"Chords from websites"- What if there is a capo?

airmanfoote

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Hello there!
Been awhile since I have posted. I have finally ventured into the realm of teaching myself songs. I found the chords for Go Cubs Go on ultimate guitar and it says the guitar is capo'd at the 5th fret. The chords are G, C, and D. Would I use those chords on ukulele or does the capo mean I need to transpose or anything? Im sure this is a tongue in cheek question, but I AM a beginner. ;P Thanks in advance!
 
Go Cubs!

It depends. Sometimes they give you the chords post-transposition, other times they're pre-transposition. Usually they will tell you, but sometimes they won't. If they don't tell you, assume the chords are pre-transposition, and you'll have to transpose it yourself.

In your case, it looks like you'll have to transpose them yourself. I took a look. I don't have time to explain the process, but instead of G, C, and D, you'll play C, F, and G.
 
Awesome! Sh-shoot! Thanks Seeso! Been looking up songs lately and that's the first time I've run into a "capo." I'm still working on Ukulele 102 & 103 and can't wait to really get into Theory.

Go Cubbies!!!!
 
Awesome! Sh-shoot! Thanks Seeso! Been looking up songs lately and that's the first time I've run into a "capo." I'm still working on Ukulele 102 & 103 and can't wait to really get into Theory.

Go Cubbies!!!!

We are turning it on in the second half of the season! YEAH!
 
Heck yea!!!! Ever since Valbuena and Rizzo got the call up they have been RED HOT! That's why I need to learn this song ASAP! ;P
 
Any chord is the same regardless of the instrument it is played on. A chord is a group of notes being played together, don't mess this up with the finger positions you need to achive this result.
A C chord on a guitar consists of the same notes like a C chord on any ukulele, just the fingering is different: Guitar 032010, Uke (C-tuning) 0003, Uke (D-tuning) 3211

Adding a capo and moving the finger patterns up the fretboard adds complexity though: you use a C fingerpattern, but actually you play another chord (soundwise).

Don't confuse fingerings with actual chords......

Uke example (C-tuning): 3211 = Bb. Move it up one fret (or put a capo in fret 1) to 4322 and you play B. Same fingerpattern, different chord. Move it up another fret (5433) and you play a C.
 
Hey Louis!
I understand that chords are chords. I just don't really understand what a capo does, theory wise, I suppose. I wasn't sure if the capo changed the key or anything. Thanks for the detailed response, but after Seeso adjusted those chords for the song I posted, reading your reply has kind of confused me about the capo. Haha!! :)
 
Hi airmanfoote,
the capo basically tunes your uke higher one half tone per fret, that's all. And together with the overall tuning, all fingerpatterns are "shifted up" as well. So a C fingerpattern (0003 from nut/zero fret) without fret plays a C chord. With capo in 2nd fret it plays (2225 from nut, 0003 from capo) a D chord.
Sounds confusing, but in fact isn't (more maths than music...) that much....

HTH
 
Ok. I THINK I'm picking up what you are putting down. I still haven't dove into theory much but it is definetly the one thing I'm looking foward to learning. Really just want to "master" this instrument! :)
 
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