Another capo question

[Juststarting]

I have just started getting to play with some other folks, most of them guitar players. They seem to capo every song, but I just want to play the key as it is on the mando, no capo. One of our songs is Homemade Wine, it says capo 2 and lists the chords as A G D and a single E. So those are the chord shapes, how do I know what key to play in without the capo on the mando?

[UsuallyPickin]

Well ..... One fret is a half step two frets are a whole step. So if the guitar player is playing G // C// D // G with a capo on the second fret he is playing in the Key of A one whole step above G ... A//D//E//A on an in capo-ed mandolin ..... Playing in C with a capo on the second fret makes "it" playing in D. So you would use the D//G//A// chords ... Capice? It really a question about the physical nature of stringed instruments. The shorter the string ie where it is fretted / played the higher the pitch on that string. R/

[HappyPickin]

I have just started getting to play with some other folks, most of them guitar players. They seem to capo every song, but I just want to play the key as it is on the mando, no capo. One of our songs is Homemade Wine, it says capo 2 and lists the chords as A G D and a single E. So those are the chord shapes, how do I know what key to play in without the capo on the mando?

You'll be playing B, A, E and F# (F sharp).

[Bunnyf]

Just remember it's only 1/2 step btwn b & c, and e & f. So, just count up one fret for those and two for everything else. So, for example, if they are playing in D capo on 3 fret, you count up from D...2 frets up is E, one more fret up is F cuz there's only a half step btwn e & f. If the were playing in G capo 3, then it's 2 frets up to a, and since the interval btwn a & b is a whole step, the 3 fret would be playing in Bb. Remember where the 1/2 steps are and it's really very straight forward. You just count up the stated letter key by the # of capoed frets. Looking at a keyboard can help btwn b/c e/f, there's no black key; that's why it's only a 1/2 step (the equivalent of one fret). Does that make sense to you?