Charango tuning

It’s a little daunting for a beginner facing the prospect of tuning an instrument with a lot of strings like a charango. In reality, it’s a lot easier than you would imagine.Although the charango has 10 strings, these are always arranged in matching pairs (or ‘unisons’, using a technical term). The only exception to this rule is the middle two strings, which are tuned an octave apart (referred to as ‘octaves’). The charango’s unison stringing arrangement is as follows: strings 1 & 2 (high E), 3 & 4 (A), 7 & 8 (C) and 9 & 10 (G) should all be tuned in pairs to their respective notes. Only strings 5 & 6 feature the octave stringing configuration, with one ‘E’ tuned to the same note as the high ‘E’ on the 1st and 2nd strings and the other ‘E’, an octave lower.The charango, like a number of other fretted instruments such as the mandolin, feature double sets of strings. These are referred to as having ‘double courses’ in comparison with single coursed instruments like the guitar or banjo.Covered in this Article:What is standard tuning for a charango?How do I tune my charango?Tuning a Charango to a Keyboard or PianoTuning a Charango to a GuitarTuning a Charango To ItselfWhat is the Notation for Tuning a Charango?Why does my charango keeping going out of tune?What are the correct octave designations for charango strings?What is Scientific Pitch Notation with regard to the Charango?What is standard tuning for a charango? Unlike other members of the charango family, including the ronroco, walaycho and charangon, the charango features a single standard method of tuning. This removes any confusion which sometimes occurs when discussing the other three instruments in this grouping. Regardless of the country in the Andean region of South America, standard charango tuning is always GCEAE, with the ‘G’ being the string nearest to the player’s chin.In harmonic terms, the charango is tuned to a C6 chord (C major sixth), just like a ukulele (albeit with an extra course of ‘E’ strings). This can also be described as an Am7 chord, as the notes are the same as a C6, but in a different order. This gives the chord its own distinctive harmonic ‘feel’. The fingerboard layout is pictured below:How do I tune my charango?The first and most accurate method is to use a standard chromatic electronic tuner. You can find my recommended ones here.Tuning a Charango to a Keyboard or Piano Another way to tune your charango is to use an electronic keyboard or digital piano. The easiest way to do this is to depress the sustain pedal (if you have one) whilst keying the note you’re tuning to. See the table below.While

The note on the keyboard is sustaining, turn the tuning peg on your instrument until it’s up to the same pitch. Obviously this method relies to a certain extent on having a good enough ear to hear if a note is sharp or flat, but thankfully most of us can distinguish pitch to a reasonably high degree of accuracy.Tuning a Charango to a GuitarThirdly, you can always tune to a guitar, if it has a built-in electronic tuner, which a lot of electro-acoustic models have today.To find the correct matching note on the guitar to tune your charango, see below:CharangoGuitarPiano1st & 2nd strings (E)1st string (E) fretted at the 12th fret2nd E above middle C3rd & 4th strings (A)1st string (E) fretted at the 5th fret1st A above middle C5th Low octave string (E)1st open string (E)1st E above middle C6th string (E)1st string (E) fretted at the 12th fret2nd E above middle C7th & 8th strings (C)1st string (E) fretted at the 8th fret1st C above middle C9th & 10th strings (G)1st string (E) fretted at the 3rd fret1st G above middle CThere are also many internet sources with useful audio features that allow you to select and play any note you may wish to use. These are likely to be pretty accurate.Tuning a Charango To ItselfLastly, another method is to tune the charango to itself. To do this you need to find the lowest note on your instrument (other than the middle lower octave ‘E’ string) as the starting note. On the charango, this will be the ‘G’ on the 9th and 10th strings. Then by fretting on specific positions on the fingerboard, you can tune each string until they’re up to pitch. See the illustration below for the correct fretting positions.With the low octave ‘E’ string, fret this note on the 12th fret and tune it until it matches its high ‘E’ partner. Alternatively, if you have a good ear, tune it until it sounds ‘right’, but an octave lower.What is the Notation for Tuning a Charango? The image below illustrates the notation for charango tuning:Why does my charango keeping going out of tune?Your instrument going out of tune is a very common problem most charango players have to face when they’ve either replaced an existing string or installed a set of new ones. The problem also arises if you’ve just bought a new instrument which has, in all likelihood, never been played until you’ve taken it out of the box.Other factors can also have an effect on pitch stability, including drastic changes in temperature and humidity, as well as transportation and vibration.If your charango goes out of tune, read my guide to why fretted instruments go

The charango tuning pegs function the same way as classical guitar tuning pegs.The charango is a South American lute-like instrument with characteristics similar to the ukulele, mandolin and classical guitar. Its standard tuning outlines an Am7 chord, with each pair of strings tuned to G, C, E, A and E, respectively from lowest (closest to the player) to highest (furthest from the player). Each string pair is tuned in unison except for the middle E pair (tuned to an octave), and the notes all fall within the octave from E4 to E5.Instructions1. Remove the old strings from the charango by loosening each one until you can remove it from the tuner, then loosen the knot tied at the bridge.2. Wipe off any dust, debris or finger oil buildup from the neck and body with a nonabrasive rag and guitar cleaning fluid.3. String one of the two G strings through the bridge hole nearest to you as you hold the instrument. Leave about two inches sticking out past the bridge.4. Loop the extra length of string to the left and behind the length of string that will stretch up to the neck, then back behind itself. Pull this knot snug but not tight against the bridge. Take the end of the string and wrap it over and back behind itself once more, then cinch the knot tight against the bridge and tie off any excess string.5. Run the long length of the string up to its appropriate tuning peg (the one

Synopsis The Charango Chord Bible, with its 1,728 chords offers a complete solution for both beginner and experienced professional musician alike. The layout is uncomplicated and follows a logical musical progression from standard major chords up to the more esoteric thirteenths used by many jazz players. To accompany the 1,728 chords, a further 576 possible moveable chord configurations are included, together with a useful range of slash chords, reflecting the popularity of this type of chord in many of today's artist and compilation topline songbooks. This highly comprehensive guide provides the musician with no fewer than 68 different types of chord in all twelve keys, making it the definitive publication for the charango. Whether you play folk, rock, pop, jazz or any other type of popular music, The Charango Chord Bible makes the ideal reference source for all occasions. Standard Chords covered in The Charango Chord Bible (using the key of C as an example): C, Cm, C7, Cm7, C5, C6, Cm6, Cmaj7, Cdim, Cdim7, C-5, C+, Csus2, Csus4, C7sus4, Cm7-5, Cadd9, Cmadd9, C6add9, Cm6add9, C7-5, C7+5, C7-9, C7+9, Cm(maj7), Cmaj7-5, Cmaj7+5, C9, Cm9, Cmaj9, C11, C13. Advanced Chords covered in The Charango Chord Bible (using the key of C as an example): C4, Cadd11, Csus4add9, Cm-6, C7sus2, C7-5-9, C7-5+9, C7+5-9, C7+5+9, C7add11, C7add13, C7+11, Cm7-5-9, Cm7-9, Cm7add11, Cmaj7+11, C9sus4, C9-5, C9+5, C9+11, Cm9-5, Cm(maj9), Cmaj9-5, Cmaj9+5, Cmaj9+11, Cmaj9add6, C11-9, Cm11, Cmaj11, C13sus4, C13-5-9, C13-9, C13+9, C13+11, Cm13, Cmaj13. Major Slash Chords covered in The Charango Chord Bible (using the key of C as an example): C/C, C/Db, C/D, C/Eb, C/E, C/F, C/F#, C/G, C/Ab, C/A, C/Bb, C/B. Beside the many pages of chord boxes or windows, the book features useful sections on tuning, chord construction, fingerboard layout, FAQs, alternative chord naming, fingering, slash chords, harmonic intervals, chord window blanks for transcribing your own favorite chord sequences etc. The aim of this guide is to provide the musician with the flexibility only really offered to guitar and keyboard players in the past. Now, with the help of The The Charango Chord Bible, musicians will be able to pick up any songbook and instantly have access to even the most complex and advanced chords. "synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Empirical scientific evidence, supported by many researchers, suggests that it is improbable that the charango would have been born from the deformation of the European guitar. To the surprise of many skeptics, the standard model of the charango, echoing the design of Spanish guitar, is constantly evolving, resulting in a great diversity of charangos. Peru's most popular charangos resemble tiny guitars, but there are also those with soundboards made of plastic, fruit bark, animal horn, tin-cans, tortoise shell; in circular form, trapezoidal, triangular, in the shape of siren, concave or in the shape of an armadillo shell, and sometimes even made with an actual armadillo shell (in this case the charango is called a "quirquincho"). Some play the instrument with a pick, like the "Huancavelica", others simply play with the fingers. Charangos often are strung with "gut" strings, or metal or nylon with the strings strung doubled or tripled, with the third, second, fifth, or octaves. There are also five-string instruments. Like its European ancestors, the charango is "multiple", and it is that which gives it such richness. It can be played solo or accompanied by guitars, and provides a very important sonority to Andean folk ensembles. Its versatility allows the interpretation of all genres of music, from "Yaravi" (romantic, and sad), carnival music, "Waynos" (traditional dances), even the "wasichaky", a traditional "roof-raising" dance. There are actually several resources relating to the charango in which one may find substantial interesting historical information about the charango, including beautiful legends, myths, local traditions, information about charangists, etc… These works are of immense historical significance, and clearly portray the cultural importance the charango acquired, and how the diverse cultures of the Andes, and scientists see it and have developped it. In this manner, the charango was introduced into cosmopolitan world, facing new challenges in Peru, acquiring new dimensions abroad (like in the European malls Ecuadorian Otavaleños (inhabitants of Otavalo succeeded in introducing it into their traditional music, as well as the new popular groups of Chile). In this process of globalization, the charango, like it always has, inspires and embraces the influence of