Hello everyone.
As a newbie I purchased a very cost-effective entry level classical guitar, a yamaha c40. I am wondering if it may be advisable to "cheat" with the capo. The action feels quite high on my guitar, and playing fast/up-to-speed can be difficult with this, especially since I am new. My teacher told me that I could cheat a little bit (sometimes) and use a capo on the second or third fret. He also said that in flamenco we never put the capo on the first fret -- is this true? I feel like I've seen people play flamenco guitar with capo on the first fret before...
And for solo guitar, is solea ever performed with a capo? If it is "allowable" to practice with a capo, it feels like I would be robbing myself of the harmonies in por arriba/E phrygian that are so characteristic of all the solea that I've listened to.
Hey - You can definitely use a capo to make life easier, especially if your guitar is set up with a higher action. And I'd disagree on the 1st fret thing: I see it done, and do it, all the time. It allows you to not give up very much fretboard and still have the action that using a capo allows.
And yes - you can absolutely play Soleá with a capo. Look at Cante por Soleá and you'll see that it's very common for it to be sung up a the 5th fret or higher, so the sound of capo'd Soleá is not uncommon at all. I'd say it's less common to capo that high up for solo guitar, but more common to have a capo than to not have one at all.
Whether it's advisable to practice with a capo is another matter. Some insist that you should always practice without, to get used to the stretches. I generally practice without one, but I don't insist on it. If using a capo inspires you more or allows you play on a guitar with particularly high action I say go for it, though you might also want to get used to playing your guitar without a capo sometimes, or take it to a guitar tech or luthier who can adjust the action for you if that's an option
Cheers,
Kai
thanks so much Kai! you are awesome :)