23  Chord Display and Instrument Settings

In the Structure, Tabbing (on macOS), and Chords song views, you can tailor how Capo shows chords (and tablature on macOS) so that it suits whatever instrument you play.

Note

Changes you make to the chord display and notation settings apply to all the song views. Additionally, your changes are automatically remembered as your preference for new projects. So if you change one project to display chords for a Ukulele in standard tuning, all new projects will start off showing you chords for your Uke.

23.1 Changing the Chords Display

Capo can show chords in the Practice (and Tabbing on macOS) song view in one of four different ways. By default, Capo displays chord boxes for guitar. You can also have Capo display simple piano diagrams for each chord, or just their names. If you want, Capo can show no chords at all.

To change the display of chords in the Practice or Tabbing song view:

  1. Click the settings icon on the right-hand side of the toolbar
  2. In the DISPLAY section, click on the Chords popup
  3. Choose your preferred display mode

To change the display of chords in the Chords song view:

  1. Click the settings icon on the right-hand side of the toolbar
  2. Click on the Display popup
  3. Choose your preferred display mode

To change the display of chords in the Practice song view:

  1. Tap the menu at the top-right of the screen
  2. Choose the Notation Settings item
  3. Tap ‘Chords’, and select your preferred display mode

To change the display of chords in the Chords song view:

  1. Tap the menu at the top-right of the screen
  2. Choose the Chord Settings item
  3. Tap ‘Display’, and select your preferred display mode

23.2 Configuring a Stringed Instrument

When Capo is showing chord boxes, or displays tablature (on macOS), the diagrams are drawn based on the type of instrument and its tuning.

To change the stringed instrument and tuning in the Practice or Tabbing song view:

  1. Click the settings icon on the right-hand side of the toolbar
  2. In the INSTRUMENT section, click on the Instrument popup and choose from the list
  3. (Optional) Click on the Tuning popup and choose from the list

To change the stringed instrument and tuning in the Chords song view:

  1. Click the settings icon on the right-hand side of the toolbar
  2. Click on the Instrument popup and choose from the list
  3. (Optional) Click on the Tuning popup and choose from the list

To change the stringed instrument and tuning in the Practice song view:

  1. Tap the menu at the top-right of the screen
  2. Choose the Notation Settings item
  3. Tap ‘Instrument’, and choose from the list
  4. (Optional) Tap ‘Tuning’, and choose from the list

To change the stringed instrument and tuning in the Chords song view:

  1. Tap the menu at the top-right of the screen
  2. Choose the Chord Settings item
  3. Tap ‘Instrument’, and choose from the list
  4. (Optional) Tap ‘Tuning’, and choose from the list

23.3 The ‘Virtual’ Capo

One of Capo’s most useful features for guitarists is the ability to specify a capo position. Once you choose a fret for the capo, Capo will adjust the chords (and the tablature display on macOS) accordingly. For instance, if the song is calling for a G chord, and you set the capo to the 3rd fret, you would play an open E chord to sound a G. Capo will display an E chord with an open E shape as a result.

To specify a capo position in the Practice or Tabbing song view:

  1. Click the settings icon on the right-hand side of the toolbar
  2. In the INSTRUMENT section, click on the Capo popup and choose a position from the list

To specify a capo position in the Chords song view:

  1. Click the settings icon on the right-hand side of the toolbar
  2. Click on the Capo popup and choose a position from the list

To specify a capo position in the Practice or Tabbing song view:

  1. Tap the menu at the top-right of the screen
  2. Choose the Notation Settings item
  3. Tap ‘Capo’, and choose a position from the list

To specify a capo position in the Chords song view:

  1. Tap the menu at the top-right of the screen
  2. Choose the Chord Settings item
  3. Tap ‘Capo’, and choose a position from the list

23.4 Left-Handed Chords

When Chord Boxes are being shown, Capo can draw its chords flipped around for left-handed players. Rock on, southpaws!

To set left-handed chords in the Practice or Tabbing song view:

  1. Click the settings icon on the right-hand side of the toolbar
  2. In the INSTRUMENT section, click the ‘Left-Handed’ checkbox

To set left-handed chords in the Chords song view:

  1. Click the settings icon on the right-hand side of the toolbar
  2. Click the ‘Left-Handed’ checkbox

To set left-handed chords in the Practice song view:

  1. Tap the menu at the top-right of the screen
  2. Choose the Notation Settings item
  3. Tap the ‘Left-Handed’ toggle switch

To set left-handed chords in the Chords song view:

  1. Tap the menu at the top-right of the screen
  2. Choose the Chord Settings item
  3. Tap the ‘Left-Handed’ toggle switch