How to Use a Guitar Capo For Beginners

A capo is an inexpensive yet very useful tool. You clamp the capo onto the frets of the fingerboard of your guitar and it allows you to instantly change the pitch of your guitar strings to a higher pitch. How high you make the pitch of your guitar depends on the fret you clamp the capo on and each fret will take the pitch one half step higher.

This incredibly useful tool has a number of advantages. If you are playing with a band and you want to match your guitar to another musician or singer, its as simple as clamping on your capo to the appropriate key.

Another advantage is with playing chords. A chord that is difficult to play in an open position can be played in an easier way by using a capo. This is wonderful if you are a beginner and want to learn a song that has difficult chords.

Speaking of songs.  Be sure to check out a popular post I put together a while back that includes 20 easy acoustic guitar songs for beginners. When you are done going through those songs, be sure to check out the entire library of easy beginner guitar songs here. You will get lots of experience using a capo by learning some of these songs.

So if you don’t already own a capo, I highly recommend that you head out to your local music store or go online and purchase this inexpensive and highly useful tool for the guitar, the capo.

I own a Trigger Style Capo. For me, it is just easier to use , but it really is a personal preference. I have provided a link below to where you can purchase one online if you don’t already own one:

Dunlop Trigger Curved Guitar Capo Gold When they made the Dunlop Trigger Curved Guitar Capo they knew your sound shouldn’t change when you put on a capo, and it shouldn’t be a 12-step process, either. With the Trigger capo, you’ll come through loud, clear, in tune, and in less time. The Dunlop capo is made of aircraft-quality aluminum, with a strong, padded, spring-action grip that can be changed quickly with just a squeeze. Works for both 6- and 12-string guitars. The Trigger Curved Capo features a unique pressure pad that conforms to fingerboard and frets for buzz-free fretting.

If you already own a capo and want to see a few demonstrations on how to use one, then you are in luck. I gathered several videos below from YouTube, that will demonstrate visually how to use a capo on your guitar as well as explain the advantages and uses in more detail.

Using a Guitar Capo Videos