Heady - Posted - 08/13/2025:  15:54:07

I know I've asked before but I can't find the (years old) threads and I'm still confused.



I generally don't bother with a capo because I'm just playing alone and I'm not much of a singer so they key kind of doesn't matter.



But the 5th string complicates my understanding (it doesn't complicate reality - it just... here's what I'm confused about).



Let's say I'm working from this nice tab from Jan Olav and I want to ignore the capo. The tuning says 5c2 by the 5th string - that means it's written for someone to also capo the 5th string, right? So since I'm not going to capo anything, I don't have to tune it any differently from how it's written - is that correct?

This one from dbrooks gives the instructions for tuning the 5th string up to match the capo effect on the first 4. 

This one here from stratovarious520 - I can understand this one because he included the standard notation so I see the open 5th string corresponds to an A, so I would know whether to tune up or capo the 5th. (I can't play this - I'm just saying I *understand* it.)

If the tab author doesn't specifically indicate 5c(some number), or "tune up to", or include standard notation, do I assume the 5th string is either capoed or tuned up the same amount the rest of the strings are capoed, or are there cases where the tuning is indicated and you just capo the first 4 strings?

Does that make sense? I probably asked it weird - but so many people put these nice idiot proof instructions in their tabs that I now over-think the ones that don't include the idiot-proofing. 

trapdoor2 - Posted - 08/13/2025:  16:21:53

The default is "all 5" unless otherwise instructed.

I never include capo instructions. Only tunings.

Old Hickory - Posted - 08/13/2025:  21:42:41

If the fifth string is only going to be played open (which is what I saw in the linked clawhammer tabs), then it's really up to you whether you capo the fifth string the same number of frets as the other four or tune it up to the required note. But tuning higher than A might not be a great idea.

Some of the tabs may be telling you to capo the fifth string. But if you're not fretting the fifth string, then capoing is not necessary. Any way you get the fifth string to its note will work.

In three-finger style, especially tunes using melodic technique, fretting the fifth string is common. If a tab in which fifth string is fretted calls for a capo (to achieve a particular key) then the fifth string needs to be capoed as well or the fretted notes will be wrong.

Of course, such a tab can be played without a capo in whatever the uncapoed key would be. Likewise with any of the tabs you've linked to.