A partial capo holds down some strings while leaving others untouched, allowing for new tunings, textures, and melodic and harmonic possibilities that would be challenging to impossible without the partial capo.
We can use a regular capo and simply position it to leave one or perhaps two strings open, as I have demonstrated in the video. The low 6th string has been left open (and tuned to an E standard note), while Shubb capo has been positioned across the remaining 5 strings.
I have also made use of a Shubb banjos capo to secure 4 strings while the 1st and 6th remain unaffected, and also used a Spider Capo to conjure and create tunings that would be physically impossible otherwise.
The Spider Capo offers a unique approach to such a device, in that it allows for each individual string to be capoed or left open. This has allowed to explore some very unusual tunings and textures; it could be a fantastic tool for composition and arrangement that could vastly increase one’s options in playing.
Look out for other posts on this unique capo.