The Theory Of Bluegrass In Defense Of The Capo By Matt Snook printable pdf download

The Theory of Bluegrass: In Defense of the Capo

by Matt Snook

angst, apologizing as they position

roll in whatever key they like.

magine a festival jam, the night air

their capo for their favorite Hank Wil-

You’ve probably noticed the common

finally cool enough for comfort, the

liams tune, or whatever. The anti-capo

component here. Any music involv-

moon just up and you’re settling in for

ing open strings is dependent upon

crowd can be more than a little con-

a long one. Into the flickering lantern

descending toward what they see as a

that open tuning. Duh. So all the

light steps a stranger. “Mind if I sit

“crutch,” insisting that its use indicates

sans-capo pickers have done is limit

in?” You point him to an empty seat,

a lack of ability.

themselves to those sounds available

and from a well-worn case he pulls

from closed positions. And this on an

a fine hand-crafted resonator guitar,

But wait! Why do they use all six

instrument which can use ringing open

tunes the string and looks up, ready to

strings? Surely our jammer was cor-

strings, double-stopped unisons, etc. to

go. Why the heck, you wonder, does

rect – all tunes can be played on one

great effect.

he only have one string? “Well,” he

string (ask the mandolinists about

says, “I’ve found that all the notes are

Chris Thile’s and Mike Marshall’s

Why would anybody intentionally

right there on that one string, and a

G-string escapade). And I suppose

limit themselves? Especially when it

person really doesn’t need any more

is so easy to make up pretty cool dobro

that with practice, he could do it

now, does he?” “Oh, sorry,” you reply.

“with one hand tied behind his back,”

music that can’t be played without a

“Did I say that out loud?”

as my Grand-dad used to say. But

capo. Let’s look at one last example.

You can imagine your own ending

why handicap yourself? In case you

In Figure 2 is the tab to a dobro break

to this story, but my point is simply

haven’t noticed, there are no bonus

in E, capoed at fret 2, for the Merle

that you would find such antics a

points given out for going without. It’s

Haggard song “You Don’t Have Very

little strange. Who in their right mind

supposed to be all about the music.

Far To Go.” While many great

would not use everything their instru-

sounds can be found in a closed posi-

Consider a couple of standard dobro

Refusal to use a capo is just a

While those with one hand

“licks.” In Figure 1 you’ll see a tab

way of limiting your options.

tied - or no capo - can play

with two tried and true riffs in G. As

Which of us is so good that

long as we stay in G, we’re all in it

this roll only in G, any hum-

together. But as soon as the fiddlers

we can afford to do that?!?

ble player with a capo can

want to play Beaumont Rag in F, or

find this smooth, driving roll

the vocalist chooses C#, the no-capo

ment had to offer? Ah, but some dobro

in whatever key they like.

crowd will be restricted to playing

players, though they might not clip off

closed positions and looking down

five of their strings, do handicap them-

their noses at the capoed cadre who

tion E, they are only a fraction of the

selves by refusing to use a capo!

still have their complete repertory of

possibilities. This example is merely

closed and open position moves – in

one of an infinite number of simple

Now, banjo players don’t have that

every key! Refusal to use a capo is just

breaks that simply cannot be played

hangup. They will happily talk capo

a way of limiting your options. Which

without a capo! And remember, even

all day. Guitar players, same thing

of us is so good that we can afford to

with the capo all of the closed position

– bluegrass pickers, anyway. Actu-

do that?!?

moves are still available – the best of

ally, one of my favorite guitar players

both worlds! Limiting yourself just

routinely uses more than one capo to

Still not convinced? OK, next we have

to prove a point may earn you points

get the effect he wants – a drop F or

a move so simple that I can get people

in somebody’s book, but it sure won’t

G tuning. On the other extreme are

playing it during their very first dobro

help your playing.

the mandolinists, and occasionally a

lesson, and yet it can’t be played in A

guitarist will thumb his nose at capo

by even the most dexterous of profes-

use. But the poor dobro community is

sionals without a capo. The second

sorely divided.

line of Figure 1 shows a lick created

by Mike Auldridge, using a forward

Now I might be able to dismiss the

roll over the IV chord but leaving the

whole issue with some cliches like

first string open. While those with one

“different strokes for different folks,”

hand tied - or no capo - can play this

or “it takes all kinds,” but some sensi-

roll only in G, any humble player with

tive reso pickers carry around a lot of

a capo can find this smooth, driving

The Theory Of Bluegrass In Defense Of The Capo By Matt Snook

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