I learned to play guitar to accompany myself while singing.
It took me a while to work up proficiency to play in any key, but some songs sound better in one key than another. An “E” chord has a distinctive sound and a “G” chord has a different sound. If you like the key of E but sing in the key of G — what will you do?
Well, there is this little gizmo called a capo (KAY-poe) that adjusts the guitar strings so that you can play with your fingers on familiar chords, but be in a whole different key.
It also works great if you are jamming and the other folks play a song you know in a key different than what you’ve practiced.
Details and pictures after the jump —