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A Song is played in the relative key of D with capo at 4th fret. This makes the actual key F#, correct? Now what if the guitar is tuned down a half step?

Thanks

Jimi:

If you are playing chord shapes from the key of D (D, Em, F#m, G, A, Bm, C#dim) and you have a capo at the 4th, then yes, you would be playing in the key of F# (F#, G#m, A#m, B, C#, D#m, E#dim - E# is really F, but every letter must be used.....) from a tone standpoint. If the guitar was tuned down a half step. you would just move the capo to the 5th and play the same chords.... Either that, or leave the capo at the 4th and play chords shapes from the key of D#, which would accomplish the same thing... A bit more difficult for some of us though.

I hope that is what you are asking...

Jason

Ok
yes
thank you

I song that I was looking at is Over You by Miranda Lambert which I have seen played in the key of G with the guitar tuned down half step. I have also seen it played with D shape chords and a capo on the 4th fret (key of F#). Assuming the capo version is in standard tuning, this puts the song a half step below the key of G. Seems to make sense.

Not familiar with that song, but yes, that would be the case. I would love to hear someone else comment to dbl check myself though.

Hey gang,

This is getting over complicated. When you have a capo anywhere tuned at any pitch a guitar player thinks in a relative key- the shapes of the chords you are playing. The key you are actually in is the absolute key- the key the piano or bass player thinks in.

Capo III play in C = Eb
Tune down 1/2 and it is in D
Tune down 1 and it is in Db

Capo I and play in E = F
Tune down 1/2 and it is in E

The absolute key is where every other instrument has to transpose to their relative key- horns in Bb or Eb have to know their relationship to absolute keys.

The relative key is something only created on guitars when tuning down or capoing up and thinking in a common guitar key, C G D A E for example.

Clear as mud?

Neil

jimi40 wrote:

A Song is played in the relative key of D with capo at 4th fret. This makes the actual key F#, correct? Now what if the guitar is tuned down a half step?

Thanks

F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F??

Quiz :

I was playing in Drop A the other day, strings tuned as: AEADF#B, I was capoed at the second fret playing in the key of G, so what was the absolute key/pitch? What should I tell my pianoplayer???!

OK - this feels like a trick question and at the risk of feeling like an idiot if I get it wrong...

It doesn't matter what you're turned to, if you're playing in the key of G but you're capoed at the second fret then your pianist should play in A