Standard tuning Capo 8 Alternative?

Question

Hello! Chords used, Eminor, Raised C(open C shape moved up two frets), C,

Basically id just like more room on the fretboard. If i tuned to D standard (DGCFAD) would i still be able to play the same chords just with no Capo? Im assuming that it would be the same notes, just an octave lower.

Answer 1

I'm only assuming that you're needing more room on your fretboard to access some lower notes for a melody you would like to play with your chord progression. If you still want to stay in your Eminor scale chord progression in D standard tuning, you will just need to restructure your chords so that you don't have to use a capo.

To explain the chords structures to use, I will use a number system representing the strings and the frets to press. for example, Eminor in the E standard tuning would be 022000, the first number representing the big E string, and the last representing the small E string, and all the other numbers, the other strings successively. 0 means you leave the string open, X means a dead string.

So, your original chords are Emin 022000, Raised C (which is actually a variation of D) X54030 and C X32010.

Keeping the same progression in the key of Eminor in a D standard tuning, there are two options for Emin which are 202200 (a variation of Emin7) or X44200, your raised C (or D) would look like a natural E chord 022100, and your C will look like a D2 chord XX0230. This is a really cool sounding progression even if you played it in E standard. Just note that going down to D standard and playing the chord structures that I recommended may make your progression sound darker.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I'm not sure what you are asking. Capo 8? Are you putting a capo on the eighth fret? That's too high. That's atypical. Check out Ricky Rooksby's book about Writing Songs on Guitar. He talks in depth about the use of a capo, and he does not go that high to the eighth fret.