Quote:

Any guitarists here find a work-around for playing with a capo? For example, there is an old Irish song that my voice sound best with in the key of Eb.

As you guitarist know, that is not a guitar friendly key. It actually sounds best with the 'C' chord shapes, so so I am placing the capo at the third fret.

Problem is BIAB is still showing 'Eb' chord shapes. It won't be a problem for long of course as try to play without lead sheets, but while I'm learning a song life would be eaiser if I didn't have to transpose the chords in my head while playing.

Any advice?



First of all, there is absolutely nothing at all wrong with using the Capo.

Matter of fact, there are certain times when the use of the Capo opens your sound up to a change that your audience will appreciate, despite the fact that they are very likely to not be able to put a finger on the reason for that. Well, it happens because there will be a *change* in sound for that song, something the brain and ears notice as something "new" or different from what they've been hearing in the previous songs.

One can quite effectively use the Capo to take advantage of that kind of "Ear Candy".

For example, placing the Capo at the 3rd fret and then using the common key of C open chords would put you in Eb Major.

This opens up that Eb song to all the same devices that you enjoy when in the key of C -- the "downward cascade" where the bass notes are C, B, A, G, etc. -- if it fits the song, of course.

There are other ways to overcome this problem as well.

Learning some new chord shapes can be of great advantage, especially for the situation where changing to the Capo takes too much time, or where the desired guitar sound is different, such as in a Swing Tune accompaniment. The "Inside" chords, named such because they typically take advantage of the inside four strings, but not always, are something I notice that very few guitarists take advantage of anymore, a pity and to their -- and their audience's -- detriment.

Finally, there's the old trick of tuning the Guitar down one half step on each string. This makes the key of E shapes into Eb, the key of A shapes into Ab, etc. A cool trick when playing with horn bands, which are likely to be putting all songs into the so-called, "horn keys". Works great with singing voice as well. So great that it might be a good idea to have TWO guitars onstage, one tuned down that half-step and one tuned to the normal tuning.

Myself, I've always deemed it more important that the song fit the vocalist.

Therefore, if I have to use a Capo to get what is needed, I use the Capo.

Etc.


--Mac

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