1. Introduction

The Transpo Capo is nothing to be afraid of. Consider it as just another tool, like a guitar capo, guitar slide or fingerpick, which players can use to change, enhance, or supplement the sound and/or pitch of a guitar. Users familiar with short cut or cut capos will immediately know how to use the Transpo Capo.

In a nutshell, the Transpo Capo is just like a regular capo but incorporates the features of both a short cut or cut capo and a regular standard capo. For those unfamiliar with short cut or cut capos, they are basically just regular standard capos that have been altered in a way to clamp down on certain strings of a 6-string guitar but at the same time, leaves some strings open or un-clamped.

Just like any other guitar capo, the Transpo Capo allows you to do two things: change the pitch of the guitar and/or change the chord voicings of a guitar. Placing a regular standard capo on a guitar fret will result in raising the “pitch” of the guitar. However, to change chord “voicings” involves actually changing the chord shapes and positions of your fingers relative to the actual music key that you are in.

2. Short Cut/Cut Capos and Alternative Tuning

The use of short cut or cut capos has been around for many years and is another example of artists experimenting with alternate tunings and different chord voicings to create new and fresh sounds.

Basically, the cut capo clamps down on three inner strings (3,4,5) and leaves three outer strings (1,2, 6) open. Here's how it works: If a short cut or cut capo is placed on the 2nd fret, the A-D-G strings on a standard tuned guitar would be clamped down, thus raising the actual pitch of the strings to B-E-A, effectively creating an alternate tuning of EBEABE, instead of the standard EADGBE. As shown below, the top row displays a guitar in standard tuning, and the bottom row displays the guitar string tunings after a partial/short-cut capo is placed on the second fret. As you can see below, the cut capo then provides an EBEABE tuning when placed upon a standard tuned 6-string guitar.

The advantage of using this technique, as opposed to actually tuning your guitar to EBEABE, is that you can still use all of the chord and scale forms you know in standard tuning. In addition, once you are done playing and experimenting in with the EBEABE alternate tuning, you can simply remove the partial capo and be back in regular standard tuning without actually having to re-tune your guitar. Especially at a live performance, it almost goes without saying that being able to incorporate different partial capos/short-cut capos to access different tunings is way more convenient than repeatedly having to re-tune your guitar or requiring the need to use multiple guitars that are each tuned differently.

The advantage of using this technique, as opposed to actually tuning your guitar to EBEABE, is that you can still use all of the chord and scale forms you know in standard tuning. In addition, once you are done playing and experimenting in with the EBEABE alternate tuning, you can simply remove the short cut or cut capo and be back in regular standard tuning without actually having to re-tune your guitar. Especially at a live performance, it almost goes without saying that being able to incorporate different short cut or cut capos to access different tunings is way more convenient than repeatedly having to re-tune your guitar or requiring the need to use multiple guitars that are each tuned differently.

 

3. What’s This DADGAD Tuning All About?

The alternative tuning of DADGAD has always been very popular because of the ability for artist to play certain chords with simplified fingerings, often with 1, 2 or even no fingers. In addition, the DADGAD tuning provides an open, rich and robust sound due to the nature of the repeated tuned strings, in this case the 1st, 4th and 6th strings. Having the ability to sound great and being able to play difficult bar chords with 1 finger? Seriously, who can beat that?

Therefore, to help artists incorporate the DADGAD alternate tuning sound and method easier, such companies as Kyser have introduced pre-manufactured short cut or cut capos.

4. Limitations Of Conventional Partial Capo/Short-Cut Capos

Though capos such as the Kyser’s short cut capo, made popular by Mitch Bohannon, have resolved the need for guitar players from cutting and modifying their regular standard capos into cut capos, they often limit the player to using the short cut capo or cut capo on the 2nd fret to take advantage of the DADGAD chord fingerings, resulting in being limited to the key of E major. Thus, for players to take advantage of the DADGAD chord fingerings at different pitches such as the Key of F or G, it required the player to use a second regular capo to be placed behind the short cut capo to effectively raise the pitch of the guitar.

However, being required to use two different capos is often inconvenient and cumbersome when switching between different keys while still keeping the DADGAD chord voicings and chord structures. Thus, creating the need to have one capo system that could feature both a short cut capo and a regular standard capo became necessary.

5. The Transpo Capo Solves the Short Cut Capo Problem

The Transpo Capo consists of two main portions, the front portion which contains a short cut capo or cut capo and a rear portion which contains a regular standard capo. On a standard tuned guitar (EADGBE), the Transpo’s rear portion acts as a regular standard capo and clamps down on all six (6) strings, while the front portion or acts as a short cut capo or cut capo and only clamps down the (3), (4), and (5) strings of the guitar but allowing the (1), (2) and (6) strings to remain open. In other words, the Transpo Capo provides the same intervals in a typical DADGAD alternate tuning but allows the guitar to stay in a typical standard tuning (EADGBE). Thus, for the first time, artists can incorporate the DADGAD chord voicings/positions at different pitches using one capo system.

The Transpo Capo can also be used as a standard regular capo by simply reversing the Transpo Capo on the guitar.

Depending on where the Transpo Capo is positioned on the guitar fretboard, the user can be able to play the EBEABE chord voicings/structures in the following keys below:

*Please note that the ability for the Transpo Capo to be positioned on the  6th or 7th frets of guitars will vary depending on the size and thickness of each respective guitar.

6. Transpo Capo Short Cut/Cut Capo Chord Diagrams

Transpo Capo chords are shown typically in the same way normal chord charts are displayed. However, because the Transpo Capo incorporates two different sized capos, particular attention must be paid to the positions of the regular capo and short-cut capo portions of the Transpo Capo as shown here:

* Attention must be given to the guitar frets on the left which indicate the relative positions of the front and rear portions of the Transpo Capo.

7. Transpo Capo Positioning

In typical use, the TRANSPO capo is placed upon the second fret with the front portion(short-cut side) placed upon the second fret. The rear portion (Regular Capo) should comfortably rest on the neck of the guitar.

Note: Due to the different shapes and sizes of acoustic guitar necks, to obtain the optimal position. please adjust the TRANSPO capo accordingly.

When a change in pitch is desired, you would simply re-position the Transpo Capo up along the fretboard as shown here:

The Transpo can also be used as a regular standard capo by simple reversing the Transpo on the guitar as shown below:

 

Introduction to the Short Cut or Cut Capo

For those new to the cut capo playing style, here's a great video that introduces the viewer to basic cut capo theory and sounds by using a single cut capo. The Transpo Capo builds upon the all cut capo advantages but without the limitations