Capo Secrets With Two Guitars

We’ve had a few questions lately around the topic of what to do when you’ve got more than one guitar in a jam… just play the same thing? It seems people intuitively know there should be more, but they’re uncertain how to get there…

Well, our unequivocal answer to that is NO! don’t play the same thing—except in specific instances like everyone hitting a specific riff at a certain place in the song for instance. There are many different things you can do to split up those two guitar parts and make them complement each other, which adds depth and variety and color to the music that would not be there with just one guitar.

In this particular lesson, Colin and Jonathan will take the question head on, and take a look at a few things you can do that specifically involve using a capo. Of course, there are many things you can play that provide separation and do not require a capo, but there’s only so much you can cover in a short lesson! We’ll touch on some other strategies in future lessons.

Riff Ninja Guitar School members can access a much more in depth version of this lesson, inside the Riff Ninja Guitar School.

For now, grab your capo if you have one, and your guitar, and check out the lesson!

The Problem: Two Guitars Playing the Same Thing

You know what’s really annoying? Two guitar players playing exactly the same thing—chord for chord, strum for strum. When you’ve got two players, you’ve got so many other things you could be doing to make the music more interesting and full.

Think about it from a frequency perspective: if you had a bunch of bass players all playing bass together, you wouldn’t hear individual parts—you’d just hear one big wall of woofy bass sound. The same principle applies to guitars. You need to separate these sounds to create clarity and depth.

The Solution: Using Different Voicings in the Same Key

Here’s the basic concept Colin and Jonathan demonstrate in this lesson:

Guitar 1 (Jonathan): Playing in the key of A using open chord shapes—A, D, and E (the 1-4-5 progression in A).

Guitar 2 (Colin): Playing in the key of G using open chord shapes—G, C, and D (also a 1-4-5 progression, but in G). Then using a capo at the 2nd fret to transpose those G shapes up to the key of A.

Now both guitars are playing in the key of A, but using completely different voicings. The fingering patterns create different note arrangements that blend beautifully together instead of just doubling the same exact notes.

How to Calculate Capo Placement

Here’s how Colin figures out where to put the capo:

If Jonathan is in the key of A and Colin wants to play G chord shapes but have them sound in the key of A, he needs to figure out the distance between G and A:

• G to A is a whole tone (2 semitones)
• A whole tone = 2 frets
• So the capo goes at the 2nd fret

When Colin plays a “G” shape with the capo at the 2nd fret, it actually sounds as an A. When he plays a “C” shape, it sounds as D. When he plays a “D” shape, it sounds as E. Same key, different voicings.

Creating Even More Separation

Colin then takes it a step further to create even more frequency separation. If Jonathan is playing in the lower register with those open A, D, and E chords, Colin can go way up the neck for a completely different sound.

He uses D, G, and A chord shapes (the 1-4-5 in the key of D) and capos at the 7th fret. Here’s how he calculated that:

• D to E = 1 tone (2 frets)
• E to F = 1 semitone (1 fret)
• F to G = 1 tone (2 frets)
• G to A = 1 tone (2 frets)
• Total = 3.5 tones = 7 frets

With the capo at the 7th fret, his “D” shape becomes an A, his “G” shape becomes a D, and his “A” shape becomes an E. Now you’ve got serious separation between the two guitars—one in the low register, one way up high. It creates a really full, professional sound.

Strumming vs. Picking: The Classic Combination

One of the best-sounding arrangements is when the lower guitar plays arpeggios (picking out the individual notes of the chords) while the higher capo’d guitar strums—what Colin calls “padding.”

This creates an almost mandolin-like quality to the higher part. It’s a classic technique that groups like Bread (with David Gates) used all the time in the ’70s and ’80s. One guitar provides the low, detailed picking pattern, and the other provides the high, rhythmic strumming texture.

You can also reverse it—have the lower guitar strum the full rhythm while the higher guitar picks individual notes for a different effect.

Key Takeaways for Playing with Two Guitars

1. Don’t play the same shapes: Use different chord voicings even when you’re in the same key.

2. Think about frequencies: Separate the guitars by register—one low, one high—for maximum clarity.

3. Use the capo strategically: It’s not just for changing keys to suit your voice—it’s a powerful tool for creating different voicings.

4. Vary your approach: One guitar strumming + one picking creates more interest than both doing the same thing.

5. Learn your intervals: Understanding the distance between keys (in tones and semitones) helps you figure out capo placement quickly.

Getting Started

Try this basic exercise: Have one guitarist play A-D-E in open position. Have the second guitarist capo at the 2nd fret and play G-C-D shapes. You’ll immediately hear how much fuller and more interesting it sounds than both playing the same A-D-E shapes.

Then experiment with the 7th fret capo position using D-G-A shapes for even more separation. Mix up who’s strumming and who’s picking. You’ll start to develop an ear for what combinations work best.

If you want to dive deeper into two-guitar arrangements, chord theory, and more capo techniques, check out the expanded version of this lesson inside the Riff Ninja Guitar School.

Don’t miss the short blooper at the end of the clip!