CAPO GUITAR
I DON’ T LISTEN TO MUSIC | Mitch Bohannon
Oh, I’ ve met all sorts of musicians and artists attending the NAMM shows over 20 + years. I’ ve been there showing or teaching the Short- Cut Capo technique for all these years. I often think back to some of the early days when I’ d walk the NAMM carpet early in the morning before the show would open. It would be so peaceful and quiet( that’ s a rarity at NAMM) and I could take my time looking around without bumping into endless swarms of people.
I recall doing an early walk with my good friend, DeWayne Phillips about 15 years ago and we were discussing how long the Short- Cut Capo would be“ new” to folks. I recall in that conversation we determined that as long as $ 100 guitars were being sold, the Short- Cut would be a new idea. I know we all learn in different ways and with different influences.
That is, unless you’ re that artist who told me many years ago,“ I don’ t listen to music.” I guess he was scared he would be influenced by someone else’ s playing or songwriting. He stuck out to me as an anomaly, of course I could be wrong.
Most of us, especially those of us with our noses in Worship Musician magazine every month, are searching to get better, to make things work or come together better than they did last Sunday. Maybe it’ s a sound, a tone, a rhythm, or a song that has us on the hunt. Any path you take may or may not have brought your eyes and ears across the Kyser Short-Cut Capo. Or maybe you’ ve seen it and nothing about it ever whispered,“ You need this in your bag of tricks!”
I say that because my buddy, Eric( I’ ll leave out his last name since he’ s a rockstar), whom I’ ve known for years … we see each other every year, we greet each other, visit about family, enjoy our time … but it took him until this past
July to message me and ask,“ Okay, what’ s this Short-Cut Capo all about?”
Even long-time players like Eric have their curiosity-switch flipped at random times. I spend most every weekday morning trying to post a quick, one-minute video of a song as a mini-lesson on how to play with the Short-Cut. I’ d love to have you follow me on Instagram @ cutcapo and TikTok and check those videos out! I just can’ t express how many times I get the random,“ Why do you have two capos?” comment on my videos.
So, I tell you this long story partly to reminisce and partly to entertain you, but mostly to whisper best I can,“ You need this in your bag of tricks!” You see, I play with the Short-Cut Capo when I lead worship for probably 95 % of the time just because I love it. My son and my son-in-law both are worship leaders as well and it’ s a periodic Sunday that they pull it out. We all need to play and lead our own way. That’ s a beautiful thing!
So read all the articles, go back to the archives online and read those too. Look for that nugget that will break down a wall or overcome a barrier for you and take your comfort with the guitar to the next level. I can certainly speak to all the testimonies that have come back to me about how the Short-Cut Capo inspired new ideas, new songs, new rhythms, and new abilities for folks who gave it a try. And that’ s whether you’ re just figuring out there are six strings on a guitar or even if your guitar playing paid for your new car. Beginner or pro … both can be inspired. Mitch Bohannon Mitch Bohannon and his wife, Noelle have been married for over 33 years with three adult kids and 6 grandchildren! Mitch developed the Short-Cut capo for Kyser and leads worship at Trinity Baptist in Orange, TX and is an English teacher in Louisiana.
66 September 2025 Subscribe for Free...