Hungarian tambura and tamburitza tuner
The instruments of a tambura (tamburitza) orchestra share one system, named after the note of the highest, doubled first string. The modern Hungarian prímtambura, or E-prím, has five strings, from the lowest: C♯4 F♯4 B4 E5+E5, tuned in fourths with the top pair in unison. This tuner starts there, and the selector holds the rest of the orchestra: basszprím, kontra, bőgő and the D and G bisernica.
Tambura orchestra open strings
Open strings from the lowest (4th) to the highest (1st), at A4 = 440 Hz. The first string of the prím, basszprím, kontra and bisernica is doubled in unison; the bőgő has four single strings.
| Instrument | Strings (4th → 1st) | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| Prím (E-bisernica) | C♯4 · F♯4 · B4 · E5+E5 | 277.18 · 369.99 · 493.88 · 659.26 |
| A-basszprím (A-brač) | F♯3 · B3 · E4 · A4+A4 | 185.00 · 246.94 · 329.63 · 440.00 |
| E-basszprím (E-brač) | C♯3 · F♯3 · B3 · E4+E4 | 138.59 · 185.00 · 246.94 · 329.63 |
| E-kontra (bugarija) | E3 · G♯3 · B3 · E4+E4 | 164.81 · 207.65 · 246.94 · 329.63 |
| Bőgő / berde (A) | F♯1 · B1 · E2 · A2 | 46.25 · 61.74 · 82.41 · 110.00 |
| D-bisernica | B3 · E4 · A4 · D5+D5 | 246.94 · 329.63 · 440.00 · 587.33 |
| G-bisernica | E4 · A4 · D5+D5 · G5+G5 | 329.63 · 440.00 · 587.33 · 783.99 |
How to use it
- Choose your instrument: prím, A- or E-basszprím, E-kontra, bőgő, or D- or G-bisernica. Always tune in the same system as the rest of the orchestra.
- Turn on the microphone and start with the lowest, 4th string. The display highlights the nearest string; tap its button to lock it.
- Tune the two strings of the first course one at a time, muting the other with a finger. Then play them together: they must sound in unison without beating, not an octave apart.
- Check by ear: on the prím and basszprím, the 5th fret of each lower string matches the next open string. On the kontra, the open strings together give an E major chord.
Help and explanations
The Hungarian Ethnographic Lexicon and the Zagreb maker Yotke give the same prím tuning. The basszprím (Croatian brač) comes in A and E tunings, the kontra (bugarija) is tuned to an E major chord, and the bőgő (berde) runs from F♯1 to A2. Frequencies assume A4 = 440 Hz; if the band tunes to an accordion, set the reference A to match it. For the E-prím alone, see the tamburica E-prim tuner.
Basszprím, kontra and bisernica
The E-basszprím sounds exactly one octave below the E-prím (E4 under E5), and the A-basszprím a fourth above the E-basszprím; in Baja, for example, both tunings play in the same band. The kontra breaks the chain of fourths: E3 G♯3 B3 E4+E4, an E major chord, and the Hungarian Wikipedia calls the E-kontra the most popular today. Other traditions use a kontra in D; for that, use the chromatic tuner.
The D-bisernica (B3 E4 A4 D5) is the same chain of fourths a whole tone lower. The G-bisernica (E4 A4 D5 G5) is a shorter instrument, about 320 mm scale, with the E-A-D-G tuning common in American tamburitza; only Yotke's chart gives its octave. It comes with five or six strings; on the six-string version described by UBC and Lark in the Morning both D and G are doubled, and that is the version the tuner shows. Do not confuse it with the Janković system's bisernica, tuned in fifths (G-D-A).
Bőgő, low notes and Hungarian names
The bőgő has four single strings, F♯1 B1 E2 A2, and the lowest is barely 46 Hz, which phone microphones often miss. Use the 12th-fret harmonic, an octave higher (F♯2 = 92.5 Hz), or hold the phone close to the top. If the tuner shows the right letter in the wrong octave, read the Hz value.
Hungarian and Croatian sources use Helmholtz octave names: e2 or e″ is E5 (659 Hz), not E2 (82 Hz); e1 is E4 and h is B3, because German and Hungarian call B natural H. In Hungarian, brács means the basszprím, while brácsó or tamburabrács means the kontra.
Tips
- Never tune an E-prím to G-bisernica notes: G5 on the longer, about 380 mm scale is too much tension and can snap a string. The reverse leaves the strings slack.
- Do not mix systems in one band, such as an E-prím with a G-brač: chords and octaves will not line up.
- New steel strings stretch: retune several times over the first days, and check again after a few minutes of playing.
Frequently asked questions
How is a Hungarian prím tambura tuned?
From the lowest: C♯4, F♯4, B4 and two E5 strings in unison (cisz1, fisz1, h1, e2-e2), which is 277.18, 369.99, 493.88 and 659.26 Hz at A4 = 440 Hz.
Should the first course be an octave or a unison?
A unison. Both strings play the same note: E5 on the prím, A4 on the A-basszprím, E4 on the E-basszprím and the kontra.
Is the G tuning (E-A-D-G) the same instrument?
It is the same family in fourths, but the G-bisernica is shorter and tuned a minor third higher than the E-prím. Use the profile that matches your instrument and your band.
Is this a tuner for the Indian tambura?
No. This page covers the plucked tambura of Hungary and the Balkans. For the Indian drone instrument, use the tanpura tuner.