What is a Capo? How and Why to Use a Capo on Guitar

Ah, the seduction of guitar gizmos.

Electric guitar gets to play with loads of pedals and effects. We classical (and acoustic guitar) players don’t have many accessories.
But we do have a few.

One such gizmo is the capo.

What is a Capo?

A capo is a device that clamps onto a guitar neck to shorten the string length.

Imagine someone walking up behind you and pressing a finger across all your guitar strings with even pressure on the desired fret. This is the guitar capo.

This raises the pitch of what are now the open strings. The guitar has become “smaller” and higher pitched. This is because the vibrating section of the string is now shorter.

Guitar capos come in many shapes and sizes (and incredibly easy to use), but all have the same function: to shorten the vibrating section of the strings.

But why is this useful?

Use #1: Same Chords, Different Key

The largest population using guitar capos are players who also sing, or accompany singers. You will see guitar capos used a lot by acoustic guitar players in this context.

Using a capo, a guitar player can play any chord progression he/she already knows, but have those chords sound in different keys. The key of a song just depends on where they put the capo. This simple action makes it incredibly simple to change keys.

Additionally, the guitar capo can cut the need for bar chords or playing in less-familiar locations on the guitar neck.

For example, a singer may prefer to sing in a “less-guitar-friendly” key, such as E-flat. The guitarist could then use the capo to change the tuning of the open strings. They can then use “cowboy chords” (basic open-position chord shapes). The guitarists can use familiar chords and have them sound in the key of E-flat.

As a technical example, the guitarist could capo the first fret then play in the key of D. Where normal tuning allowed a “D” chord, that same chord now sounds as an E-flat chord (because E-flat is one note up from D, and we’ve capoed one fret up).

Use #2: Brighten the Sound

Flamenco guitarists often capo at the first or second fret. This “brightens” the sound (makes it higher).

This can help the guitar be more easily heard among all the dancing and clapping in flamenco music (And various other types of Spanish Guitar Music).

Outside flamenco, other guitarists use capos for this same purpose: to help the guitar “cut through” ambient noise.

Note: There may be other reasons flamenco players do this. If you know of any, please share it with us in the comments below.

Use #3: The Composer wants a Specific Sound

In some pieces, a composer will call for a classical guitar capo. This is usually to get a specific effect.

They may want the guitar to sound like a different instrument, such as a lute or mandolin.

Or they may want the sound of pieces to contrast with each other in a suite or collection.

Some pieces create unique sounds by capoing only some of the strings or altering the capo in some way . Some composers take this idea one step further by combining alternate tunings with a guitar capo.

Use #4: Spice Up Your Practice

Many classical guitarists enjoy playing with a capo during practice. They do this to vary the sound of technical exercises, chord voicings, or familiar pieces.

This can add some variation and novelty to their guitar playing, and encourage them to practice more. In other words, it’s just for fun.

A warning: If you use a capo in practice, be sure to vary the positions. This way, you don’t become accustomed to it one way, and feel awkward in others (or worse, when playing without a capo).

Use #5: Shrink Your Guitar

Kids and guitarists with smaller hands can use a capo to make the distance between frets smaller. Thus, making the guitar easier to play.

This is a viable alternative to getting a custom-made guitar or having to search out a decent small-scale guitar.

Using a capo at the 1st or 2nd fret will create the same effect as having a smaller guitar.  This permits more comfortable guitar playing and sitting.

When playing with others, however, we’d need to tune the guitar lower (so the note we play is the actual note on the page) or remove the capo.

Do You Need a Capo?

If any of the reasons above sound attractive to you, then, by all means, get one.

Guitar capos are relatively inexpensive and easy to come by in music stores and online.

If someone wants to get you a guitar-related gift, this would be a good one. And likewise, if you know a guitarist, a capo is generally a safe bet for a gift.

If you’re in a rut or need some excitement in your practice, this could also be something to try. A little novelty can “grease the skids” and get us back in action.

“What Style of Capo Should I Get? (there are so many…)”

If you play classical guitar, you’ll need a  classical guitar capo.

Steel-string acoustic guitars and electric guitars have narrower necks than nylon-string classical guitars. Most capos fit these narrower necks.

So be sure to get a larger one made for classical guitars.

IMPORTANT: Guitar capos come in different sizes. Make sure to get a classical guitar capo if you play classical guitar.

Besides that, it doesn’t matter. Any capo should do the job, so the best capo comes down to price, aesthetics, and availability.

Regardless if you play classical guitar, acoustic guitar, or electric guitar, you can rest assured that whichever guitar capo you choose will hold down your strings.