Re: using capo or not/playing from chord charts
- From: Stephen Calder <calder9@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:12:13 GMT
tysteel wrote:
Hi everyone,
I have a question to ask about use of the capo while playing from
chord charts or "fake books". I'm playing accompaniment on electric
guitar in this instance.
At the moment I'm playing the beatles song, "Michelle", and according
to the "beatles fake book", the song is in the key of Ab. Well, I
haven't analyzed the song thoroughly, but it has 4 flatted notes in
the key signature.
Circle of fifths will tell you how many flats in which key.
F C G D A E B Gb Db Ab Eb Bb F
Sarting way over on the right, F has one flat, Bb has two, Eb has three, Ab has four. You were right. But the key it's set in is not necessarily the tonal centre.
I've done some reading up on the song online and have noticed mention
of the song being originally played with use of a capo, supposedly.
However, the "beatles fake book" doesn't seem to reflect that (I
wonder if any of them do?).
That song is a complex one, switching from one key to another and "borrowing" chords from lots of different keys. Chances are, no matter what key you switch to, you're going to find some unusual chords. No way around it.
The Beatles actually do it starting and ending in C. The Beatles songbook for guitar puts the tonal centre in D, but sets the whole thing in F for some reason obscure to me.
I guess I *could* practice this particular song without using the
capo.
Sure, but you don't have to.
Well, what I was really wondering ...should I practice playing this
Beatles song, Michelle, in that particular key WITHOUT using the
capo,which will have some "chord shapes" in first position area that
I'm not particularly practiced at, or for the sake of expediency
should I approach this song (and others like it) by opting to use a
capo by default to "cheat" and arrive at that key?
Do whatever works and is easiest for you to get the song going. It's not cheating to use a capo.
Perhaps what I'm
driving at is:: why learn a bunch of new shapes for a key that I
probably won't play much of anything in when I can use the capo and
just use shapes I already know ..and didn't McCartney originally capo
up his guitar for the song?
No idea what McCartney did, but probably not.
I like the shapes starting in A.
A Dm7 G F E F E
Michelle ma belle these are words that go together well my Michelle
Am Gm C7 F
I love you I love you I love you that's all I want to say
E7 Am Dm Am G#+ Am7 Am6
Until I find a way I will say the only words I know
Dm E
that you'll understand
coda (different key and pitch compared to the same words above)
F Am Dm E7
I will say the only words I know that you'll understand
A Dm A
my Michelle
G#+ (G# augmented) = same notes as C+
-----
--1--
--1--
--3--
--2--
-----
These are perhaps the easiest shapes for the song; the key is a little low for the average male voice so you may still want to use a capo.
--
Stephen
Ballina, Australia
.
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