Electric Guitarists That Use A Capo

[allan_evett]

So how many of you currently work with, or have worked with an electric guitarist who uses a capo frequently on a gig ? Are they able to keep their guitar in tune - both with itself and the rest of the band ? The two bands I play with have electric players who capo frequently throughout the night. And almost always the guitars drift significantly. And my stage piano - at A440 - ends up sounding a badly tuned saloon piano... Weird, in that I'd experienced capo used on electric guitar once or twice in the past twenty years, yet now it's a weekly thing..

 

I did a little research, and apparently it is acceptable to use capo on an electric; some well-known players have used the technique very effectively. But there are a lot of caveats for guitar setup prior to using a capo; and I suspect that's where the problem is in my situation.

 

So who else has run into problems with this ? And if you're also a guitarist, do you capo electric guitar effectively - or do you just avoid it ? I barely play guitar, BTW..

[timwat]

That's a new one on me, Allan. I don't remember EVER seeing a GP with a capo on an electric.

 

I don't have an opinion on it, as I just barely scratch out some rhythm guitar to look shexy, but I've never seen it.

[cphollis]

I play with a lead guitarist who frequently uses a capo, or grabs a guitar with an alternate tuning.

 

Yes, sometimes there's a harmonic beat or chorusing between his notes and mine, but -- somehow -- give the material we play, it all sort of works out.

 

With the capo, about 1 out of 10 tunes he starts in the wrong key, so we've learned to validate the starting chords. Sort of like the evil transpose key.

[CowboyNQ]

Albert Collins springs to mind here.

 

I wonder do your guitarists check that they're still in tune between songs? I Imagine that should solve any issues, the guitarists I play with are all pretty good on this. They don't capo, but there's a bit of tuning and de-tuning between particular songs and it rarely goes awry.

[mate stubb]

Our two guitar players used capos for one James Taylor song. They got so out of tune every time that we banished them from using them ever again.

[J. Dan]

I have NEVER EVER played with an electric guitar player who used a capo. Ever. In 26 years of gigging and many years before that as an amateur. Very common with acoustic.

 

That said, MANY have had multiple guitars set up with different tunings, but usually it's something like Drop-D or detuned or that sort of thing.

 

EDIT: Slightly different subject, but as a Rhythm guitar player myself, I'm sort of jealous of Guitar players for how easy it is in MOST (not all) cases to shift keys. Generally it's just do the same thing on a different fret. The difference is of course open strings and when it goes below the low E string. I played Sweet Child of Mine for many years ...ok now I'm struggling to remember...D? Db? ...point being open E was the lowest chord in the song. Then I sat in with a band that played it lower so that instead of open E I had to go up to Eb on the A string and jump around if that makes sense. Should be pretty easy but the first time or two it really jacked me up. But generally, as far as rhythm goes, not to dis guitar players, but I find it really easy to just kind of find the chords and chunk along, watching the bass player or lead guitar at times.

[J. Dan]

Our two guitar players used capos for one James Taylor song. They got so out of tune every time that we banished them from using them ever again.

 

This is one exception - you almost HAVE to capo for some James Taylor stuff. He did some weird stuff with tunings AND capo. But HE did it acoustic. The fact they were playing electric is irrelevant. Capos DO suck for tuning, no doubt. Fleetwood Mac falls into this category as well. Chains is a great example of one of those.

 

[KeyMoe]

Currently in a country band and both the lead and acoustic players use them a lot. Seems it's pretty common in the country scene.....

[mate stubb]

I don't mind if they can capo and remain in tune. But that is the non-negotiable minimum requirement.

[Tom Williams]

Back in Richmond, our worship band leader was both a veteran blues player and a chronic capo-er. There were some songs where (I wish I was making this up) he would attach or move the capo during a modulation to a new key. To his credit, he always stayed in tune.

[mate stubb]

Wow. King of the Capoers.

[Jonathan Hughes]

There's nothing wrong with using a capo on an electric guitar. I've played with several people who do. There are some things that just can't be played comfortably (or at all) any other way. You certainly don't need it if you're just playing power or barre chords, but if a part depends on open strings, a capo might be the only way.

 

Some people use it as a crutch because they don't know how to play chords any other way, but that's usually not the only deficiency in their playing. If someone is a good guitarist, there's probably a pretty good reason they're using a capo (or the transpose button on a keyboard).

 

But regarding the tuning question, the likely reason that they're not in tune is because the capo is on too tight, and it's pressing down too hard on the strings, making them go sharp. Most good capos (like Shubbs) can be adjusted, but if a guitarist moves it to different positions, it may need to be readjusted if the thickness of the neck changes.

 

 

[Baldwin Funster]

If your style and the song is better with a capo then use it. To not use one because other people dont is stupidity. Some stones tunes like Happy are so much better with the right tuning, a capo and a slide that i light up with a smile when i play it. To play it without a capo sounds bad and is no fun.

[t9cstudio]

You think you have it bad. In the church band I often participate in, the singer uses a capo on her electric always, but can't tune her guitar at all. Neither can the other GP. The bass player can only play 2 notes and it's the same notes no matter the key. I call it The Baptist Cacophonous Choir. But, They're never gonna change, so what can I do? I can't believe I ever adjusted to it myself.

 

 

 

[borntohang]

I used to use a capo so I could get lots of open suspended chords, which is what most electric players would use them for in my experience.

 

As for tuning, it depends on what type they are using - the Shubb style ones can be adjusted so they don't pull you out of tune but the Kyser spring ones require decent setup and a careful touch. If their guitar is not properly intonated that can also be an issue. I never found flipping my tuner on for a second to quickly check to be a big deal, personally.

[allan_evett]

Thanks all, so far. Looks like I need to talk to both of these guitarists. I suspect the problem can be resolved by not having the capo on too tight, and also tuning / re-tuning frequently. 'cause right now the 'chorusing' is driving me batshit.

[Ken Beaumont]

I have used a capo on electric but only very rarely. Usually it is to get the same chord voicing that was done in the studio. It really is more of an acoustic thing. Especially for finger style. James Taylor's 'Fire & Rain' and George Harrison's 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' immediately come to mind. Its impossible to get that exact sound without it. To get rid of chorusing the guitar needs to have even frets up and down the neck, the necks truss rod adjustment needs to be spot on and last but not least you need a capo that is not clamped too tightly. This is usually the culprit, cheap capos or the guitarists screwing down the capo too tight. The strings just need to be pressed at the same pressure as your fingers press. Too much pressure tightens the string slightly and result in the note going sharp.

 

And it needs to be tuned electronically. Tuners can vary a bit too, I have seen bands that sound out of tune because they all used different tuners. Usually its not an issue but sometimes you get that 'one of these is not like the others' issue. It helps to have a single quality strobe tuner to spot check with.

[RobP2]

This was the bane of my life in a previous band. The band leader insisted on using a capo for virtually every track. As it was his band he also insisted on almost every song starting with his guitar.... many was the time he would have the capo on the wrong fret. Great guitar intro, then the band comes in a tone and half out...

[hurricane hugo]

I'm a guitarist who's been using them lots on both electric and acoustic guitars since the late '90s. I made extensive use of them with my last band just to add more harmonic colours to the roots-rock repertoire we had. Definitely helped a lot.

 

I was really strict about keeping them tuned properly from song to song. Fortunately, my bandmates were the same with their instruments, too.

[MotiDave]

i've never played with a EG'ist who used one. as much about the projects/genres I choose to play in as anything else, i'd guess. a metalhead guitarist wouldn't be caught dead with a capo as i've come to know them (though always an exception to anything, i suppose). can't help here.

[Iconoclast]

I play a lot of guitar.

 

Kinda depends on the guitar and the Capo. If you're using big jumbo frets like a lot of players do now, it can certainly be an issue. But even with solid guitar and a good Capo, you have to double check the tuning as soon as you put that sucker on.

 

I don't know that having the Capo on too tight as was mentioned is ever actually the problem.

 

I have seen other guitar players (better men than me) us a Capo on just a couple of strings and do it effectively. Very interesting technique. Search "Partial Capo" on youtube.

[Devnor]

Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac uses capos on his electrics.

[allan_evett]

And Lindsey is someone I would trust to keep his capo'd guitar in tune, should I be fortunate enough to share the stage with him..

[Stokely]

I was in a band with two guitarists, both of whom were being pretty critical and jerks to the drummer (who was a friend of mine). Every little fill was up for criticism. With that in mind...

 

...One practice, something kept getting out of tune. One song I'd hear it, the next I wouldn't, yet nobody was tuning anything. I stopped and brought it up, and boy how defensive can you get about the fact that "We aren't out of tune, bud!" They could dish it out but couldn't take it. Long story short, it was a capo being used by the rhythm guitarist. No matter the song, he'd be clanging away with "cowboy chords" (open chords), he'd just use the capo to move him up the neck. Sounded bad even when it was in tune...

[zxcvbnm098]

Don Felder used a capo on his double neck Gibson for Hotel California into. Keith Richards uses capos a lot on some of the classic songs in open tunings, Tom Petty, Oasis Don't Look Back In Anger....there's a ton of tunes where they are used.

 

Tuning is always the problem....can be a nightmare to tune correctly. Easy for the above mentioned players who get handed a guitar tuned perfectly with capo in place. For the workaday player? Many/most people I have played with avoid it. I have played with one or two guys that pay close attention to tuning and spend the time to do it right. But others? Not so much....

[Jerry Huber]

If I can see a guitarist's left hand I can visually identify the chord they're playing since I play some guitar. Sometimes that's helpful when something is played impromptu, I can't hear the guitarist well and I don't really know the song. When a capo is used, unless it's on the second fret I'm totally lost visually higher up the neck. I can't visually/mentally transpose the chords quick enough. Seems like keyboardist are expected to transpose on the fly (just use the transpose button!) where guitarists effortlessly do it with a capo. However, the capo only works if you're raising the key. If you want to change the key from E to D and they put the capo near the top of the neck, I throw in the towel.

[mountainjammer]

Just came across a video of Lowell George using one for Old Folks Boogie, where he only plays slide. It had me wondering. The song is in C and the capo on the 3rd fret- so probably open tuning sandwiched by G's, I guess. In any case, tuning perfection was not really important while solo sliding!

[Markay]

There shouldn't be any issues using a capo on an electric guitar provided:

 

The guitar is properly set up including intonation, and

The guitar is in tune, and

The selected capo is suited to the guitar's neck radius, action and string gauge.

 

I use a Shubb style capo on my guitar which has a large radius neck set up with a low action and strung with .10 to .46's and don't have any tuning issues when using a capo.

 

I would prefer not to use a capo, but it is the only way you can get a ringing open G chord sound (A) when playing a song in F#.