I've heard about using a capo to find the range where you can sing but I don't really understand how to do it. Wouldn't that change the way the song sounds? Anybody help me on this one?
Thanks,
Larry
Hi, Larry,
What this allows you to do is to play a song, using the same chord shapes, at different positions on the neck so that you can find out where it's comfortable for you to sing that song.
Example - if the chords in your song are A, D and E7 (key of A), and it's a bit low for you, then you'll want to sing it a little higher. Put a capo on 2 and play the same A, D and E shapes and you get the chords B, E and F#7 (key of B). Move the capo to 5 and play the same shapes and you get D, G and A7 (key of D). Once you've got it so that you're singing comfortably along with the chords, play a scale of C major (still with the capo fixed) and see where you can hit the pitch accurately.
From there, you'll need to know a little bit about how to extend that scale of C Major downwards, and how to transpose it into the new key so you can play the song without the capo in the new key.
It ain't rocket science, but then it isn't a cookie cutter exercise either. I'm sure people like Noteboat will have a way that makes it look easy.
A :-)
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I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
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