Online charango tuner

Charango string notes

Frequencies are calculated with the reference A at 440 Hz. If your group tunes to a different reference, such as 442 Hz, adjust it with the − and + buttons next to “A = 440 Hz” and the tuner shifts every note.

Four of the five courses have their two strings in unison. The 3rd course (E) has one string at E5 and another an octave lower, at E4: that's the instrument's lowest note. The high string of the 3rd course and the 1st course sound the same, which is why they share a single button on the tuner.

Some charango players also use octave strings on other courses. If your charango comes set up that way, check with your teacher before tuning it.

A reentrant tuning

From the 5th course to the 1st, the notes don't rise steadily: the G4 of the 5th course and the C5 of the 4th sit above the low E4 of the 3rd course. That's why charango chords sound bright and tightly packed, and why its strumming has the high timbre that sets it apart in the Andean music of Bolivia and Peru.

Open, the charango forms an A minor seventh chord (A, C, E, G). Some musicians lower the whole instrument a half step or a whole step to accompany certain songs; in that case, use the chromatic tuner, which recognizes any note, and look for each one a half step or a whole step lower.

Charango and ukulele

From the 5th to the 2nd course, the charango uses the same note names as a standard ukulele: G, C, E, A. But the octaves don't match, and the charango adds a 1st course in E, so the two aren't tuned the same way. For ukulele, use the ukulele tuner.

How to tune your charango with this tuner

1. Tap Enable microphone and accept the browser's permission request. The sound is analyzed on your device: it isn't recorded or sent anywhere.
2. Leave the tuner on Auto so it recognizes which string you're playing, or tap a note to lock it (tap it again to go back to Auto). Strings that sound exactly the same share a button; octave strings get their own.
3. Play a single open string with medium force and let it ring. Mute the other strings in the course with your hand so the microphone hears just one.
4. If the needle is to the left, the note is flat: tune up. If it's to the right, tune down. Anywhere between −5 and +5 cents counts as in tune.
5. Once a string stays in tune for a moment, its button gets a green check mark. Keep going until every string has one.
6. Use the speaker icon under each note to hear the reference and train your ear.
7. Go over every string again at the end: the tension of some strings shifts the others slightly.

Tips for tuning your charango

• Tune the two strings of each course separately, then play them together to hear whether any wavering is left.
• On the 3rd course, the low string is the thickest: don't tune it up to E5, or it may snap.
• Pluck close to the microphone: charango strings are short and their sound dies away quickly.
• With new nylon strings, recheck the tuning several times during the first week.

Common tuning problems

• The needle jumps between notes: play a single string, a little more softly, and wait for the sound to settle. The first instant of every note always sounds slightly sharp.
• It doesn't pick up the low strings: phone microphones struggle with low frequencies. Hold your phone closer to the instrument or play the harmonic at the middle of the string (12th fret): the tuner recognizes it as the same string and tells you it sounds an octave higher.
• The open strings are in tune, but what you play sounds off: check that no string is in the wrong octave and that your strings aren't old. If it still sounds wrong, ask your teacher or a luthier to check the instrument's intonation.
• It goes out of tune right away: new strings keep stretching for several days, and changes in temperature and humidity shift the tuning. Tune in the same place where you're going to play.
• The browser doesn't ask for the microphone: check the site permissions in your browser settings and make sure no other app is using the microphone.

Frequently asked questions