Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
Originally Posted By: MarioD
Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
I choose keys based on my vocal range as well as how it sounds on a guitar. While B might be a good key vocally, it's not a "fun" key on the guitar so I opt to choose either C or A which is still in the vocal range and provides nice open chords for strumming.



Hi Herb,

If B is the key you sing in and you want the first position open chord sound put a capo on the second fret and play the guitar in the key of A. With the capo on the second fret an A becomes a B, a D becomes an E, and so on and so forth.

I hope this helps!


I used B solely as an example. Because, I can write a song for my vocal range in any given key.... the important factor is not the key, but the melody and it's range in the song.

Mario, well.... I appreciate that advice. However, I've been playing guitar for 45 years and can actually play in any key on the guitar w/o issues. Playing in the church orchestra for a few years where nothing is ever in D or G or A.... mostly Eb, Bb, and Ab....will teach or force you to learn to play, and I did not use a capo, which blew the minds of the other guys who played the guitar in the church music program. We could have anywhere from one to three pickers... mostly only one or two.

I have a number of different capo's.... and on occasion I will use them but not to make a key easier to play. Oh yeah I did use them for that in the beginning.... everyone does.... but I now use them for tonal reasons.

The proper use of a capo for me is to change the sound of the guitar. There is a difference between the sound of an open chord and a totally fretted chord and a chord played in either of those positions with a capo on the neck. It is to get that unique coloration that I use a capo. It tends to raise the timbre of the instrument which is desirable under certain circumstances.


What he said.

(-:

Jim