Position:Home>Performing Arts> Is there an alternative to using a capo?

The only way to do that is to learn the barre chords for the songs you need the capo for!. or possibly just play the notes in regular key but transposed up to the key you need!. So if your capo should be on the 2nd fret then your C chord would actually be a D chord without the capo!.

So do this:

E / F/ F# / G / Ab / A /Bb / B /C /C# / D / D# / E

each of the notes is 1step or fret higher than the last one!.

So take all of your chords to a song, note your capo position!.!.!.2, 3 , 4, frets!.!.whatever!.
And then translate using that note chart!. if it is a 2 fret song, then every chord will be two slots higher!.
Say you have capo chords C, D Am G

transposed higher it would be D, E, Bm, A

So then you can either just play the normal chord as transposed or use the Barre chord for the higher chords that sound funny with the song because they "drop" in the octave of the song instead of going higher!. For instance a normal E might sound funny if you played a capoed D because the normal E is a low chord, if you know what I mean!.

Too much work!? probably!. I wouldn't bother myself, either :-)
My best recommendation: Get a new capo ! LOL

You might be able to go be able to tune up two frets worth, but it would strain the strings and your guitar neck might not like it too much either!. Eventually your neck would warp because of too much tension!. I would not recommend doing that)Www@QuestionHome@Com

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If I'm just playing by myself I usually just play the music as I would, but without the capo!. So if you capo 2nd fret and play a G above the capo, just play a normal G!. Of course all of the note values would be a whole note lower, but unless you're playing with another guitarist or instrumentalist, hardly anyone else will notice, and it certainly is much easier than trying to tune all of your string up, or even transposing each chord!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Finger-pickers often use a capo to be able to play all the notes or use a variety of tunings, I use open G a lot but the BEST thing FIRST is to learn your barre chords !. !. !. here's a tip;
On all of your open chords, put your index finger on the nut and make the chords with the rest of your fingers!. An easy one is C, Am, F and G7!. move that index finger to the 2nd fret, and you've just transposed to the key of D !. !. !. D, Bm, G and A7 Take that all the way up the neck until it starts over again!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Theoretically you could tune every string up 1 whole step for a song that is capoed on the 2nd fret!. However it might be too tight for the strings too handle and I don't recommend tuning your guitar higher in order to simulate a capo!. So basically, you need a capo!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Generally, you don't want to tune a guitar up in pitch!. It can harm your guitar's neck!. You could just use barre chords - it won't sound exactly the same, but it's better than nothing!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

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