Re: Guitars with capos

[Rachael Thomas Carlson]

Hello Hilary:
> Please excuse a short notation question!
This is a fun question!
> What's the preferred way of notating music for a guitar with capo?
> Sounding pitch, or as a transposing instrument (so that a guitar capoed
> on the third fret is effectively a guitar in E flat)?
This would depend upon if you are using tabulature or standard notation, 
or both.

With tabulature, it is preferred to notate without sounding pitch. It is 
preferred to notate as if there is no capo.  Such that if one were to 
play on open string on a guitar that has a capo on the second fret, that 
string would be notated with a '0'.  It is kind of a toss up between 
preference for what the standard notation would be for a transcription 
that has both tabulature and standard notation. Sometimes the standard 
notation is at sounding pitch and sometimes it is at pitch as if there 
were no capo.

With some transcriptions you will find grey numbers that connote the 
open capoed string such that if one were to play an open string on a 
guitar that has a capo on the second fret, that open string would be 
notated with a grey number '2'.  (Reference: "Novella," by Benjamin 
Woolman (Stropes Editions).)  These transcriptions are generally 
considered cumbersome by guitarists.  Important to note that with 
transcriptions that have a 1/2, 2/3, 1/3 or other type of capo, where 3, 
4, or 2 strings are capoed, use this type of transcription methodology.

In standard notation (without tabulature) you will often find that the 
music is written with the pitch notated as if there wasn't a capo.  Very 
rarely will you find music that is written at sounding pitch with a capo.

In all cases, one will find that there is an indication of the use of a 
capo in the area of the top of the score that LilyPond calls the 'poet' 
heading.  This is located below the title of the score and on the 
left-hand side of the page if you were looking at it.  If the guitar is 
capoed on the fourth fret, the numeration is usually roman, ie: capo IV.

Rachael Carlson