Cavaquinho tuner
Brazilian standard tuning D G B D. Tap Start tuner and play one string at a time.
Play a string
Tune with your microphone
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All strings in tune. Happy playing!
Reference notes
Tap a note, play the same string and turn the peg until the two sounds stop “beating” against each other.
Cavaquinho tuning: notes and frequencies
The cavaquinho, the four-string heart of samba, choro and pagode, is usually tuned D G B D in Brazil: D4 (293.66 Hz), G4 (392 Hz), B4 (493.88 Hz) and D5 (587.33 Hz) from the 4th string to the 1st. Method books call this the “afinação natural”. The two outer strings are the same note an octave apart, and the inner three form a G major chord, so the open strings ring as a G chord with a D on top. Steel strings at short scale make the cavaquinho bright and loud, but also quick to drift.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) | MIDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | D₄ | 293.66 | 62 |
| 3 | G₄ | 392.00 | 67 |
| 2 | B₄ | 493.88 | 71 |
| 1 | D₅ | 587.33 | 74 |
Frequencies in equal temperament with A4 = 440 Hz. If you calibrate A4, the tuner shifts every target with it.
How to tune a cavaquinho, string by string
- Start with the 4th string (D4, the thickest). Pluck it and turn the peg until the needle centres.
- Tune the 3rd string (G4, 392 Hz) and the 2nd string (B4, 493.88 Hz).
- Tune the 1st string (D5, 587.33 Hz). It should sound exactly one octave above the 4th string.
- Play all four open strings together: you should hear a clean G major chord. Fine-tune any string that makes it wobble.
Tips for the cavaquinho
- Steel strings on a short neck react to the slightest turn. Move the tuning keys in very small steps.
- Check the octave between the 4th and 1st strings by ear after using the tuner; an octave that is in tune sounds like a single note.
- Some players use other tunings (for example D G B E, like the top strings of a guitar). Use Chromatic mode for those.
If the tuner does not react
- Nothing happens after Start: look for the browser’s permission prompt (top of the screen on a computer, bottom on Android) and choose Allow.
- The note jumps around: play one string at a time, let the others ring out or mute them, and pluck a little harder.
- It shows the right note an octave off: that is the second harmonic. Pluck over the neck rather than at the bridge, and wait half a second.
- Blocked by mistake? The panel that appears tells you how to allow the microphone in your browser.
Questions and answers
Is the cavaquinho tuned like a ukulele?
No. The Brazilian cavaquinho uses D G B D with steel strings; the ukulele uses G C E A with nylon. Their chord shapes are different.
Which string is the 1st?
The thinnest one, the high D nearest the floor when you play. The 4th is the low D nearest your face.
Is my audio recorded or sent anywhere?
No. The sound from the microphone is analysed in your browser, a few thousandths of a second at a time, and thrown away. Nothing is recorded, stored or uploaded. The microphone switches off when you tap Stop, when you leave the page and after two minutes of silence.