Other uses for guitar capos

Capos do more than just change the pitch to allow you to play different songs. There are also other reasons to use a capo. Once you fully understand what a capo does, you can take advantage of other benefits:

• Create a brighter sound. If you are shortening the length of the guitar's fretboard, you are making the tone of the guitar higher and brighter. Your music will have much more "shine" to it, as the higher frequencies ring out more. This is often described as the "voicing" of the guitar. An A chord played with a capo on a higher fret will have a different voicing than an A chord played near the nut without a capo.

• Change the key of a song you know. If you know a chord progression and want to change things up, either for a different sound or to better suit a vocal range, consider using a capo to change the key. You do not need to learn how to play the guitar differently – you can simply use your capo!

• Avoid barre chords. This is especially applicable to beginner guitar players. If you struggle to play a certain barre chord, transposing the song and playing with a capo may help you avoid using your index finger to press on the strings.