Check out the new SpiderCapo Blog Page at spidercapo.blogspot.com where you can follow and find the latest and greatest about the SpiderCapo - the worlds' first full OR partial capo that allows you to apply the capo to each individual string. Add us to your favorite RSS feed reader now! SpiderCapo - just for the "regular ol' guitar" either: the SpiderCapo comes in a great many varieties for various string instruments as well as custom versions for the musicians who play non-standard instruments. The SpiderCapo has been dubbed "The Ultimate Alternative Tuning Capo". The SpiderCapo is not only fantastic for going from standard tuning to open tuning, but vice-versa as well.Let us introduce you a little more in-depth to the SpiderCapo and it's great many capo-bilities. There are 63 variations per fret and applying the SpiderCapo up to the 15th fret allows 945 different configurations thereof. Here's a PDF that'll get you started and give you the general idea -
http://spidercapo.com/documents/TuningsCompendium-1_000.pdf
Whoa! Right? Here are some Audio/Video examples:
http://spidercapo.com/video-audio.html
We are all familiar with the standard capo, some of us familiar with the partial capos that will capo just the first or last three frets for example, but the SpiderCapo goes so far beyond the rest, it is in a class of its own. Rightly so. Winner of many awards including "Best in NAMM" twice, this amazing accessory should be a standard in every guitarists arsenal of accessories:
http://spidercapo.com/spidercapo-in-the-news.html
So let us ask you a question: In a live show, would you rather sit and retune your guitar or flip a few fingers on the SpiderCapo to tune your guitar quickly and perfectly to be ready for the next song? The other thing is that you don't have to use all 6 fingers on the SpiderCapo! Surprising, we know, but when you unscrew the Spider's end completely, you can remove fingers from it and leave as many or as little number of fingers on the device as desired. In scouring the web, we find many use four fingers if not the standard six. Some use more than one SpiderCapo on their guitar(s) while playing or use the SpiderCapo in combination with a "regular" or partial capo.The SpiderCapo has also been a great use for those guitar players that are missing digits on their playing hands. We must say we admire your unwillingness to give up or give in because of your condition! In the SpiderCapo forums discussions you can find topics dedicated to this (forums.spidercapo.com under "Discussion"). It shows the player using an open G. tuning (3, 3, 0, 0, 3, 3,) so the I, IV, and V chords ( G, C, D) can be played without using the left hand at all! Next, all the diatonic chords in the key of G. are demonstrated playing the song “Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore”. The available chords are: G, A minor, B minor, C, D, E minor and is F# 1/2 diminished.
These demonstration examples are given as a starting point for those guitar players with only one or two fingers available on the hand that frets the fingerboard. Of course, the possibilities are limitless. Non-diatonic chords, and chromaticism can be introduced at any point. Any Spidercapo tuning can be used. If people will share the tunings they are using, we will post them up on the website for all to see and If I get enough responses, I will create a special page at spidercapo.com specifically for players with hands disabilities.
Meanwhile, I recommend you Chordie’s chat corner at the address below to chat with folks who are doing this. Say hi to Gitaardocphil. Click below to see the chat…..http://www.chordie.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=14895
Partial capoing is very good for getting new textures and new inspirations. Using partially capoed strings will give you new ‘rubs’ of small intervals: like 2nds, that sound so good on a guitar, and can inspire new songs. This is not to demean more traditional musical tools. If you’ve listened to some of the more sophisticated pop tunes, you’ll hear the beauty and power of transposing. [ex: the transition to the last chorus of ‘New York, New York’ ]How can a songwriter reap the benefits of open string rubs, AND, be able to move to different key centers? Answer: the partial capo!
We study the guitar to learn to play in different keys so that we can transpose within a song. This is an example of when the partial capo, as opposed to open tunings [actually turning the tuning pegs of the instrument], pays off. The reason is that your study of the instrument is not lost when you use a partial capo. This is because the intervals between the strings has not been changed, so the formations, chords, and voice leading techniques you’ve acquired can still be used.As a result, over time:1.You can build a singular body of musical knowledge that is ever progressing, as opposed to specific shapes that only work in a certain open tunings.2. You can use many different partial tunings without undo confusion-because the instrument remains the same.3. Because the interval shapes on the guitar are consistent per tuning, you foster the ability to improvise -which is the starting point of music composition and allows consistent transfer of musical ideas from the ear....to the guitar.
Stay Tuned (ok, some pun intended) to our blog page for more updates and special blogs about the great many uses for the SpiderCapo!
