[1]Waterloo – SuperMegaUltraGroovy [1] today introduced Capo [2], a remarkable new Mac OS X application that helps aspiring musicians learn to play their favorite tracks. Capo slows down songs from iTunes without changing the pitch, letting users hear every note and chord and play along at their own pace.
“Capo helps you become a better musician,” said Chris Liscio, founder of SuperMegaUltraGroovy. “By slowing down your favorite music, and learning to play songs clearly at a rate you’re comfortable 
[3]with, your playing technique will improve as you work your way up to full speed.”
Capo allows users to adjust the speed and pitch of audio, independent of one another. Pitch adjustments can be made finely, to match an instrument’s tuning, or coarsely, to change the song’s key. In addition, users can set markers, and create loops, to aid their learning. All these settings can be saved in Capo documents, so that users can later return to where they left off.
The marker features in Capo makes it easy to move around a song quickly. When learning a new section, markers can be placed, and quickly recalled, using the keyboard.
“With other cross-platform slow-downers, I find myself struggling to operate keyboard shortcuts that clearly weren’t designed for the Mac,” Liscio says. “With Capo, I can operate every shortcut with one hand on the keyboard, and my guitar in my lap.”
Capo can be used by simply dragging songs straight from iTunes onto its icon in the Dock, or any open Capo window. Alternatively, users can employ the standard File Open panel, which includes access to the iTunes library, and search functionality.
“Capo is the most well-integrated application of its kind,” said Liscio. “Inspiration to learn a new song can strike at any time while you’re listening to music in iTunes. Capo is just a short drag away in your Dock.”
A trial version of Capo is available immediately for download from the Capo website. The trial limits playback of each song to 5 minutes, after which the audio signal will begin to degrade.
Capo can be purchased within the application’s embedded, secure store for $49. Until July 1, Capo is available for an introductory price of $39. Capo is compatible with all Macs running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.