Capo?

Zauber · Sep 22, 2015

Greetings. I have an ukulele soprano, and I would like to know if a capo is worth for those bar chords, I find them too difficult. Anyway, all I know is that a capo helps a lot, but I don't really know how it works. Should I buy one? And does a capo for guitars work on ukuleles?

pritch · Sep 22, 2015

Keep plugging away at those bar chords most people have trouble with those early on. You could try something like Uncle Rod's Ukulele Boot camp, it can be a bit intimidating to a beginner but it's good practice, it actually sounds quite musical and the price is right.
http://ukulelebootcamp.weebly.com/

Jim Hanks · Sep 22, 2015

Everything Jagadeesh said is true. If you want a uke capo anyway, I recommend the Shubb brand.

strumsilly · Sep 22, 2015

Capo's are probably more useful on a uke with a longer neck as they have more room up yonder. I have a few , but I don't use them anymore, as my index finger has become strong enough to be an always there capo. You will eventually need bar and 4 finger chords {like Bb] . I mostly used one to be able to plyy my DGBE bari like a soprano, but now I have more than one so I tuned one GCEA.

kypfer · Sep 22, 2015

I've got 5 or 6 capo's, purchased for various instruments. The Shubb bought for the my 5-string banjo fits nicely on my ukuleles. Do be aware that capo's come in effectively two "flavours", for curved (radiussed) fretboards and flat fretboards. The one won't usually work successfully on the other.

Now the novelty has worn off, I'll only usually use a capo these days to play along with a recording in an "awkward" key.

Mivo · Sep 22, 2015

Do you have difficulties with barring only in the first fret? If so, that might indicate too high action. It does get easier in time, too. When I started out, I couldn't do a clean barred chord, not without wriggling my finger around a bit and "testing" if all strings rang cleanly. I ignored barred chords for a while and then tried again - and that time it worked much better. I think it's just a result of increasing finger strength that builds up as you practice daily.

Jerwin · Sep 22, 2015

Jagadeesh said:
A capo only changes the key. So if you clamp a capo on the second fret and form an A minor chord it will be a B minor chord.

You're not getting rid of barre chords by using a capo, per se. You may be changing to a key where less barre chords are required is all.

I wouldn't put a guitar capo on a soprano uke. It probably won't fit and if it did would make that end heavy and out of balance, I think.

Have fun!!

I just wanted to let you know why it's said it helps with barring chords - it just simply lowers the action at the "nut" as it presses the strings down to the fretboard, the nut is now ur first fret wire.

In my opinion you should just keep trying and find the way it works for you - for example you can help ur index finger with the middle one etc. Also position of your thumb makes quite a difference. Watch some videos, and try that, your fingers will get strenght quite quickly. GL.

Zauber · Sep 22, 2015

Alright then, I'm gonna keep playing without capo. It's been a week today since I got my uke, and I find myself playing beginners songs without any trouble, the hardest one from the ones I know to play is Beautiful Tonight and I learned it yesterday, so I guess I'm making progress. Still dodging those bar chords though. Thanks everybody for your attention!

molokinirum · Sep 22, 2015

It takes some time but just keep practicing the barre chords, you will get there, we all did at some time!!

Capo?

Zauber

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pritch

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Jim Hanks

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strumsilly

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kypfer

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Mivo

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Jerwin

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Zauber

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molokinirum

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