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#61
electracoyote said:
Open tunings would surely benefit from a capo for key changes.

But I was referring to "open strings" in standard tuning. For example, play a standard first-position G chord, there are open strings. But what if you're playing in Ab and you want the same open string effect you get with G? You can only achieve Ab (in standard tuning) by using a moveable shape or barre chord, and that eliminates the open strings. Solution: Capo 1, play a standard first-position G chord. Viola. You get the same open string feel of the G chord but you're playing Ab. Not a cheat, not a crutch, it's more a tone/voicing choice. I can play moveable shapes all over the fingerboard, every chord know to man. Sometimes, for voicing purposes, I choose a capo and open-noted chords instead.
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No, I agree it's a legitimate use of a capo for voicings like that.
 
#62
electracoyote said:
Open tunings would surely benefit from a capo for key changes.

But I was referring to "open strings" in standard tuning. For example, play a standard first-position G chord, there are open strings. But what if you're playing in Ab and you want the same open string effect you get with G? You can only achieve Ab (in standard tuning) by using a moveable shape or barre chord, and that eliminates the open strings. Solution: Capo 1, play a standard first-position G chord. Viola. You get the same open string feel of the G chord but you're playing Ab. Not a cheat, not a crutch, it's more a tone/voicing choice. I can play moveable shapes all over the fingerboard, every chord know to man. Sometimes, for voicing purposes, I choose a capo and open-noted chords instead.
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Exactly!

I've seen some capo bashing here on TB and don't really understand it. There are lots of legitimate uses for a capo and a guitarist who doesn't know, or can't at least work out, what key they are playing in will most likely (but not always) be a crap guitarist without a capo. Everyone can make mistakes though.

I was recently reading an interview with David Rhodes, the guitarist who did the run of Kate Bush shows at the Hammersmith Apollo, and he said the only issues he had were the two (i think) occasions when he picked up the wrong guitar (one tuned up and one down a step) and, obviously it sounded horrible. He managed to screw up without a capo.

Jeff Lang, considered one of Australia's best guitarists, uses many open tunings and capo's are a staple of his work.... sometimes he uses two capos, one of them with bits cut away. Here he is with John Butler (who was actually inspired to learn open tunings after seeing a Jeff Lang gig) and ........ oh no...... he's using a capo. He must be a crap guitarist.
 
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#64
My worship leader was into cut-capo's and open tunings on his acoustic...
I've never used a capo on bass (why?) but have used capos on guitar when the song needed a capo on 5th fret (or the likes) - never because I could only play open chords !! LOL

My current lead vocalist uses a capo on his acoustic because he doesn't know enough barre chords and prefers open chords. Given the amount of lyrics he has to learn each month, I don't really have an issue with it. We have had the odd "oops" over the last 2 yrs.. but he doesn't start too many songs.. so...
 
#66
Did a country tour with a gospel choir a few years back and had the keyboard player unintentionally pitch shift the piano up a few steps, unfamiliar instrument/long fingers/short distance button issue. I thought it was me for a few seconds then realized at the same time as the organist did but too late to do anything neatly as the choir is processing down the aisle singing the song oblivious to the key change. We had to put a stop in because there was no way the soloist could of made it through at the key it was in. I told a joke to the audience while keyboardist figured out what he'd done and how to correct it. He was still trying after I finished the joke so I just reached across and reset the power to the piano, made a show of a frustrated sigh, muttered something unintelligible and got a massive laugh. Take 2!
 
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#67
Last weekend, had the guitarist/singer call out a tune, count it down, we all hit the opening and...gah. Something is horribly wrong. I notice he's not playing the song in the right key and within a few notes make the adjustment to finish up the song intro in a coherent manner. Guitarist then starts singing, and I realize that he isn't singing the right song, either. One way to keep the bass player on his toes--call out one song and then start playing another.
 
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#68
Rickengeezer said:
Last weekend, had the guitarist/singer call out a tune, count it down, we all hit the opening and...gah. Something is horribly wrong. I notice he's not playing the song in the right key and within a few notes make the adjustment to finish up the song intro in a coherent manner. Guitarist then starts singing, and I realize that he isn't singing the right song, either. One way to keep the bass player on his toes--call out one song and then start playing another.
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That's brilliant! Hasn't happened yet, I probably shouldn't have said that.............
 
#70
Ditto here. I was on guitar playing Something by the beatles. The first intro lick made part of me pucker in abject horror. It was right but so horribly wrong...I thought that I had lost my mind. He fessed up so I was happy to know that I wasn't that crazy.
Edit: I meant to quote regarding the Keyboard player transposing his white keys
 
#71
Joebarnes said:
I dislike when people will call it a "G" when it's the G chord shape and a capo on the 2nd fret.... umm. .. that's not a G. Thanks for making me transpose on the fly now because every chord you gave me was wrong.
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Had a similar problem with a guitarist friend of mine years ago - He didn't capo, but he would tune the guitar down to Eb or D and play all the regular chord shapes, just telling me "okay now play A" - which I would do and then clash with his new Ab or G. We actually got into an argument over my saying "that's not an A anymore since you've tuned it differently". His point was to downtune for the singer and then play everything with the same fingerings as you'd learn for standard tuning. I personally hate that, but then again my ears just plain don't like to hear a familiar song in a different key. Like, my fingers actively seek out the notes I remember from the recording, regardless of how I am tuned. I know it makes me a less-versatile bassist, but it's a curse I guess.
 
#72
DDXdesign said:
Had a similar problem with a guitarist friend of mine years ago - He didn't capo, but he would tune the guitar down to Eb or D and play all the regular chord shapes, just telling me "okay now play A" - which I would do and then clash with his new Ab or G. We actually got into an argument over my saying "that's not an A anymore since you've tuned it differently". His point was to downtune for the singer and then play everything with the same fingerings as you'd learn for standard tuning. I personally hate that, but then again my ears just plain don't like to hear a familiar song in a different key. Like, my fingers actively seek out the notes I remember from the recording, regardless of how I am tuned. I know it makes me a less-versatile bassist, but it's a curse I guess.
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Well he is correct in that you can still play the same chord shapes--and it transposes automatically--so either you down tune & do the same or he realizes it's now an Ab chord or G or whatever.
 
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#78
I used to do sound for a nationally known folk act. Before I was with them they played A Prairie Home Companion. Their guitarist put on a capo, but it was a banjo capo that belonged to another act on the show. I think he had to stop the song and put on the right capo. Nothing worse then a train wreck on a show being heard by a gazillion people. The bass player told me this story, so I guess that makes it all right to post here. ;-)
 
#79
s0c9 said:
My current lead vocalist uses a capo on his acoustic because he doesn't know enough barre chords and prefers open chords. Given the amount of lyrics he has to learn each month, I don't really have an issue with it. We have had the odd "oops" over the last 2 yrs.. but he doesn't start too many songs.. so...
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Yep, and the other thing is that doing some songs that are all barre chords on acoustic guitars can be very tiring for the left hand. Many times after finishing some songs the guitarist comments along the lines of "thank god that one's finished".
 
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