Transposing

Why do you need to play in different keys? ...the reason is simple we dont all have the same voice....a mans voice is much lower than a womans voice......well in general terms that is.....you do have the odd exception.....but we wont go into that.....thats for web sites on the Birds and Bees. So to accomodate the change in voice pitch we use whats known as a Capo. This also helps you play along with another Instrument in a different key..eg Guitar or Fiddle....what's also handy about a capo is that you don't have to re-learn a tune by picking it from different chord positions. You play it exactly the same way using the same fingering as without it. Another point to remember...without use of a capo retuning your Banjo 5th string any higher than A... will only result in an evergrowing pile of broken 5th strings.

In order to use the capo correctly...the more observant of you will have noticed that the 5th string will go out of tune with the first string if you place a capo on any Fret. To get around this problem...you can use one of two methods ....either have a 5th string capo fitted...Shubb do a very good one....or the more common method is to use model railway spikes hammered into the fretboard on specific frets. (see below for example)

Unless you are playing regularly in different keys the only two common frets you will need spiked are the 7th fret to allow you to play in the key of A and the 10th fret to allow you to play in the key of C....although i have seen some banjos spiked at every fret up to the 10th Fret...i think this is being a little bit on the excessive side though....but each to their own...

When you use the spike along with your Capo you normally find the 5th string has gone slightly out of pitch, this is because you have streched the 5th string out of tune by bending the string from its normal position, to put it under the spike......a slight re-tuning is normally the order of the day.....so if you have a banjo that has these 2 spikes on the 7th and 10th Frets you now know the reason they are there.....if you dont have them...i suggest you look around for a Luthier..(thats an instrument maker to you and me)...and have him put the spikes in place.. because at some time or other you will want to play in a different key....and without these spikes in place you cant do that without the risk of costing yourself a fortune in 5th strings....

Transposing Chords in different Keys

Now we come to the problem of transposing chords into different keys.....when you play the fingering for a C chord in the Open G tuning you naturally get a C chord....but when you have a capo on the 2nd fret....... playing the same fingering plays the chord D....confused?.....
well i am.........well not really...the reason you are playing the chord D and not C is because you are playing in the key of A.....ill try to explain it a little clearer take a look at the scale below....it tells you which key you are playing in when you capo on a specific fret.

This symbol (b) means Flat.......This symbol (#) means Sharp

capo on fret 1 ..............playing in key of Ab
capo on fret 2 .............playing in key of A
capo on fret 3 .............playing in key of Bb
capo on fret 4 .............playing in key of B
capo on fret 5 .............playing in key of C
capo on fret 6 .............playing in key of Db
capo on fret 7 .............playing in key of D
capo on fret 8 .............playing in key of Eb
capo on fret 9 .............playing in key of E
capo on fret 10 ...........playing in key of F
capo on fret 11 ............playing in key of F#
capo on fret 12 ...........playing in key of G

Trying to remember all the different chord positions for every key can be very confusing........the method I find easiest is........to find which chord you are playing in a specific Key..........try this:

The number of frets you have moved up your Capo.....move the same number of steps up the scale any Chord you Play

Take a look at the Chord scale below its a good idea to learn this scale...you will notice its the same as the one above this is an octave scale for G....which co-incidentaly is what your banjo is tuned to...the scale goes in a continuous loop so when you reach note 12 which is G your next note will be Ab then A and so on until you reach G again.... (take a look on the Tuning page Under Finding Notes on your Banjo...to give you another idea what this is about.)

Example 1:

If you are playing with a capo on the 2nd Fret.....and using the fingering for Chord G.....you move up 2 steps on
the scale above............two steps up is the Chord A so you are actualy playing the Chord A........follow me?

Example 2:

If you are playing with a capo on the 5th Fret...... and using the fingering for Chord G.....you move up 5 steps
............five steps up is the Chord C so you are actualy playing the Chord C.......

Example 3:

If you are playing with a capo on the 2nd Fret..... and using the fingering for Chord D..... you move up 2 steps
............two steps up is the Chord E so you are actualy playing the Chord E.......

Example 4:

If you are playing with a capo on the 5th Fret..... and using the fingering for Chord D..... you move up 5 steps
............five steps up is the Chord G so you are actualy playing the Chord G.......

You must be getting the idea by now.....the same method works for minor chord 7th chords etc,

Example 5:

If you are playing with a capo on the 2nd Fret..... and using the fingering for Chord A minor..... you move up 2 steps
............2 steps up is the Chord B minor so you are actualy playing the Chord B minor.......

Example 6:

If you are playing with a capo on the 2nd Fret..... and using the fingering for Chord D7..... you move up 2 steps
............2 steps up is the Chord E7 so you are actualy playing the Chord E7.......

This method is really only useful for working out which chord your playing....the best method is to learn your chord transpositions for each Key. Try learning transpositions for A and C.....they tend to be the most common keys used.

O.K. enough of the examples...if you havent got it by now....Read the page from the top again until it sinks in what im trying to get over.....if you dont understand...get your banjo on your lap and mess around with the capo until you get the idea...it will hit you all of a sudden.....then youll say jeez' that was a lot easier than that Idiot was explaining it.... but then again....this is all for free...so if ya want to pay me the going rate for private tuition im sure i can get the idea over....