Stringed Instrument Tunings: Many Tunings

Stringed Instrument Tunings: Many Tunings

Instrument Tunings

String instruments, all tunings from low to high strings

Standard Guitar EADGBE

Requinto GCFBbDG

Dobro GBDGBD

Hawaiian Guitar- G low bass DGDGBD

G high Bass GBDGBD

many other tunings in use; see internet article

Banjos: C tuning 5 string; 5th str G, CGBD

G tuning 5 string; 5th str G, DGBD

many other tunings for 5 str. are used more rarely

Plectrum; CGBD

Tenor; CGDA

Irish style Tenor; GDAE

Mandolin Family:

Mandolin GDAE

Mandola CGDA

Octave Mandolin GDAE

Mandocello CGDA

Bouzouki

6 string Greek (3 course) DAD, low str in octaves

8 string Greek (4 course) CFAD, c and f in octaves

Baglama (baby bouzouki) DAD one octave above regular

Irish Bouzouki (4 course) GDAD, ADAD

Irish Bouzouki (5 course) DGDAD, CGDAD, DADAD

Balalaika

Soprano, Prima EEA, with the E's of nylon and the A metal

Alto AAD, all metal

Charango GCEAE

Cuatros

Venezuela, 4 single nylon courses, DAF#B

Puerto Rico, 5 metal double courses, BEADG, b and e in octaves

Cuban Tres two tunings used on the same instrument, 3rd and 1st courses in octaves; GCE, GBE

Oud

Arabic DGADGC

Palestinian/Jordanian variant CFADGC

Old Turkish Bolahenk EABEAD

New Turkish C#F#BEAD

Turkish Classical, Old Mansur ADEADG

Turkish Classical, New F#BEADG

the last two may require restringing to a heavier guage set

Saz

Baglama, Bozorg tuning standard GDA; low G in octaves; on some baglamas there is a low octave added to the A course

Çura- GDA one octave above baglama, often no octave stringing

Çumbus Saz- can be tuned as high as CGD, etc. Also can be tuned as a Persian Tar at CGC; ow course in octaves.

Yayli Tambur DAD, low course in octaves

Turkish Lavto CGDA

Cumbus- DEADGC

Turkish Black Sea Kemence EAD

Turkish Kabak Kemence, Spike Fiddle- Lg. CGCG, DGDG; small ones higher

Tar CGC, low course in octaves; Azerbaijan style also has extra strings tuned variously; Persian also tuned DGC, CFC, EpGC, depending on the dastgah

Kanun- Turkish high string tuned to G, then stepwise downward, mandals in natural position.

Pipa ADEA

Er-Hu DA, but can be lower to even BbF

Ruan GDGD

Yueh Qin GC, GCG, etc.

Zheng major pentatonic pattern, such as CDEGACDEGAC, etc; can be tuned up or down

Portuguese Guitar ???

Spanish Laud ????

Spanish Mandolin, Bandurria G#C#F#BEA

Lute, six course GCFADG

seven course DGCFADG, FGCFADG

more courses possible; also other size lutes used

Cavaquinho

Traditional DGBD

Natural DGBE

Ukulele

Soprano and concert GCEA

Baritone DGBE

Mexican Vihuela ADGBE

Guitarrone ADGCEA, re-entrant

Violin Family

Violin GDAE

Violino Piccolo BbFCG

Viola CGDA

'Cello CGDA one octave below viola

Bass EADG

Viol, Renaissance

Treble DGCEAD

Tenor GCFADG

Bass DGCEAD one octave below treble

Rebec

Treble GDA

Tenor CGD

Medieval Fiddle (Vielle)

many options; DGGDD, DGDGDD, GGDCC, one very useful one is GDGDD or GDGDG

Crwth GG/CCDD

Lira da Braccio DD/GGDAD, DD/GGDAE

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