, or needs to, or wants to.

 

Stage 3: Master player. Uses a capo or not or whatever else gets the sound they want.

 

I'm so tough I eat quiche in front of truckies - George Similovitch

 

But, if you're going to use a capo regularly, you need to learn how to use it.

 

Part of that is your sight reading. If you claim you can sight read a chord line, and you claim to be competent playing cap 3, then you need to be able to see a Bb and your fingers go to a G position, with no more thought than they'd go to a G when you saw a G and no capo.

 

And this goes all the way up the neck. You need to know the power chords for cap 3. There's a lovely C power chord, for example, fretted E3 A3 D10 G9 B8 E3. If you have to look at the fingerboard to find it, then you're still learning the basics of cap 3.