capos, transpose buttons and other aids

[jj]

i've just been checking some old lighthead jam audio and video focusing on capo usage...you know i think it sounds pretty rich on the first fret, and true, it does bring those nice 'black key signatures' into play in a user friendly fashion

i could be mistaken but i think cathy plays ribbon of darkness in Ab and it sounds great, vocals as well as guitar...if she moved down a tad to A and played in the capo-less A D E, etc formations then i'm not sure if the voicings would suffer or how much more awkward it would be to walk up or down the A scale

thing is, i like Gb...i guess most would play in D with capo up several notches...i wonder about loosening the strings to achieve that instead...an entire dropped tuning...maybe a more appropriate string gauge is required to do that...seems like there are no limits to guitar with alt tunings and the various capos out there...i've learned much here...it's true, the piano is just plain boring, lol

[Cathy]

Originally Posted by jj

i hear ya, ok, understood..i think the key the song was recorded and aired in is a huge part of that recognition also..i'm no singer but in the past i guess i just dont toy with tunes that are way out of vocal reality...i've been inspired by this thread now to go back and try a few GL covers and toy with capo with that in mind...i guess i just adore the sound of a full guitar string (not choked) on some of those lovely axes you guys own...if you have a band jam with a bassist then i dont see the need for guitarists playing all 6 strings, gets muddy, imo

A good capo, like a Shubb, set at the right tension, doesn't hurt the sound of a good guitar at all. I actually prefer the sound of the D15 with a the Shubb anywhere from the 1st to the 6th fret. It doesn't sound choked at all.

Cathy

[Jesse Joe]

That Shubb is some good capo compared to say the Kyser, which is almost like a vice grip.

[New 12 String Mike]

I watch good flat pickers often with awe. I never could do it very well.

The 12s have taught me more about strumming though and how to use a pick in ways that were certainly new to me. I use a medium sized pick and stick a small strip of hook ended velcro to each side. That works to keep them away from the sound hole for me.

[Cathy]

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

That Shubb is some good capo compared to say the Kyser, which is almost like a vice grip.

I have a dropped D Kyser. I gave the rest of the Kysers away. I hate them. They stick up too far and get in the way. Come to think of it, I don't ever use the dropped D Kyser. It's much easier just to tune the E string to D.

Cathy

[fezo]

Oh, I have no problem with Kysers. They certainly stay put! I did break a spring on one once.

That said I use the Shubb almost all the time.

[Cathy]

I used the Kyser on a JB Player guitar, before I got the Martin. It actually left dents in the fretboard. So, I got rid of it. Got rid of the guitar, too, come to think of it.

Cathy

[jj]

i was looking back at this interesting thread (thanks to all participants!) after coming across that GL quote (see last 30 seconds of video) i was referring to earlier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqnx8...eature=channel

this thread lead me to start playing with capo and now i can't play without, lol