Capo use on the bass

[fretlessman71]

I regularly play with a guitarist who is very creative and creates songs with big landscapes, and sometimes he writes parts where there needs to be a drone note in the bass while I am playing other notes. In those cases, I use a capo. I even have a half-capo I use on a fretless for a song or two (placed very carefully, of course). It's just another music-making tool.

My situation defies the three poll choices given, so I will abstain.

 

[aprod]

Real bass players do not. Thirty keys, are you sure?

 

[MrAB4003]

I use one sometimes because I tune to D Standard. A capo on the 1st fret gives me Eb Standard tuning and standard tuning on the second fret. So it helps for certain songs and genres when I need a higher tuning without tuning up. Thrash metal in Eb or E is a great example of genres where the capo works for me.

I didn't vote because not everyone needs a capo. But it is a tone/key issue.

 

[fretlessman71]

Real bass players do not. Thirty keys, are you sure?

Seven sharp keys, seven flat keys, one natural key. That's fifteen. And each key has a major and minor version. That's thirty.

But what do I know? I'm not a real bass player (see above).

 

[gtirard]

I didn't vote because I play one song with a capo, but I would not say "Everyone should."
I don't use it for tone or key - there is just one song I couldn't play without a capo.
It was an idea of my guitarist (who often uses his capo) when he saw me struggling with the fingering on that song.
LOL, now I'm looking at a video of the same song live where the bassist plays without a capo, maybe I should practice with a metronome.

 

[Dlew919]

Real bass players do not. Thirty keys, are you sure?

Seven sharp keys, seven flat keys, one natural key. That's fifteen. And each key has a major and minor version. That's thirty.

But what do I know? I'm not a real bass player (see above).

That’s how I see it. And of course Gb and F# are harmonic for one example.

 

[fretlessman71]

That’s how I see it. And of course Gb and F# are harmonic for one example.

"ENharmonic". But yes, the eye sees 15 keys, and the ear hears 12. It's a strange way to run a railroad, but that's what we have.

 

[Dlew919]

ENharmonic

Grrr. Could have sworn that’s what I put. Stupid autocorrect.

 

[gtirard]

My Capo is always on and I love it

 

[circuitspore]

Yeah, mostly for open drone strings - though one of my old bands (2 bass players) had a song where the low bass was pretty busy, and in a few spots bounced between some higher runs, and open strings, which would have been verging on impossible without using a capo to put those open strings in the correct key.

The high bass used the capo in a different key, for the chorus.

Same - can give you a drone note that would be impossible otherwise.

 

[Daniel B5]

Wouldn't a capo throw off your intonation?

 

[Zooberwerx]

Only when I do set-ups.

Riis

 

[sethlow3]

Only on specific songs with open string riffs where it’s near impossible to play otherwise.

Perfect example… Sad But True by Metallica. You’re not getting the signature riff without the open string pull offs. Place a capo on the third fret of a five string and it’s just as easy as if you were in a four tuned DGCF for that riff.

Something some players seem to miss about capos:
Tune AFTER you put the capo on to get that tuning correct. When you take it off, same thing. Tune again back to standard.

 

[terryj47]

I have used one to play along with Youtube and more importantly to check neck relief. Never used one playing with the band.

I have one I use to hold the strings down at the first fret when I’m doing a set up, but I haven’t tried playing with it.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

No, I just move my hand up or down

 

[Ritter667]

I want one of these, for instant alternate tunings on the spot:

And yes, it this is the bigger model, that is supposed to also work for 5 and 6 string bass as well.

The idea is you can "capo" string individually at a certain fret, while leaving other string anchored at the nut.

dAndrea Spider XXL Capo​

 

[Daniel B5]

At our last jam session, when our guitar players were switching between capos on the 2nd fret to caps on the 7th fret, I joked with our fiddle player about using a capo. It's not even a possibility for her. We just transpose.

 

[covermego]

I thought capo'ing my bass would make me look cooler and get more attention....... you know, like those guitar guys. Didn't work. Someone said I should start by capo'ing my face first. Hmmmmmm........

 

[thetaxmiser]

I regularly play with a guitarist who is very creative and creates songs with big landscapes, and sometimes he writes parts where there needs to be a drone note in the bass while I am playing other notes. In those cases, I use a capo. I even have a half-capo I use on a fretless for a song or two (placed very carefully, of course). It's just another music-making tool.

My situation defies the three poll choices given, so I will abstain.

Never considered using a capo on Bass. This is a good idea and something new to try.

 

[sheesh]

My Capo is always on and I love it

View attachment 7368716

That's what I was thinking this thread was about initially - ha ha