CAPO GUITAR
BEFORE YOU LEAD … TUNE | Mitch Bohannon photo by Hy Art via Unsplash
It should go without saying . As musicians , we should be “ Pitch-Aware .” How many times have you been listening in a live music setting and realized that something is out of tune ? When we play stringed instruments , tuning issues can destroy the most prepared presentation . Poorly made instruments , old strings , or malfunctioning tuning pegs can easily be the culprit of out-of-tune guitars , but sometimes it is a lack of attention to detail or lazy preparation . But , read on … there is more to tuning than just the six strings in your hand .
I will say , I recommend having a tuner quickly available , but not on the headstock ! Have a tuner backstage to tune before you walk onto the platform . An added benefit is to tune all guitars with the same tuner . If you have a pedalboard , have a tuner in your signal chain and please mute your signal when tuning . Leaving tuners off the headstock removes one extra distraction .
I bring this topic up because using capos can often be a tuning hazard and I play with capos most of the time ! I ’ ll give you some ways to avoid tuning problems with capos … First , have your guitar properly setup . This means , have the action ( string height ) adjusted and the guitar intonated so that it plays in tune all the way up the neck . If your strings are high off the neck , then pressing the string down to the fret , whether it ’ s with your finger or with a capo , will cause the note to be sharp . If your saddle is not adjusted for proper intonation , then the note at the 12 th fret will not be in tune and a capo will just magnify that fact .
One solution is to tune with the capo on . I highly recommend this when you are recording . However , on platform , playing a four-song set , you ’ ll probably be making capo changes and you certainly don ’ t want to stop and tune for each change . Playing with a Short-Cut Capo only holding down 3 strings creates even greater challenges if you were tuning every capo change . All of this is avoided with proper technique and a properly setup guitar .
You mean there is a technique to using a capo ? It makes me cringe when I see someone place a capo on a guitar and it looks more like a “ find the missing angles ” worksheet in geometry class ! The capo is not supposed to create the letter “ N ” between two fret bars ! Please set your capo tightly against the fret bar and on an electric guitar , I would even place the capo on top of the fret bar as long as the string is not muted . Proper placement will help with tone and intonation .
As I mentioned , there is more to tune than just the guitars . If you are the worship leader , it ’ s your job to make sure your worship band is in tune with each other . Yes , by pitch , but also by relationship . In order to lead worship effectively , hearts must be in tune . Firstly , hearts must be in tune with the Lord and secondly , hearts must be in tune with each other on platform as well as the people you ’ re leading . Each of these “ tunings ” take time . Time in the Word and time in rehearsal .
Want to be “ Better By Sunday ?” Here ’ s a challenge for you . Do you livestream or at least video record your worship ? Watch the recording and ask yourself … Do we sound in tune ? Do we look in tune ? Do we look like we are leading people or are we obviously staring at a “ confidence ” monitor or iPad ? After you watch yourself , go to YouTube and randomly pick a church or two and watch their worship . I ’ m not talking the big churches … maybe a friend ’ s church or just type in “ First Baptist ” and the name of some city in some state you ’ ve never been to . I do this often , not to criticize other churches or musicians , but to look for things I want to learn .
It ’ s important to not create a bubble to live in . We need to learn from each other . Hopefully that ’ s why you ’ re reading [ WM ] Worship Musician magazine ! Hopefully we all want to be “ Better By Sunday !” Now , go tune your guitar !
Mitch Bohannon Mitch developed the Short-Cut Capo for Kyser and is the Director of Live Production at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles , Louisiana .
52 July 2024 Subscribe for Free ...