Fred Bramante was a pioneer in this regard. His ability to instill a high-level of service and customer satisfaction amongst his team and his many stores was a credit to his creativity and drive. I’ve known Fred and his family for many years and he truly believes in the value of talking to customers one-on-one. He certainly had a positive effect on me and how I train my staff to provide customer satisfaction.
So why did this happen? A big reason is the internet. I know, I know, the internet is a great thing – it really is. But I believe that that the “big” manufacturers didn’t think this one through when the selling of musical instruments and supplies started on the internet. They simply saw the internet as an additional sales channel. They didn’t realize that it would severely supplant much of the walk-in business from small independent music dealers like Daddy’s. Fred cited as much in a Nov 5 statement he made to the Boston Globe regarding the closing of all Daddy’s stores. Could Daddy’s have gotten on the internet bandwagon selling their wares over the internet a lot sooner? Maybe. But that’s not what they were built on anyway. Think about it. There’s no personal interaction on the internet. It is merely a way to shop for price when it comes to commodity products like strings and boxed tech products. Doesn’t really matter where you purchase from right?

Before the internet purchasing craze began, the difference was that you could get the same set of strings, for example, at two different music stores but you went into the Independent community music store because you knew the people who worked there, you looked forward to browsing around, you had fun looking at the gear and you maybe struck up a conversation with one of the sales guys and he might have told you for example, “I use those strings too but you ought to try brand X, they feel great and the tone is slightly different…..” See the subtle difference? Shopping in our world today has really changed. The internet is a great tool and very convenient for buying certain products but we must balance that with common sense. If we don’t we will lose “music stores” altogether.

“Wait a second,”you say. “ I do want to go into a music store sometimes and play the guitars, listen and compare amps or check out other equipment in person and ask questions.” Okay, that’s fair. So do I. So how do we as an industry provide enough protection for the Independent music store to exist alongside the internet and the big box chains?

This is what Optek is doing to navigate the difficult distribution waters:

1.            Restrict internet sales. Our Independent music dealers (the dealers that are carrying the Fretlight and sign-up to carry the Fretlight) agree to not sell the Fretlight guitar over the internet. I understand this won’t work for a string manufacturer but for guitars its imperative. They are all different across brands. Who really doesn’t want to touch, hold and play them before purchase? This policy further protects the store from an internet only dealer simply winning the price war – possible over a state line i.e., no tax and free shipping.

2.            Be the Internet store for all dealers. Optek is the only place on the internet that you can purchase a Fretlight guitar today. For any internet sale we make to a customer that is within a specified distance of one of our dealers, that dealer shares in that sale. Furthermore, we provide that customer a “free shipping, in-store pickup option” so as to get our customers into that dealer. The dealer gets a new customer walking into their store for which they can provide further service and support and really begin a relationship. We know Fretlight gets people into guitar and once hooked on how fun playing guitar is, that customer will buy music gear and accessories for life.

3.            Eliminate MAP pricing. I never understood MAP (minimum advertised price) from a customers standpoint. It’s confusing and really just a ploy to make the store look good. “Reg $99 but purchase at our low price of $79”  I’m not talking about something on SALE, I’m referring to the List price and the purchase price. The music industry, especially guitar manufacturers use this technique with their dealers a lot. I don’t believe in it. It confuses customers and it prompts them to shop price rather than value. Apple doesn’t do that. You can purchase an iPod anywhere in the world and it’s the same price! Stop with the game playing and sell the value, not the perceived discount. Specific knowledge about an array of products has to be worth something. Lets stop the dumb-ing down of the music dealer – knowledge has value.

So far with our new dealer effort, this strategy is working great. We have partner dealers instead of outlets. Granted, the Fretlight lends itself to this model because our customers are full of questions once they see the guitar and our dealers are prepared to provide this service and value.

It’s really a shame that the Northeast music community lost Daddy’s music stores.  If we’re going to lose stores like Daddy’s and the manufacturers aren’t going to be creative in protecting the small independent music dealer then why do we really need the “other” giant music chain? Why not simply sell all music gear at best Buy or Costco? Or why not simply have everything sold through the internet?

J Rusty Shaffer

CEO

Optek Music Systems, Inc.

For software and known products, the internet is a convenient place to shop. For products that we purchase over and over the internet is actually a time-saving device. But what about those products that need to be seen, touched, or experienced? Sometimes I just want hold the thing I want to buy to get a sense of what it is, how it works, how big or small it is or if it fits – stuff like that. Then there are products that are better browsed in a Brick and Mortar store. Remember the days of the music album? It was fun to go into a music store and literally side-step down the aisle, slowly looking through various artists and browsing all the albums. As I moved I could see what was coming – it was all there ahead of me. The internet can’t give me that experience because I can only really see one page at a time. Oh sure, iTunes recommends other music based on a song you picked but that “window shopping” experience has really gone out the window and I believe that’s unfortunate. There’s definitely a place for both stores in our world.


What about Fretlight? Up until now we’ve been primarily an online retailer. Even though we sell thousands of guitars a year we hear from customers every day that wish they could simply touch the Fretlight guitar to confirm it’s real and that it works before plunking down their hard earned money. We’ve been forced to sell online because until very recently, setting up a computer in a guitar section of a music store (and connecting a guitar to it) was unheard of and frankly – rejected. The music dealers just weren’t ready for anything like a Fretlight guitar. I know, I know, we have a plethora of videos and pictures on our website that demonstrate and show every detail of our Fretlight guitars but I really can’t fault those customers that simply want that “in-person” store experience.


Well, I’m finally proud to announce that as of Aug 15, 2011, Fretlight guitars will begin to be distributed through Independent Music Retailers across the Nation. Now, with technology being so prevalent, the store owners we have talked to have said, “Okay, it’s time and we’re ready.” So far the acceptance has been fantastic. Authorized Fretlight dealers will be trained and set up so that your in-store experience is complete and full. There will be a computer in each store so that you can experience exactly what Fretlight can do for you. We’ve even figured out a unique solution to the internet vs. dealer store dilemma. Optek will be the dealers “online presence” in the U.S. so that if a customer chooses to order directly from Optek, that customer’s local Fretlight dealer will still participate in that sale. Fretlight online store customers can even opt for a “free shipping, in-store pickup” option when they choose their shipping method. They can pick-up their Fretlight from an authorized Fretlight dealer and the dealer will set-up their guitar for free. I look forward to visiting our dealers and meeting some of you and getting your feedback about the new Fretlight experience. Our goal is to give each customer the best possible Fretlight experience whether online or in one of our authorized dealers stores. See you there!

1. Don’t take tools

I know, I know, the tools necessary to change your strings are right in your case/gig bag so you can remember where they are and they’re handy. But when you go through airport security count on not having those tools any longer. They will make you throw those nice pair of wire-cutters away. So do yourself a favor and go through the pockets in your bag/case – take just what you need. Truthfully, even a spare set of strings might get flagged.


2. Play your electric acoustically

Depending on your skill level you might be a person that practices without amplification most of the time. That’s perfectly fine. It’s a great way to really hear the resonance of your guitar. I was told a long time ago the way to really tell if an electric is going to sound good through an amp is to play it acoustically first.


3. Record using a travel recorder for example a Zoom R8

There are great ways to now make recordings when you travel. Plug-ins for a computer or iPad are great but to truly record and lay down your ideas the Zoom R8 is pretty cool. It can fit in a gig bag, run on batteries, record to SD card and it has effects for guitar. What more could you want when you can’t sleep and you get a great idea.


4. Headphone amp

If you do want to amplify, take a headphone amp designed for guitar – like the VOX headphone amp we sell. I used it a couple of months ago on a trip to NYC and it was great. The tone is fantastic (what did you expect from VOX, bad tone??) and my iPod earbuds plug right in. Battery life is long and it’s small and handy. Now I take it everywhere I go.


5. Laptop and Fretlight work great

Most likely you’ll have your laptop for business and with just one cable your Fretlight can fill the boredom while in your hotel room. Don’t watch TV, run some scales, learn something new. Hotel rooms are a great place to practice – no distractions.


6. Gig bag – tight fit – overhead (Southwest Airlines)

I prefer a gig bag when I travel. It’s lighter than a hard shell case and it can fit in the overhead of an airplane. I fly Southwest a lot and it fits in the overhead bin perfectly. One more thing about a gig bag. The bag we sell here for our Fretlight guitars fits the guitar nice and tight, is heavily padded and has a couple of pocket s on the front. Be wary of generic gig bags which try to fit all guitars and end up fitting none well.


Well, that’s it. I hope that those tidbits help. Remember, carrying a guitar and gear should not be a hassle – you simply want to be enjoying your guitar on the road so keep it light and simple. See you next time.

- Tuning up to desired pitch

When you tune your guitar, you are either loosening (tuning down), or tightening (tuning up) to the correct pitch. In most case you trying to center the needle on your electronic guitar tuner or in the case of our N-Tune on-board tuner, you’re trying to get a green LED light. You always want to tune up to the correct pitch. The reason for this is that you want the tuning machine to be positively engaged so that the string and gears are both tight. If you tune down to pitch you risk not having the string and gears as tight as possible and once you start playing the string and gears may settle even further thus putting that string out of tune (probably flat). So always tune up to pitch – even if that means loosening the string past the correct pitch, then tuning it up – from flat to in tune.


-Amp settings – the standby switch

If you never used an amp before you’re probably wondering what the standby switch is for. The standby switch essentially “mutes” the amp so that you can unplug your guitar or any effects without hearing a loud “popping” sound. This is especially needed when you’re playing at a relatively loud volume. If your amp doesn’t have a standby switch simply turn down the master volume.


-A locking guitar strap

Locking guitar straps are pretty common these days but even so, non-locking straps are sold and purchased every day. Here’s the deal on the non-locking strap – they come off when you least expect it! If you’re going to stand and play your guitar and move around (you know, practicing your best Pete Townsend moves either in your home or on stage), the non-locking strap will come off at some point and your guitar will fall to the ground. Once that happens you will most likely will never use a non-locking strap again. Hopefully after reading this, you will get yourself a locking strap before learning that “life lesson”.


-Barre chords and pieces of chords

I remember when I was first learning to play chords and my favorite songs that it just didn’t quite sound like the album. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. I was playing the right chord from a key and type standpoint – say “A major”. What I learned was that I wasn’t playing the right inversion or fingering. That “A major” chord could have been played at the 5th fret as a barre chord. Or, maybe it was played at the 9th fret using just the D, G and B strings? What I learned was that even if a songbook said “A Maj” the artist who recorded the song most likely used a fingering that was unique to them – something that sound cool along with the other chords in the song. The good news is that you get to do that too! If you light up the entire chord pattern for “A Maj” on a Fretlight, you’ll see all the possibilities for playing it – now YOU get to come up with your own “A Maj” that sounds good to you!


See you next time



Rusty Shaffer

To begin, you need to recognize when and why your truss rod would need adjusting. The truss rod’s purpose is to pull the neck into the position you prefer to play at. BB King likes his neck to have a lot of “relief” (extremely bowed upward- about .030”) with his strings high off the fretboard, while King Clapton likes his guitar necks more on the straighter-side (level or flat- about .008”). There is no rule to the amount of bow your neck should or shouldn’t have, but there are some tell-tale signs that your truss rod might be in need of some adjusting.

Every Fretlight guitar we ship arrives at your door ready-to-play, but after time, changing of humidity, and extreme tension, the neck of your guitar can start to bow. When the neck starts to bow, a player might hear what is referred to as “dead frets” or a “buzzing” noise. This is a good indication that it is time to investigate your truss rod situation.

A guitar truss rod sits underneath the fretboard and can be tightened in either direction to set how straight or curved you want your neck to be. Most guitars come with a one-way truss rod; however your Fretlight guitar has a two-way truss rod that gives you more room to make adjustments. Your truss rod is located on the front of your Fretlight guitar’s headstock. There is a slot just past the point where the fretboard meets the headstock. Simply insert the allen wrench, which was provided with your guitar, into the Allen-nut until you feel it catch and are able to begin tuning.




Determining how much neck relief you will need to add or subtract, depends on whether your guitar is too concaved (too much forward bow or relief) or too convexed (has back bow, is too straight or doesn’t have enough relief).

To increase the neck’s relief you will need to make counter clockwise turns; these turns are to the right if you are facing the front of the guitar.

If you need to straighten the neck you will need to turn the truss rod clockwise; these are turns to the left when facing the guitar.

Step 1.
Tune the guitar to standard tuning or pitch. This is done so that the same amount of tension is pulling on the neck when you’re adjusting the truss rod, as would be when you are playing.

Step 2.
Hold down the first fret. You can either use a capo or index finger on the fretting hand. Then, with your strumming hand place your thumb on the 21st fret where the body meets the neck, also known as the body-joint. This creates a straightedge with the string and a gap to measure between the bottom of the low E at the 7th fret. Ideally you want .012” – .015” of neck relief (that’s a piece of paper folded 4-5 times). If you do not have a means to measure, try again holding these two points with your free hand, finger tapping on the low E at the 7th fret. If you find that when you tap on the 7th fret and the string is resting on the frets then you need to turn the truss clockwise. If your string is really high off the frets you would want to turn the truss rod counter clockwise to pull the neck back down.






ATTENTION:
When adjusting your truss rod you can very easily over-adjust it! A small ¼ turn can go a long way and you should really only need a few turns to get your guitar’s relief just right. Remember, the amount of bow is a personal preference. What feels good to you and works for your environment. If you are feeling nervous about adjusting the truss rod on your own, take your guitar into your local shop and have them take a look- or feel free to give us a call 1-800-575-6511

 Let me explain. A new player or “newbie” to the industry walking into a guitar store for the first time knows absolutely nothing about guitars and is looking to be completely guided to the right instrument and the best way to get started for the right price. Other industries such as golf, snowboarding, camping, etc., go out of their way to make getting into their sport or hobby fun and easy.  In all fairness there are a handful of guitar retailers who do a great job helping out customers… but really, they are few and far between.

So back to our newbie who is very excited to play guitar. Maybe they just saw a great concert or have a friend who plays or simply have always wanted to learn. Whatever the reason, they are motivated about getting into their new hobby. Unfortunately, here’s the reality of what they can expect… 

The Guitar Store Experience:
At the guitar store, the newbie first asks a salesperson about which guitar they reccommend for a person just starting out.  They typically get steered to a cheaply made, horrible-playing guitar (in most cases due to poor construction or the non-existent set-up). If they are lucky they don’t get too much attitude from the salesperson. The salesperson of course reminds them that after years of dedication and struggle they may be able to play that beautiful guitar over there – yeah, that one hanging on the wall.

The newbie asks, “But doesn’t it have six-strings like this one?” The salesperson scoffs, “Oh no, that is way too much guitar for you dude.  That’s a professional instrument for a stage player who understands how to coax out the subtle overtones of buttery full-step bends and shred across 20+ frets, while their amplifier sears out sweet distortion via the volume and gain cranked to just the right setting.”

What’s sad is that the newbie just wanted to learn the riff to “Day Tripper,” but you see, that’s not good enough for the guitar industry.  The attitude is either play well or don’t play at all. Okay then, onto the purchase.

The Purchase Experience:
Once the newbie or newbie’s parent has their guitar at the checkout counter, the salesperson gladly throws in the ancient chord and scale book, published in 1956. “This will get you going,” he says, “Start memorizing.” Of course the newbie has their favorite song book in hand as well because they assume they will get home and begin to play songs – at least that’s what they want to do. Ah, but no one says it’s harder than it looks.   Only that with diligence, patience, some finger bleeding and random cursing and head bobbing, you may one day play the guitar and actually be able to join the “club”. Then you too can call yourself a guitar player. Again, the newbie just really wants to strum a few chords to their favorite song.

 The At-Home Experience:
Still not dissuaded, the newbie begins to play. They’ve got their song book out, guitar  ready (after 10 minutes of figuring out how to connect and use the electronic tuner they purchased because no one at the store showed them how to tune their guitar) and maybe they are plugged into an amp, but they have no idea what to set all of the knobs to.

Now, remember that poorly set-up guitar we talked about earlier? As the newbie attempts to contort their fingers into positions on the neck, it hurts. They try to strum, but it sounds like grinding metal. They push harder on the strings to attempt to make it sound better. The pain continues (literally) and they are no closer to making this thing sound better than when they started 20 minutes ago.

What do they do? They incorrectly blame themselves. “I must not be pushing hard enough – I don’t have the dials set right – it’s me, maybe I’m just not built for playing the guitar.” Not built for playing the guitar? Ludicrous! Virtually anyone can play the guitar. The problem is that most guitars are not set-up properly and the string action (that’s the height of the strings above the fretboard) is too high. I’d have a hard time playing that guitar and the newbie – IS A NEWBIE! What a terrible way to begin something that is supposed to be joyous and fun.

 The Back-to-the-Store Experience:
The few newbie’s that don’t quit right then and there, cut themselves some slack and realize that the strings are conspicuously high off the fretboard; time to head back to the store. Once at the store, the newbie is directed to the repair department – repair department? But it’s a new guitar! They explain the problem to the guitar technician as the tech holds the guitar and starts looking at it from all kinds of different angles – back to front, front to back, side to side, etc.

The tech says, “Your problem is that you need a set-up, maybe even a slight fret level. Yep, that’s it. It’ll take about two weeks.” “But it’s a new guitar!” cries the newbie. The tech replies matter-of-factly, “Yeah, but this is sort of standard practice many guitars. Once the guitar gets adjusted to your climate you’ll only have to do this about once or twice a year.” The newbie succumbs, because really, the only other option is to quit. Can you imagine driving away after having purchased a new car with the wheels mis-aligned?? Amazing huh?

The industry has provided a terrible experience for new potential guitar players for decades and here at Optek, we’re doing our best to change that experience. We want our beginners to start playing right away so that their experience is positive and rewarding. In most cases that’ll mean they have no idea what they’re doing, but they are following the lights and playing a riff.  This happens on a Fretlight guitar far quicker than any other method!

 As they begin to smile because they’re making music, they naturally crave additional education through our interactive video lessons. Also, we pre-adjust all Fretlight guitars (the action) for the destination locale’s temperature and humidly so that it’s easy to play right out of the box. We also offer an on-board tuner as an option so that tuning a Fretlight guitar is quick and simple.

 Our #1 goal is your complete, and quick, satisfaction. After that initial (positive) experience your desire will take you to places you only dreamed. In our eyes you enter the “club” when you play your first note on your new Fretlight guitar.

Thanks for tuning in.
Rusty

Remember, you must walk before you run. So while the following riffs may not be epic riffs from the likes of AC/DC or Van Halen, with time and dedication you will be well on your way to playing more advanced jams.

The first song I ever learned on the guitar is probably not the most common first song to learn because it uses power chords, but it is incredibly simple. Green Day’s “Brain Stew” is easy because it uses the same chord shape throughout the whole song. You just have to move the power-chord shape up and down the fretboard. The term “power chord” means that the chord is a simplified bar chord containing only the root and the fifth of the chord. In a bar chord your fingers have to hold down all of the strings, but in a power chord you are only concerned with three notes. The Rhythm of this song is a piece of cake and once you have learned the intro pattern you have the song down because it doesn’t change!

Possibly the easiest riff or lead-guitar part ever written, is the two-note riff from the song “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield. To play it correctly you would need to use harmonics, which means instead of holding the note down on the fret board, your finger gently touches above where you would normally be holding. However, playing the song without harmonics does not significantly change the sound and it makes the song unbelievably easy to master.
Try learning the Temptation’s classic, “My Girl”. This riff has very few notes and sounds great for how basic it is. Once you have the rhythm figured out for the first phrase, it’s all downhill from there. The second phrase of the riff has the same rhythmic motif, it just uses different notes. Overall it’s a very fun and satisfying riff to learn.

Another easy classic is the song “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks. This song only uses two chords for the majority of the tune and when it changes to the other chords, it still uses the same rhythm. I use power chords to play this song, making it even easier to play. If you can get power chords down you will have no problems with this song.

One of my favorite songs to show people how to play is “Wonder Wall” by Oasis. This song is awesome for beginners because your pinky and ring finger stay on the third frets of the B and E strings for the FULL song! This is super helpful because the hardest fingers to move and have control over are the pinky and ring fingers. This song allows you to focus on learning to place your middle and pointer fingers on the strings with ease. Once you have learned the chords, it’s fun and easy to sing the words while you play and impress your friends.

An example of a modern song that’s manageable for a beginner is “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes. There are only five notes in the riff and they can all be played on one string. In addition, the rhythm is extremely easy; you will be rocking this riff in no time.

“Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison is a great rock and roll song for the guitar novice. Unless you were born on another planet, you have heard the opening riff to this song and can most likely sing it from memory. This makes learning the rhythmic motif for the intro riff almost effortless. Once you’ve got the riff down, the main parts for the chord progression only use four basic chords.

As Jack Black proved in the movie “The School of Rock”, the song “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath is perfect if you are just beginning your musical journey. Like the Green Day song I mentioned above, this song also uses one power chord shape. Simply move the power chord up and down the fretboard.

Aside from the intro riff, which I consider to be on a more intermediate level, the song “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison is another great song to play. This song uses only basic open chords and it is pretty simple to learn the strumming rhythm. There are only four chords total for this song! So if you can play G, C, D and E minor chords you can play most of the song.

I hope that by reading this entry you will find some songs to get you going. Keep in mind that no one starts out playing perfectly and that playing the right sound isn’t always as important as having fun. Tell me what songs you found easy when you first were learning the guitar! Leave a comment below! All of these songs can be found on the website www.ultimate-guitar.com for use in Guitar Pro 6 Fretlight Ready™.

Thanks for tuning in and I will see you next time.
Spencer

Storing Tips:
1. Keep your guitar at about 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit and 50% humidity.
Depending on your geographical location, you may want to purchase a humidifier, or a dehumidifier. You can also buy humidity packs for your guitar case if space in your home is limited.
2. Windows and vents are bad areas for your guitar.
Your guitar will be exposed to variable weather conditions and temperature that could alter its playability. If you aren’t playing your guitar, keep it in your gig bag or case.
3. Use a guitar stand.
If you prefer to only use your gig bag or case for traveling, consider placing your Fretlight on a guitar stand while in your home. Guitar stands provide an even amount of pressure on the head, neck and body of the guitar- this prevents the wood from bowing over time.
4. Don’t lean and leave.
Leaning your guitar against the wall and walking away is like chopping a tree down 99% of the way and hoping it won’t tip over. If you lean your guitar against the wall, it will fall over and might possibly crack.
5. Don’t leave your guitar in your vehicle.
Out of sight, out of mind. If your guitar is in your trunk you could forget that you left it there, exposing your guitar to extreme weather conditions for a prolonged amount of time. Worst-case scenario, someone might want to steal your guitar from your car so they can rock out!

Proper care prevents poor performance. Take care of your Fretlight and it will take care of you.

Till next time!
Ryan

Remember, as I stated in my previous blog entry, tabs found online are often incorrect or at least slightly incorrect.   To find the most accurate tabs, use sites that provide an accuracy rating system for people to vote on. For more information see my first blog entry.

Automation
We all know that most songs do not stay at one tempo for the duration of the song nor will the instrument’s volume will stay the same.  Automation allows you to change those parameters precisely when they occur in the original song.  Guitar Pro 6 Fretlight Ready™ software provides the user with an automation mixing tool. It is used to change parameters in a song like volume, tempo and panning. This makes it so the tab sounds as close the original as possible.

Okay, so let’s assume that you have found a quality tab and are ready to start learning it, but this particular tab uses “automation.”  In Guitar Pro 6 Fretlight Ready, you can tell if an instrument has volume automation if the volume slider to the right of the track name is locked and highlighted in blue.The problem with automation in many cases is that the volume isn’t at a level you need to correctly hear and distinguish the instrument.  To clear the automation so that you can turn up the volume on the track, simply double click the blue highlighted volume slider to open the “Automation Editor” window.

Find the name of the instrument you want to adjust and click the green box to the left of the name. (If the box is green it means that automation is on and if the box is white it means automation is off.) Then click “Apply” and “Ok” to close this window. Now you have full control over the volume of that instrument, making it easier for you to hear and learn that part.

If you want to turn the automation back on for that track, go to the “Edit” drop down menu, scroll down to “Automations” and choose “Edit Automations.” Then click the now white box next to the instrument’s name to turn it back on (to green).

Capos
Now, what if the tab you want to learn has a “capo” setting on a guitar part and you don’t own a capo or have one around? (A capo is a clamp-like device that holds down the strings of a guitar at any fret you choose in order to move your open position chords to a new key or pitch.)

You will want to remove the capo setting from the guitar part, by clicking the guitar icon at the upper left of the screen. This opens the guitar tuning and sound bank setting window. Directly underneath the picture of the guitar headstock is the “Capo Setting Selector.” It will indicate which fret of the guitar part has a capo on it. Click the down arrow next to the word “Capo” until the number box disappears. This indicates that there is no longer a capo on that part. Now you can play the same part, with the same fingering, but in a different key.|

If there are no other instruments in the tab you are working on, then you are finished, but if there are other instruments present, they will now sound out of key. To fix, choose the next instrument in the tab and select “Control A” (on a PC) or “Command A” (on a Mac). This highlights all of the measures of that instrument. Next, navigate up to the “Tools” drop down menu and click “Transpose” to open the “Transposition” window.

Now here is where things can get tricky… whatever the capo setting was originally set to, that is how much you need to lower the pitch of the other tracks by. So for example, if my capo was on the fifth fret before I removed it, I need to lower all of the other parts by minus five (-5) semitones.

In the transposition window there is a selector drop down menu next to the word “By.” Open this dropdown menu and scroll down to minus five semitones and click “Ok.” Now that part will be in the same key as your sans-capo guitar part. Repeat these steps for the other tracks in the tab so that they are all in the same key. If your capo was originally set to the forth fret, the other instruments in the tab would need to be transposed down by minus four semitones. For a third fret capo, transpose down minus three semitones etc. This will make all of you parts sound correct without needing to use a capo!

I hope this Guitar Pro 6 Fretlight Ready information was helpful. If you have any questions or comments don’t hesitate to call or email us and we will get back to you. Thanks for tuning in and I will see you next time.