Cavaquinho Tuner
Tune your cavaquinho to D G B D using your microphone. The tuner below is already set for cavaquinho — press Start Recording and pluck a string.
Auto-select string
Switches to string automatically
Target 293.66 Hz
Action Required
Start tuner and pluck highlighted note.
Peg Rotation & Offset
Standby
Headstock Alignment
Tap a peg to tune that string specifically.
Instrument
Tuning Preset
Reference Pitch
Concert pitch for A4. 440 is the standard; many orchestras use 442.
Quick Tuning Guidelines
- 1.Tap the Start Recording button at the top to initialize your microphone.
- 2.Pluck one string cleanly at a time. Let it vibrate naturally to get a continuous frequency reading.
- 3.Adjust your tuning pegs until the dial centers in the green zone (around 0 cents).
- 4.Watch indicators: amber is the currently selected note, green is the automatically detected audio feed.
String-by-String Frequency Chart
These are the exact target frequencies this tuner listens for, at A4 = 440 Hz equal temperament. String 1 is the high D, an octave above string 4.
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
| 3 | G4 | 392.00 Hz |
| 2 | B4 | 493.88 Hz |
| 1 | D5 | 587.33 Hz |
How to Use This Cavaquinho Tuner
- Press Start Recording on the tuner above and allow microphone access.
- The tuner is already on Cavaquinho in D G B D.
- Pluck one string at a time and turn its peg until the needle settles in the centre. The tuner detects which string you are playing.
- Check all four again. Steel strings on a small body pull the neck and top noticeably, so the first strings you tune move when you tune the last.
A check by ear: the 5th fret of string 4 is G and should match open string 3; the 4th fret of string 3 is B and should match string 2; and the 3rd fret of string 2 is D, an exact match for string 1.
The Cavaquinho in Brazilian Music
The cavaquinho is a small four-string instrument that came to Brazil from Portugal and became central to its popular music. In samba and pagode it plays the rhythmic chords — the centro — that drive the groove, with fast, syncopated strumming. In choro it does that and also plays melodies, alongside the flute, the bandolimand the 7-string guitar. Waldir Azevedo's "Brasileirinho" made it a solo instrument and remains one of the best-known choro pieces.
Because it sits so high — string 1 is D5, 587 Hz — it cuts through a whole percussion section. That also means small tuning errors are easy to hear, so it pays to check it often during a long roda.
Other Cavaquinho Tunings
- D G B D — standard in Brazil, and the tuning samba and choro music is written for.
- D G B E — the top four strings of a guitar, an octave higher. Easier for guitarists, since chord shapes carry straight over. Only string 1 changes.
- G D A E — tuned in fifths like the mandolin, used by some players to share fingerings with the bandolim.
The tuner is set to D G B D. For the others, select a string and tune to the new note on the chromatic display.
Keeping a Cavaquinho in Tune
- Stretch new strings. Pull each one gently away from the fretboard along its length and retune. Repeat until it stops going flat.
- Watch the bridge. On many cavaquinhos the bridge is glued, but the saddle is not. After a string change, check the 12th fret sounds exactly an octave above the open string.
- Mind the heat. A thin, small body reacts quickly to sun and humidity. Let it settle in the room before you tune.
Related: ukulele tuner, mandolin tuner, banjo tuner, and the full tunings chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the standard cavaquinho tuning?
D G B D, from string 4 to string 1: D4, G4, B4 and D5. The open strings make a G major chord, and they are the same notes as the top four strings of a guitar in open G, an octave higher.
Is a cavaquinho the same as a ukulele?
They are relatives — the ukulele descends from small Portuguese guitars like the cavaquinho, carried to Hawaii by Madeiran immigrants. But a cavaquinho has steel strings, a different tuning and a sharper, brighter sound, and it is played mainly with a pick.
Can I tune a cavaquinho like the top four strings of a guitar?
Yes. D G B E is a common alternative, and it lets guitarists use chord shapes they already know. Only string 1 changes, a whole step up from D to E. Select the string on the tuner and use the chromatic display to reach E5.
Why do my cavaquinho strings break so often?
They are thin steel strings at high tension: string 1 sits at D5, 587 Hz, higher than any guitar or ukulele string. Tune up slowly, approach the note from below, and check the bridge and nut for sharp edges that cut strings.
Can I use this tuner for a samba banjo?
Yes. The four-string banjo used in samba and pagode is tuned exactly like a cavaquinho, D G B D, so this tuner works for it as it is.