The capo: what it changes and how to pick a fret for the voice
A capo raises the sound of every grip by one semitone per fret. The fingers keep the same layout, but you hear different chords.
Adrian4 minupdated
A capo is useful when the familiar grips are comfortable, but the melody sits too low for the voice. It raises the sound of all the strings without changing the finger layout.
What it actually does
You clamp all six strings at one fret. Each extra fret raises the pitch by one semitone, the smallest step between neighbouring frets. At the second fret a G grip sounds as A, and at the fifth as C.
It is worth talking about two things separately: grip is the finger layout, and chord is the sound. With a capo on the fifth fret the fingers still form a G grip, but you hear a C chord.
How to put it on so it stays in tune
Put the capo parallel to the fret, just next to the metal wire on the headstock side, but not on it. Check that every string rings clearly. If one buzzes or the capo has pulled it sideways, adjust the clamp.
Tune the guitar before you put the capo on, then check the tuning again. That is quicker than wondering halfway through a song why correct grips sound out of tune.
First find a key for the voice
“Too high” or “too low” describes where the melody sits, not the quality of the voice. If the lowest notes are uncomfortable, a capo can raise the whole song. If the melody is already too high, the capo itself will not help, because it can only raise.
Open the song and switch Key. Guitarmatic shows the “For playing” and “As on the record” settings. If a capo can be used between them, it gives the right fret. Read the grip names you form separately from the key you hear.
Example: play G, C and D with no capo, then with a capo on the second fret. The second time they sound as A, D and E. The whole progression has risen by two semitones, a whole tone, and the finger layout has not changed.
A capo can skip a hard barre
A capo can also simplify the fingering. Play G, C and D with the clamp on the fifth fret: they sound as C, F and G, but without a full F barre.
Two frets are enough for the example
The left column shows the grip under the fingers, and the next two say what you will hear with a capo on the second or fifth fret.
| Grip | II | V |
|---|---|---|
| G | A | C |
| C | D | F |
| D | E | G |
You do not have to memorise the table. Count one semitone per fret, or use the Key setting in the song.
If a comfortable version would need the clamp very high, Guitarmatic offers another key for playing. That is what happens in Gdybym miał gitarę: you play in G instead of moving the capo all the way to the eighth fret.
Check the grip and the sound separately
On the fifth fret the fingers hold G, C and D grips, and the sounding chords are C, F and G. When someone asks what you are playing, give both sets: “G, C, D grips with a capo on the fifth fret; it sounds as C, F, G”.
Play Morskie Opowieści with a capo
Open Morskie Opowieści and leave the “For playing” setting. Turn on the “I am playing with a capo on fret V” control, put a physical capo on fret V and play a short fragment with the grips shown above the lyrics.
The control leaves the same grips above the lyrics, but raises the app sound by five semitones, to the key of the recording. A physical capo on fret V raises the guitar by the same amount.
Measure: you play the same grips as before you turned the control on, and the guitar sounds higher and in line with the app. If you cannot keep up with the changes, slow down.