Defend your position, Counselor! Jake & I debate how to approach the key of D–open D position, or capo 2 out of C position! We’ll use “Whiskey Before Breakfast” as a case study. I’ve included a basic melody tab with both D & C positions tabbed. All the notes are the same so you can see the comparison between the two positions, and have rhythm tracks as well!
Discuss the Guitar lesson: Playing in D: Capo vs. No Capo
11 Likes
“Very well, Open D and Capo C tabs are admitted into evidence!”
3 Likes
You did a really great job! @BanjoBen is always fantastic but I really liked the way you two complimented… because of the sound variations in the instruments too. It blended but also stood out - if that makes sense.
Sure, 2 guitars and 1 capoed (is that the right verb?) But it nearly sounded like another type of instrument.
I would enjoy seeing you guys playing together more often… and for several tunes/instruments in a row!
Great job, fellas!
5 Likes
Enjoyed this! I think what makes this lesson powerful, is that it’s focused on a musician creating your own breaks, advantages, disadvantages of different tonic keys on the guitar based on the song being played. It also considers fitting in with an ensemble and how to blend in.
By the end of the last video, I was beginning to wonder if Jake AND Ben had a little “Whiskey before Breakfast” 
Thanks again. Very educational!
4 Likes
Great Lesson @BanjoBen & @Jake Although I don’t play guitar I love the way you present this lesson. Really refreshing to hear you guys work off each other. I have lost count of the times I have sat down to a lesson only to dose of to sleep because the teacher was so boring. You guy’s make a great team. 
3 Likes
Very entertaining on so many level’s. Hmm. But I submit your honors that it’s a hung jury! On the uncapoed side there is the ability to utilize the D string to walk down the neck bluesy end of the tune ( I love that part) and in the c position capo you do have the less work fretting and the lead position in the line up ( if I’m wrong just shoot me) and Banjo Ben say’s He’s all about lazy ( in a good way) so I say… Forget the armwrastelin, go share a beer and a shot and play till the cow’s come home!.. Ya-Buddy! That’s what I’m talkin bout!!
3 Likes
Enjoyed this and would love to see the same lesson done on the five!,…capo 2,play in C and no capo, play in D.
Jim Joyce…GP member
3 Likes
Great lesson. I play better out of C so I am prejudiced. I think C wins for this tune. The discussion was really good to hear.
For the arm wrestle, I would give it to Jake cause Ben might want to boost his self esteem 
2 Likes
Ha! Thanks!
1 Like
Thanks so much and that’s a great idea!
1 Like
Jake is a bear of a man and I’d better bring everything I’ve got!
1 Like
Nice to see your post here on the Forum. Welcome and I hope you contribute often!
1 Like
I am glad you posted here also! This forum is a wealth of inspiration and good people and know that you are to it with your good ideas and contributions!
1 Like
I would like to add some advantages of the open D position regarding the minor 6 chord (in this case B minor): Actually I give a little contra to what Jake says around 5:30 in the rhythm video: He says, you don’t gain any tonal qualities with the B minor compared to the A minor, because it’s exactly the same chord(voicing). And he is right, as long as you look at the chord itself, but if you look at the time right before or after you play the B minor, you will find:
- That you can mute all strings easily (including especially the 6th and 5th string) by reducing the pressure. I guess that’s not a strong argument but in a very rhythmic and accentuated piece this can definitely be exactly what you want to do (and that doesn’t work for the A minor chord).
- That you can hammer on to the B note (picking the A string before), what sounds great.
- That you can slide into the B note (form B flat). If you have a strong and long enough index finger you even can hammer on to the B flat before.
- That you can do the ideas of 2. and 3. on the 6th sting and for example slide into the f sharp.
4 Likes
Yea!! We win!
1 Like
Well I spose you did ( win the argument I mean ) hence the Eeephin video! Either that or there was too much of that sippin whiskey after the case was settled or was that the same reason for the tidy whity sale???
3 Likes
Ben, perfect! Beautiful, Beautiful, I can only clap standing:clap:
2 Likes
I’ve often learned many times like this in D as a flatpicker. But as I get more into crosspicking, especially doing things like DDU and UUD down patterns, I find myself relearning many D tunes using the C shape. Norman Blake is a great example of this.
2 Likes
This lesson is absolutely killer! I typically play Whiskey out of C, but I am going to to start trying it more out of D.
2 Likes
I came up with a way to teach people how to transpose…
How to transpose
First thing to do is ignore all the letters.
Pretend you are flying over a mobile home park.
The outside circle is the addresses for each mobile home… the inner circle would be a storage shed in the back yard.
You are living in C. You decide to invite the neighbors to a barbeque.
Next morning, you can’t find your frying pan.
Your wife says .
Honey, maybe you left it in the shed.
(Am) no it’s not there. How about the neighbor to the left? (F) neighbor to the right?!!! (G)?!!
Oh I remember… it’s in the pantry ©
The search for your frying pan…
Is C…Am…F…G…C
Play those chords several times… get used to how they sound.
So… You decide to move… to D… Closer to the park… view of the mountains.
You have another barbecue…
Invite the neighbors.
Lose your frying pan. And go on the same search.
You start in D… look in your shed… Bm… then neighbor to the left. G… then right… A… then home. D
D…Bm… G…A…D
This is called transposing.
You can move to any spot around the circle… repeat the frying pan search… and play the exact same tune.
For instance
G…Em…C…D…G
Hope this helps
Let me know if you wish more info.
All the best,
Harv
2 Likes