All things capo

[Chuck Naill]

A friend of mine was criticized for his snake skin cowboy boots. "Real men don't wear snake skin," was the phrase used. My friend, who measures a good 6 foot 13 inches and is built like a cinder block, stood up and replied "Real men where whatever #%$ &$%# boots they want."

It's really sad when the only value of being that big is to continuously having to stay seated until someone says something stupid then needing to stand up to show how large you are, which you had nothing to do with, and throwing out you opinion. I am not sure he changed anyone's mind. This is why I always carry a sledge hammer to these kind of discussions. It really levels the playing field.

Seriously, I had not heard it was unmanly to wear snake skin. Those styles were always pretty popular around here.

As to a capo being sissy, that's just too funny. I suspect that whoever started that idea was a novice. In my mind its like saying that it sissy to use a microphone, real men can pick hard enough to be heard.

I abstracted this from another forum, " I run the Taylor (Taylor brand guitar) through a BBE Acoustimax, Opto-Stomp, Aqua Puss Analog Delay, Cathedral Reverb and a RC-2 Loop Station", and some of you are concerned about a capo. Too funny.

[Bertram Henze]

If sissy, by definition, is attributed to objects a real man can do without - check out these other items:

- arm rest
- tone guard
- electronic tuner
- scroll

Now who's going to throw the first stone?

[JeffD]

Seriously, I had not heard it was unmanly to wear snake skin. Those styles were always pretty popular around here.
:

I should have added that my buddy is from a part of the country where his boots would be perfectly acceptable and probably not even noticed, but he presently lives in a part of the country where this is not the case.


The point being, of course, that if you are going to use a capo, for what ever reason, do so deliberately, proudly, without shame. What the heck - plant your pinky too, that will drive 'em nuts.

[ralph johansson]

Seriously, I had not heard it was unmanly to wear snake skin. Those styles were always pretty popular around here.

As to a capo being sissy, that's just too funny. I suspect that whoever started that idea was a novice. In my mind its like saying that it sissy to use a microphone, real men can pick hard enough to be heard.

Well, the word "sissy" was used by the OP reflecting, I suppose her prejudice about other people's preconceptions. She also said something abut not having to learn
"scary chords". If you limit yourself in various ways I suppose your limitations will show. They may also mean very little in the context. I know you can do abolutely horrible things on a mando when relying a lot on open strings, but that's not automatic.
Personally I prefer notes that I can control.

Anyway, I wouldn't advise anyone without listening and knowing their goals. I'm just puzzled by the word "scary". I've also seen reference to "odd", "obnoxious", "difficult", "weird", and "strange"
keys, and whenever I ask about the meaning of these words I never get an answer.

I've heard som strange versions of St Annes's Reel. In the third bar most people use a G chord, maybe because the idea of a seventh chord (A7) is scary?
In the second bar of the B part there's sometimes a G chord where I at least expect an e minor chord. Maybe minor chords are scary, but that G chord to me is really weird
(bot not obnoxious). Until someone cares to define these concepts ....

[Bertram Henze]

I'm just puzzled by the word "scary". I've also seen reference to "odd", "obnoxious", "difficult", "weird", and "strange"
keys, and whenever I ask about the meaning of these words I never get an answer.

My answer is: the scariness of a chord is proportional with the number of fingers you need to play it, multiplied by the maximum stretch between two adjacent fingers involved. Thus, the scariness of a chord is measured in inches and has been observed to exceed the scale length of a mandolin.
The least scary chord, by this definition, is G on a sawmill-tuned GDGD mandolin.

The question remains, what actually we are scared of. My guess: pain, broken ligaments, permanent damage and the consequences: playing kazoo for the rest of your life

[Chuck Naill]

She also said something abut not having to learn
"scary chords".

That caught my attention also. I admit that I use the mandolin in my music as a lead instrument so chords are not as important to me. In other words I play a mandolin the same as I play a fiddle with double stops occasionally. The capo comes in handy when playing for vocalist who are singing in keys that best accommodate them. Here again, they are asking for me to play harmonies or twining lead so that chops and chords are not the element desired.

If you limit yourself in various ways I suppose your limitations will show. They may also mean very little in the context. I know you can do abolutely horrible things on a mando when relying a lot on open strings, but that's not automatic.
Personally I prefer notes that I can control.

I prefer notes that provide the tone needed to produce the affects I desire. How I get there is immaterial to me.

[Loretta Callahan]

I use the mandolin for the melody as well, Chuck (love your tunes, btw), but was feeling like I was neglecting chords ... just 'cause I suppose.

Since I like to sing, this is where I thought the capo might help with chords as I play for my own and other's singing.

Bingo on getting the note that makes the tone sound right ... no matter the method.

Thanks for the encouragement!

I admit that I use the mandolin in my music as a lead instrument so chords are not as important to me. In other words I play a mandolin the same as I play a fiddle with double stops occasionally. The capo comes in handy when playing for vocalist who are singing in keys that best accommodate them. Here again, they are asking for me to play harmonies or twining lead so that chops and chords are not the element desired.

I prefer notes that provide the tone needed to produce the affects I desire. How I get there is immaterial to me.

Hahaha ... I think lots of folks now risk looking "sissified" using those electronic tuners during performances. The whole tone guard thing has me intrigued. This is a little off topic, but I read somewhere not to use them if one has a lacquer finish on the mandolin. My mandolin finishes are shiny, but that's all I know. I'll research the manufacturer sites to see what's used.

If sissy, by definition, is attributed to objects a real man can do without - check out these other items:

- arm rest
- tone guard
- electronic tuner
- scroll

Now who's going to throw the first stone?

Scary chords for me are ones that make my fingers hurt with pinkie and ring finger stretching. I'm not kidding when I say I have little hands and short fingers. Seriously, they are tiny. It's one reason I could never ace the guitar ... and 8 years of piano lessons didn't help those fingers grow either.

[Loretta Callahan]

Indeed, Cue, that's where I got the idea. Chords get really scary on the guitar ... six strings and that fat neck. My hands are so small, I've even steered away from the wonderful Breedlove mandolins because their necks are a tad fatter than the mandolins I have.

Capos keep you from having to learn scary chords on guitar as well...
I like my Shubb C1 on the guitar and have a C5 for a 5-string banjo/mandolin. I tried it last week and it works... but that's all it does - my fretting hand was really having some issues with the capo.
But I will use it anyway - I sometimes like the effects that capos give and sometimes it's just pure convenience (like, playing in flat/sharp keys or something).

[rico mando]

A minor major 7th chord has a bit of a scary sound to it ( i am referring to the sound of a -minor major 7th chord not that the name or shape is scary but the sound produced when played has a haunting flavour)

[catmandu2]

.. I think lots of folks now risk looking "sissified" using those electronic tuners during performances.

You go girl!...why not attach an i-phone, GPS, and fish finder up there while you're at it. I mean, god gave the musician ears for heaven's sake...

Although, I'm willing to cut some slack on this for stage performance purposes..

[catmandu2]

If sissy, by definition, is attributed to objects a real man can do without - check out these other items:

- arm rest
- tone guard
- electronic tuner
- scroll

+1

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Loretta,
Tim Connell is a fabulous mandolin player who lives in Portland too. He's an excellent teacher, and may help you get over your fear of scary chords.

Personally I use a capo on an altered mandola. The mandola has been restrung with mandolin strings and is tuned EBF#C#. So if I capo up three frets I'm in GDAE, a mandolin!

Daniel

[allenhopkins]

...why not attach an i-phone, GPS, and fish finder up there while you're at it.

I only do that when I need more bass. However, I'm never without my clip-on tuna.

[catmandu2]

I only do that when I need more bass. However, I'm never without my clip-on tuna.

A fine caper and retort(oise)!

[Loretta Callahan]

Hahahaha! Maybe a metal detector while we're at it. I've been using my ear to tune when the strings don't sound right ... then checking them with the electronic thingy. I'm getting better at this. That A string ... always the one that strays.

You go girl!...why not attach an i-phone, GPS, and fish finder up there while you're at it. I mean, god gave the musician ears for heaven's sake...

Although, I'm willing to cut some slack on this for stage performance purposes..

Thanks, Daniel ... I may check out Tim when my lesson budget returns. I worked with two teachers until the lesson budget burst, and one teacher is in Portland: Zak Borden, the other in Alaska, Jean McDermott ... using Skype. They both have helped me so very much in my practice. Our own Mad Marine here at the cafe made the suggestion. I'm still grateful to him for that.

Thanks for the capo info!

Loretta,
Tim Connell is a fabulous mandolin player who lives in Portland too. He's an excellent teacher, and may help you get over your fear of scary chords.

Personally I use a capo on an altered mandola. The mandola has been restrung with mandolin strings and is tuned EBF#C#. So if I capo up three frets I'm in GDAE, a mandolin!

Daniel