The Banjo Guru

A capo is an essential tool for the bluegrass banjoist, but don’t automatically reach for it just because a song isn’t in the key of G.  Remember that a capo is there not to make it possible to play in a given key, but to make it possible to play in a given key in a certain way.  On the bluegrass banjo, the capo’s real purpose is to preserve the sound of open-string rolls in keys other than open G.  These rolls on open strings are indispensable to the driving, traditional bluegrass banjo sound and some material just won’t sound right any other way; I’d be the last one to advocate playing “Train 45” in open B.  But on slower songs, or any material where the hard-driving roll in not necessary, give a thought to tackling other keys without the capo.

Open C is the most common first step for banjo players learning to venture out of the key of G without a capo.  I never capo at the fifth fret to play in C, unless somebody I’m playing with specifically requests it; here I’m thinking of a particular song and my mandolin-playing friend (yes, Joel, I’m talking about you and “If I Lose”!)  Otherwise, the beautiful ring of the first-position C chord, with its rich possibilities for hammers and pulloffs, is the way to go.

Don Reno is the most obvious model for the player seeking freedom from the capo (although, contrary to popular belief, Reno did use a capo at times), but another fine example in this regard (as in so many others) is Earl Scruggs; on the original Flatt and Scruggs recording of “Why Don’t You Tell Me So” in the key of F, Scruggs capoed his fifth string up two frets to A, left the other strings open, and played one of his all-time classic breaks.