Re: capo, capo no
Originally Posted by
allenhopkins
When are people going to start criticizing octave mandolin players for using capos? I've seen people slap capos on OM's, mandocelli, mandolas, and no one says a word. But not on the mandolin!
The capo's a tool. Use it or don't. If you find it useful, go ahead. If you find it limits your exploration of the fingerboard, don't use it. Not an ethical issue, not (or shouldn't be) a reason for respect or disrespect.
Classical guitarists have been known to transpose compositions into more "guitar-friendly" keys. If you find it hard to play in F#, and for some reason you need to play there, do what seems reasonable.
I try to stay off these capo threads, but some of the inflexibility and, well, snobbishness, gets to me. Sorry if I'm overly prickly or critical myself. I have a capo, use it maybe once a year for a particular need, and don't consider it a "crutch," just another resident of my toolbox.
I think you're right. Some have the "I'm better than you are" attitude because of the capo.
And why is it OK for guitarists to use it? No one criticizes Tony Rice, Josh Williams, Doc Watson and many others because it's not at all uncommon to see one clamped onto their fingerboards.
David Hopkins
2001 Gibson F-5L mandolin
Breedlove Legacy FF mandolin; Breedlove Quartz FF mandolin
Gibson F-4 mandolin (1916); Blevins f-style Octave mandolin, 2018
McCormick Oval Sound Hole "Reinhardt" Mandolin
McCormick Solid Body F-Style Electric Mandolin; Slingerland Songster Guitar (c. 1939)
The older I get, the less tolerant I am of political correctness, incompetence and stupidity.
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