At this point in your guitar journey, you might be asking if you need a capo. Is a capo necessary? Actually... what even is a capo?

First, let's get something out of the way – capos are not just for beginners! :)

Some players seem to think they’re made only for beginners - but that's not true. They're a useful tool even for more advanced players. Neil Young uses a capo all the time, and he's a great guitarist. One of my favorite ones!

In this guitar lesson, I'll tell you all about the theory behind capos. You'll learn awesome tricks to expand your guitar possibilities. :)

WHAT IS A GUITAR CAPO

A capo is a super handy device that you clamp along your guitar's fretboard. It allows you to use the same chord shapes to play songs in different keys. It comes in handy to play barre chords, playing tricky songs, and changing the key of a song.

Capo pronunciation changes depending on what part of the world you live in. I say it cap-o; others say kay-po. But who cares? Not me! Whichever way you say it, people will know what you're talking about.

WHAT'S THE BEST TYPE OF CAPO FOR GUITAR

Different types of capos exist, but they'll all pretty much get their job done. What's important is that your capo puts the right amount of pressure on your guitar strings. Too little pressure won't serve the capo's primary purpose. Too much pressure can stretch your strings, knocking them out of tune.

The Kyser capo is a common one. It's got a nice big handle which makes it easy to place and move. For some people, it can get in the way of their fretting hand. If that's the case, opt for a smaller capo, like the G7th capo.

The G7th Capo is a touch more expensive and smaller than the Kyser capo, but it doesn't have a handle on it. Either way, a good capo should last you a solid 20-30 years - as long as you don't lose it!

HOW TO PLACE A CAPO ON THE GUITAR

Like when you place your fingers along the fretboard, you want to clamp your capo as close to the fret as possible. You want your capo placement right before the metal bar - and never directly on top.

Right behind the fret is the correct placement of the capo. If it's too far away from the fret, you'll get a lot of buzzing. The sound won't be uniform and sharp across all the strings - it won't sound pretty!

Why And When You Should Use A Guitar Capo

There are many reasons why you should use a capo. First, using a capo allows you to play complicated chords. You’ll play the same chord sounds - but simpler chord shapes.

You might want to use a capo to simplify some songs that would otherwise use barre chords. A capo is an excellent option for many tunes - such as Walk of Life by Dire Straits.

Capos are also great to play along with original recordings - which is so much fun to do! If you use my Beginner Song App, you'll have loads of play-along song options to practice with your capo!

If you like to sing along with your guitar, capos are great for changing the key of the song to suit your voice. You'll have to move the capo and adjust the placement until it feels right with your singing. This process will be more of a trial and error. Where you place the capo will depend on the tone of your voice.

If a female singer wants to sing something by a male singer, she might opt to move the key up. Using the capo will allow her to hit the lowest notes in the song — vice versa for male singers, who might need to move the key down.

As you can see, there are loads of reasons why you should consider using a capo. I hope I opened your mind about this awesome device! Give it a try - you won’t regret it :)

Next, we'll learn how to play Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes - an awesome riff for beginners!