Is there a lesson for this?

[Julian Barton]

I could be dumb but I had a friend ask me something and I realized I did not know the answer haha maybe I can show him a lesson on here or maybe one of you can speak to it. If there is no lesson we should get one because it seems important. So if you have a capo on I know it changes the key and all of that but how do I translate from like capo 4th fret chords to no capo chords? I never really learned that.

 

[Noah Berends]

I’m still a bit rough on this myself, but my understanding is that you’d move the chords down four half steps, or two whole steps descending, in accordance with the Circle of 5ths in order to maintain proper flats/sharps. If I’m wrong someone please correct me lol, I don’t wanna pass wrong info.

 

[Julian Barton]

So A would become F if it is that simple then fantastic! I also have another kind of silly question in this post too. I noticed that some people will play chord progressions of like 1 2 5 and it will be like C Bb and A (not an accurate example I am sure) but how do you get those minor chords in the progressions because I understand like I IV V but these minors and flats are beyond me haha

 

[Noah Berends]

That’s beyond my answering lol, I know the circle of 5ths is a good guide for finding sharps and flats in a key.

 

[Julian Barton]

Thanks Noah I will have to watch the lesson again. I just can’t seem to get it to click even though Papa Gates describes it in a fantastic fashion.

 

[Ed Seith]

Each fret is a half step. If you capo the 4th fret and play an open G chord, it becomes a B chord.
G
+1 G#
+2 A
+3 A#
+4 B
Nothing theory or “circle of fifths” or CAGED about it – it’s just basic math here.

 

[Julian Barton]

Thanks Ed that really helps seeing it illustrated

 

[Brian Haner Sr.]

Ed nailed the capo question. As far as the number system goes – Look at the lesson on the C chord family,(Lesson 21). I=C, II=Dm, III=Em, IV=F, V=G, VI=Am, VII=Bdim.
So a I VI II V progression would be C Am Dm G.

 

[Julian Barton]

Thank you Brian!!!! I don’t know why I just can’t seem to grasp it reading about it also thank you for teaching all this great stuff.

 

[Julian Barton]

Also after watching the lesson it appears like you are moving the C up to create a Dm triad would that be correct?

 

[idssdi]

Basically a capo moves up the nut. This means that if you have a capo at the 4th fret it means that if you take the open chord chapes C|A|G|E|D the chords actually become E|Db|B|G#|F#. Hope this helps a little bit