Playing with someone

Well it depends.

take a progression in the key of C:

C Dm G C in standard stuning. Chords (low to high)

C x 3 2 0 1 0
D x x 0 2 3 1
G 3 2 0 0 3 3

Now if you wanted to double that with a second guitar w/different positions or inversion, you could to the bar shapes manually or capo the 5th fret and play the following chord shapes:

G 3 2 0 0 3 3
Am x o 2 2 1 0
D x x 0 2 3 2

The capo makes the G shape sound as a C, the Am sound as Dm, and the D sound as G.

Make sense?

Matt

If you play the same fingerings, it'll sound bad in either alternate tuning or with a capo.

On the other hand, you can put a capo anywhere and make it work.

Let's say a song is in G. One guitar is playing open chords in G, and the other guitar is going to use a capo... the second guitar could do any of these:

Capo at 2 and play the progression in F
Capo at 3 and play the progression in E
Capo at 5 and play the progression in D
Capo at 7 and play the progression in C

When you use a capo, you have to play different chord fingerings to stay in key. Taking that 5th fret capo as an example, you're playing a D chord... but 5 frets higher. Counting those steps you get:

open - D
1st - Eb
2nd - E
3rd - F
4th - F#/Gb
5th - G

So when you play a C chord, capo at 5, and the other guitar is playing an open G... you're both playing the same chord. Because of the capo, you're playing different notes on the same strings - his 4th string is D, yours is G; his 3rd string is G, yours is D; his 2nd string note is B, yours is G, etc. You both end up playing a G chord (G-B-D), but in different registers

You can do the same thing with altered tunings, but you still won't have the same fingering. If he's in G, and your guitar is a whole step down, you'll need to be playing in A to match.

As well as what's mentioned above, you could also play the exact same chords, but one of you can strum and the other could fingerpick (or flatpick) the individual notes of each chord; either ringing or muted.

So I can't use the same fingering as the person I'm playing with and I'll literally have to transpose my chords from the original key? Oh man I feel a brain cramp coming on :lol: :lol: :lol:

Yeah, that's the way it works.

The easiest way to cope with that is by learning the Roman numerals of the chords in each key. If the guitar part is in G, and goes:

G-Em-Am-D7-G

You can think of that as I-vi-ii-V-I

So now you've got capo on five. Count DOWN five half steps from G:

G-Gb-F-E-Eb-D
(you count down because the guitar in G will be tuned lower than you are)

and you find you need to be in the key of D. The I-vi-ii-V-I in D will be:

D-Bm-Em-A7-D

Note,

Using your last example can the capo just be moved to any fret see what that key is then use the roman numerals to figure out what chords to be played?

Chris

Exactly.

Take the progression in the original key, and assign Roman numerals. Say you want to do "Reelin' in the Years". The verse progression goes:

A-Bm7-A-D-A-Bm7-A-A7-D#º-Dm-A-Bm7-A

With the original tune in the key of A, you assign Roman numerals:

I-ii-I-IV-I-ii7-I-I7-#ivº-iv-I-ii7-I

Now let's say you're going to capo on 4 and play a second guitar part. Four whole steps down from A is F, so you apply the Roman numerals to F and get the chords to play:

F-Gm-F-Bb-F-Gm7-F-F7-Bº-Bbm-F-Gm7-F

Pretty simple, really.

Tom - is D#(small 0...don't seem to have a degrees sign on my keyboard!!!) D sharp diminished?

Vic

Tom,

Thanks. I finally got it. Although I would still have to look at a chart to figure the chords out but at least I know how.

Two last points then I think I have it.

1.) You can put the capo on any fret but when you figured out the chords they may not be the easiest to play so you might pick a different key? Yes?

2.) And whatever the chords are in the new key you would play them the same way relative to the capo. In other words if the capo was on the second fret and the progression called for a G chord you would play that relative to the capo three frets down but you are physically on the 5th fret. Correct?

Vic, yes it's D# diminished (the º is ALT 167 on the keyboard)

Cnev, yes - if you pick a different key for ease of fingering, you just move the capo the appropriate number of frets. And yes, all fingerings are relative to the capo as the nut - a G chord with a capo at 5th fret works out to

8
5
5
5
7
8

but it's fingered like a regular open G.

So I can't use the same fingering as the person I'm playing with and I'll literally have to transpose my chords from the original key? Oh man I feel a brain cramp coming on :lol: :lol: :lol:

Don't feel like you 'have to'. I mentioned earlier you can get a nice sound by playing the same exact chords differently.