How a Capo Can Really Help Beginning Guitarists

A guitar capo is a wonderful invention. In case you aren't familiar with them, they are basically a rolling capo clamp that holds down the guitar strings at whatever fret the player chooses. There are several different sorts which vary, in ease of use, construction and cost. The one I always recommend is the G7th. Its solid and very easy to use. Unfortunately it is one of the most expensive, but it will probably be the only one you'll ever need. When beginning to learn guitar they are very handy to have because they can change the key of a song without the need to learn a whole different arrangement of chords for a particular song. When placing the capo at the 2nd fret, an open C major chord will sound as a D major. The capo is acting as a new nut. An open positio D chord will sound as an E major. This might sound confusing to the beginner, but if you buy one and experiment with it you'll soon figure it out. Just remember, that wherever you place becomes the new nut position, and all chord shapes are sounded relative to it. Another use for the capo which is a benefit that is often overlooked is the fact that the capo will actually lower the strings so that they are nearer the fretboard. This is especially useful if you happen to have a guitar with an high action. (The action is the distance from the strings to the fretboard) Beginner guitarists can often find that they have to use a lot of strength to press down on the strings on cheaper guitars. Using a capo can make this easier. Also, some bands can use a capo to help with making chord shapes easier to finger. Wonderwall by Oasis is a good example. To play the tune without a capo would involve some quite tricky chord shapes, but using a capo at the second fret makes the shapes that are needed a lot more conventional. If you are going to buy one, I would suggest going to your local music store and trying a few different types. See which one suits you best, then go online and grab a bargain at Amazon or eBay. Be aware that sometimes the capo can alter the pitch of the strings slightly by pulling or pushing them laterally. The G7th model doesn't have this problem as it is just a squeeze mechanism. Don't take my word for it though. Give a few a try and see which one you are happy with.