Capos

Capos, for the uninitiated, are essentially spring-loaded "nut mover" gadgets for your guitar, banjo, mandolin or other stringed instrument. By repositioning the capo to different frets, you adjust the length of the strings, which means you can play tunes in different pitches without having to change your fingerings. That makes them handy for novice players who want to perform but haven't mastered fingering techniques for all different pitches yet, or for anyone looking to play an open-chord song without having to relearn the whole thing. There are lots of styles and sizes of capos available, so it's easy to choose one that fits your guitar and your music.

Sometimes, you might even need a capo that can be moved quickly with one hand - for example, if you're playing a song that contains multiple pitch changes. For that, you'll want a quick-release capo like the Kyser KGEB Quick-Change Electric 6-String Capo. This particular model is designed to better fit electric guitars, and it's easy to move with one hand without altering your tuning. Another suggestion would be the Glider GL-1 Guitar Capo, which uses a unique roller design that allows you to simply slide it up and down the fingerboard with a nudge of your thumb.

If your instrument isn't the guitar, that's no sweat: just look for capos that are designed to fit whatever you happen to play. For instance, there's the D'Addario Planet Waves NS Ukulele Capo Pro for uke players, and the Kyser Banjo/Mandolin Capo, among others, for those instruments as well. Maybe you do play guitar but you have unique demands in a capo? In that case, you might need a specialty capo like the Kyser Short Cut 3-String Acoustic Guitar Capo that limits only three strings, or the Shubb Original C-Series 12-String Guitar Capo for owners of 12-string guitars.

When all is said and done, choosing the right capos really is as simple as matching the capo design to the instrument you play and the capo functionality you're searching for. Capo some or all of your strings, go for rapid dynamic pitch changes - whatever you want to do! There are lots of options here to choose from, so however you decide to apply a capo to further your creativity, it's safe to say there will be one that's perfect for the job.