Acoustic Looper Jam 4 in D# - Creative capo lines

Course: Acoustic Looper Bootcamp

In this video

Look at creative ways to use different tunings, chord shapes and a capo to add different voicings to your songs.

Theory points

The chords in the key of D# are; D#, F, Gm, G#, A# and Cm.

In standard tuning, D# (aka Eb) is probably the least guitar friendly key. To make this key more guitar friendly, many guitarists choose to tune down by half a step and play in the much more guitar friendly key of E. Another cool alternative is to tune to Drop D tuning and stick a capo at fret 1, which has a similar effect and is something I chose to do in my acoustic arrangement of Sledgehammer.

In this lessons jamming example, we do a similar trick but we barre at the 6th fret (beginners can use a capo, no stress!). This is a simple way to play many chords in this key with some great voicings without too much unnecessary movement around the fretboard.

Strumming pattern

Beginner chords option (capo 6th fret)

Intermediate chords option (no capo, use barre chords)



Lead - D# major scale

See below a useful D# major scale shape. More help in the interactive tab further down this page.

Full example - Interactive tab

Next Up: Acoustic Looper Jam 5 in E - Every chord is major?

Well done! Let's jump into the next lesson of the course.

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