Just an interesting tidbit: according to the Oxford Dictionary, the word Capo should be pronounced /ˈkapəʊ/, i.e. the letter a is pronounced the same way as it is in the word ‘cat’. This makes sense, since the word comes from Italian, and they would never pronounce it the other way.
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That’s the way I’ve always pronounced it. Kay-poh never made sense to me.
Tomato
Tomato
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Well, to be honest, an Italian would never pronounce it rhyming with “cat”, either 
“Capo” means “head” in Italian and is pronounced “kah-po”. The Italian word for capo is capotasto.
In any case, I think us Americans say kay-po and Brits (and probably Aussies and Tasmanians ) say it with the “a” sounding as in “cat”.
I’m German and would definitely pronounce it “kah-po”. It never occurred to me that it could be pronounced differently
To me, a capo sounds a bit like cheating (to be honest, more than “a bit” ). I’ve been playing the piano for 35 years, and there I can accompany any song in any key. And that’s how I also see it with the guitar: When I want to play a song with “complicated” chords, well, then I have to learn that “complicated” chords. I’m in no great hurry to be able to play any particular song as quickly as possible, anyhow.
Regards,
Oliver
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According to the IPA phonetic transcription, the letter a in the English word “cat” is pronounced exactly the same as the letter a in the Italian word “capo” (from the phrase “capo tasto”, as you stated). Maybe you pronounce “cat” in a different way to standard English which explains why you think the pronunciation is different (that’s not a criticism 
).
Well, capos aren’t used only to make “complicated” chords easier to play, but also to transpose songs to another key to fit the vocal range of the singer. It’s like playing the same chord progression at different parts of the keyboard.
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As @Jozsef said and even more besides.
Capos allow guitarists to play in the same key but using unique / preferred chord shapes and voicings for enriched aying with chordal melodies, embellishments etc.
A capo is an invaluable tool.
Kah-po from me too.
Hi Jozsef, hi Richard,
thanks for your replies!
Well, actually it’s more like pressing the “Transpose” button on the keyboard and playing exactly the same as before … It just sounds different because the keyboard automatically transposes it. Which is exactly what I’m trying to avoid. And on a “real” piano it’s not even possible.
When I play with a singer and she wants to sing a new song and she wants to sing it in E then I play it in E. And if she wants to sing it in Ab then I play it in Ab. Apart from a few more or less black keys, it really makes no difference. The only situation where I’d use the “Transpose” function is when we played a song in E for 15 years, but then she wants to sing it in Eb or D to make it a bit easier for her voice. Then I will also just use the “Transpose” button and not relearn the song again in Eb or D. But then there’s always the danger to forget resetting the “Transpose” function to 0 before the next song. And this has happened in concerts 
Well, I honestly don’t know anything about guitar playing. I bought my very first guitar a week ago. So don’t get me wrong on this. I’m really sure that you’re right and you know what you’re talking about.
But coming from the piano, these guitar concepts really sound sooooo different and “strange” to me. Why can’t you just play those voicings, chordal melodies, embellishments etc. in any key? On the piano, everything that I can play in C, I can generally also play in E, Ab or F#. Yes, it involves some more black keys, but that’s really the only difference. My head finds the concept, that everything is completely different in a different key, really “weird”.
I’m not sure how to even begin grasping all those “strange” concepts. And by the way: I have absolutely no idea what “embellishments” even are
Hi Oliver …
Ouch! 
One week in, don’t worry about all of this. Just be aware, for the moment, a capo can be a beginners big friend in some situations.
As a beginner you will learn chords A, D and E. The capo allows you to play those exact shapes further along the neck so that they are actually making, for example, chords C, F and G or another example chords Eb, Ab and Bb. Same exact shapes, different keys. Which allows people to play along with records but only knowing three beginner chord shapes.
Hi Klimperer42, this has to do with using open chords, i.e. chords that include notes played on strings that are not fretted. For example, in the C chord played in the open position, the G note is played on the open G string. Now let’s say you want to play a C# chord: on piano, you just move your fingers over one key, but on guitar you cannot easily modify your open C shape, by moving it up a fret, say, to play the C#, because you’d still have the open G string sounding. You’d need to fret the G string at the 1st fret, which would require rearranging your fingers to make a barre chord of some kind (e.g. an A-shape bar chord at the 3rd fret).
Aside from being much harder to play, it fundamentally changes what I am able to play while fingering this barre chord. For example, while playing open C, you often will use hammer-ons on the G string, second fret to make the note A (this is what is meant by an embellishment, you do it while holding down the C chord, using your middle finger to hammer on the G string). This sort of hammer-on would be impossible if you were playing a C# barre chord. Also, many songs are arranged using open chords and require picking out individual notes, which you typically fret while holding down the chord, often using a free (or borrowed) finger. Again, this sort of thing is basically impossible with barre chords.
I don’t play piano, but guitar seems to me fundamentally different than piano in this respect.
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Hi Richard
I’m not really sure if she really noticed it. Usually we transpose not more than 1 or 2 semi-tones. But I certainly noticed 
That’s what I meant: If I want to play a song with Eb, Ab and Bb, then I will try to learn Eb, Ab and Bb. But I also don’t have the goal to play any particular song, so I’m in no hurry to learn playing to any particular song.
I know I’m probably pretty narrow-minded about that. And that I also tend to “overthink” things. But that’s just how I am 
Thanks for your answer. I have to admit, though, that I didn’t understand 90 % of what you wrote
But you’re definitely right, that guitar and piano are fundamentally different in many respects. I guess that’s one aspect of what is making it so hard for me. I feel like my prior piano experience is really seriously hindering me rather than helping me.
Don’t worry about that. Try to start with a clean slate when thinking about the guitar. I don’t play any keyboard instruments myself, so for me the only similarity between the two is that adjacent frets and keys are a semitone apart.
However, on a keyboard you have each note (or pitch) laid out in a linear fashion in front of you and included only once, whereas on a guitar or other similar stringed instrument, you have the same pitch at multiple places on the neck. E.g. in standard tuning* you will find the same E as the thinnest string on 4 other strings as well (or all the other 5 frets if your guitar has 24 frets).
*Also, I’m not aware of keyboard instruments where you can radically alter the tuning of the whole instrument. How cool is that?
@Klimperer42 think of a piano as walking on a sidewalk.
You can go left or right. Think of a guitar as swimming in
a pool. You can go left, right, up, down or any direction
you’d like.
A piano has 1 middle C a guitar has 5.
On a guitar you can span 2 octives with 1 hand.
When you play an open G chord you are playing 3 G notes in
3 different octaves and only using 3 fingers. Lets see you do
that on a piano.
Until you understand how a guitar fret board is layed out you
won’t understand how a capo is really used.
Most guitar players don’t understand what a capo is for.
Everything you said about changing keys on a piano applies
on a guitar. Every chord and chord inversion can be played
on a guitar without using a capo and a capo is much more
than just a cheat to change key.
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Hi @stitch,
I readily admit that I know nothing at all about playing the guitar.
There are just so many concepts and aspects about playing the guitar that I feel quite overwhelmed. I know that I’m a guy who likes to “understand” things (I’m a [software] engineer by profession ) and think about things. Often “overthink” things. And now I don’t know where I should even try to start to get a better understanding. I think that’s a big part of my frustration.
@Klimperer42
Start at grade 1 follow the lessons put in the practice time.
You didn’t because a software engineer a week into grade school.
The best way to understand something is to start at the beginning
and work your way throw. The music theory you learnt on the
piano applies to guitar as well. So this will help you understand
the guitar.
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There’s lots of talk about capo just easier chords, but they sound different! It’s the same tones, but you get another sound/voicing I think when playing open chords than mixing with barre chords. Useful when writing songs too.
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I got the capo with the handle that Justin recommended, but my guitar always goes out of tune when I put it on. Help?
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@Elwong3
There are several factors to consider.
If the capo spring is too strong it can grip the strings too tightly and make the notes go sharp.
If you have jumbo frets a similar thing can happen.
If your action is very high a similar thing can happen.
One tip. Detune your strings a little before placing the capo. Always tune up to pitch. When the capo is applied - not touching or super close to the fret, it can be a little behind - then tune up to the appropriate pitch.
I hope that helps.
Cheers
| Richard | JustinGuitar Approved Teacher, Official Guide & Moderator