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3 Responses to What is a guitar chord progression? How exactly does a capo change the key of a guitar?

1. Chord progressions can be basic, complex, or anywhere inbetween. These chords are those that compliment the main key signature chord in its song. One example of a basic chord progression in the key of C is this: C, C7, F, G, G7, C.

   Complex progressions may entail the use of major, minor, dominant sevenths, sixths and ninths, even including 11th and 13th chords. The augmented fifth chords and the diminished seventh chords are most useful in providing stepping-stone progression as those of the dominant seventh chords do. Here is an example: C, Caug5, F, Gdim7, G, G7+5, and back to C.

   To better understand chords and their progressions a good knowledge of music theory would be helpful.

   As for capos, or “cheaters,” as they are called, they can be found useful at times, just as tablature may be, but depending on them will cheat the player out of progressing and learning the fretboard. A capo is used to raise a key signature and its relative chords a half-step or more to accommodate easier playing by the guitarist and get what is called “open-string chords.” A capo placed in the first fret will raise such chords as E, C, Bb, Ab up one-half step to its new name. By so doing, a common G formation usually played in the 2nd and 3rd frets becomes a G# or Ab.

   Perhaps another player that uses capos can offer a better explanation as I never use such contraptions on my guitar neck. I choose to progress in my playing and building up my expertise.

   Note: All good guitarists don’t necessarily agree with the other, especially with me on capos. I find them limiting in using alternate chordings for various pitches while singing. I have no problem singing a song in the key of Eb, Ab, or Db using the standard formations. I understand not everyone can or are willing to do it.

   

   Guitarpicker
   April 3, 2013 at 10:50 am
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2. Another poster said:

   >>Perhaps another player that uses capos can offer a better explanation as I never use such contraptions on my guitar neck. I choose to progress in my playing and building up my expertise.<< Ouch! Building expertise is a great thing to do, which is why I'm taking lessons again. On the other hand, when you're trying to play and sing you have a lot to concentrate on. A capo allows you to use familiar chords while changing the overall key of the song. If a song is in, say Eb - a popular key for many old standards - it can be challenging to play the chords for the key of Eb while singing at the same time. So instead you can capo at the 3rd fret and use the same chords as if the song was in the key of C. A capo raises the overall pitch of the guitar one half tone for every fret up the neck. So capoing on the 3rd fret raises the pitch 3 half tones, which happens to be the difference between C and Eb. There are also partial capos that only capo 5 or 3 strings at a time to get an open tuning effect without having to de-tune any of the strings.

   

   Lester G
   April 3, 2013 at 11:22 am
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3. A chord progression is a series of chords you play that make up the harmonic backdrop of the song – rhythm, notes, etc.

   I have a bit of an emotional reaction to guitarpicker… capos are not “cheaters”, they are tools that are not appropriate for everyone, but incredibly useful to some people at least some of the time.

   If you are a singer, often it is easier to play simple chords (ie open chords aka “cowboy chords”) rather than barre chords or more complex riffs. This is especially true of someone like my mother, who has never had much formal training in guitar playing, and sticks to folk and country style songs that she can play with open chords.

   Its especially useful for those who want to transpose a song’s key… ie if you can’t sing in C but can sing in G, then it can be easier to play the song using the original chords, just at capo 5 or 7, just as a for instance.

   So basically, instead of having to figure out chords in a different key on the fly, you can keep the same fingering, the same chords, just move ’em to a different place on the fretboard so you don’t have to change anything – but now you can sing along to it, ie, its in your key.

   So I think there are very valid reasons for using a capo, ten times moreso for someone who doesn’t have the formal training or the *time* or *ability* to step up to what can be the very challenging task of transposing anything but a basic song.

   Saul

   

   Saul
   April 3, 2013 at 11:41 am
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