Charango tuner online
This charango tuner online starts in the standard tuning (temple natural) used on the 10-string charango in Bolivia, Peru, Chile and northern Argentina: from the 5th to the 1st course, G C E A E.
How to use it
- Press Turn on microphone and allow access.
- Pluck one open string and mute its partner. Pick a course to fix the target; Auto recognizes the course you play.
- With ↑ flat: tighten, raise the tension with the tuning peg; with ↓ sharp: loosen, lower it. After one second on ✓ in tune (±5 cents), the course button is marked with ✓.
- Tune each string of a pair separately. On the 3rd course, the thick string (E4) sits on the 2nd-course side and the thin one (E5) on the 4th-course side; that pair is marked when both are in tune.
- Select a course and press Play. The 3rd course plays E4 and then E5, low note first. Auto goes back to recognizing the courses.
Help and explanations
The tuning is re-entrant: the lowest note, E4 (329.6 Hz), sits in the middle, on the 3rd course, which has two E strings an octave apart. The highest note is E5 (659.3 Hz), so all 10 strings fit inside a single octave.
Tuning the charango with a guitar or keyboard
With the guitar in tune (use the guitar tuner), play its 1st string, E4: open, it gives the low E of the 3rd course; at the 3rd fret, the G of the 5th course; at the 5th fret, the A of the 2nd; at the 8th fret, the C of the 4th; and at the 12th fret, the E5 of the 1st course and of the thin string of the 3rd.
On a piano or keyboard, the notes run from the first E to the right of middle C (E4) up to the next E (E5): E4, G4, A4 (the 440 Hz A), C5 and E5.
Tips
- New nylon strings keep stretching for days: tune, play for a while and tune again.
- To check everything at once, strum the open strings: it should sound like A minor seventh (Am7).
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the charango?
G4–C5–E4/E5–A4–E5, from the 5th to the 1st course. The middle course combines two octaves; the other four pairs are tuned in unison.
How do I tune a charango without a tuner?
Use the A4 of the 2nd course as your reference. The guitar and keyboard comparisons on this page let you fill in the other pitches and check the octaves.
Does it work for Bolivian and Peruvian charangos?
It works for the standard 10-string tuning. Regional tunings and models with a different number of strings need their own string layout checked first.
What is the temple diablo tuning?
D–G–B–E–B, used on small instruments such as the walaycho or chillador. It keeps the intervals of the standard tuning, but the chords come out in a different key.
How is the ronroco tuned?
The ronroco accepts different tunings and changes where the octave pairs go. Confirm your stringing and use the chromatic tuner with its specific pitches.
Do I need to download an app?
No, the tuner opens in the browser. You can save a shortcut to your phone's home screen.