GCEAE
The basic charango has five pairs (or courses) of strings, typically tuned GCEAE. This tuning, disregarding octaves, is similar to the typical C-tuning of the ukulele or the Venezuelan cuatro, with the addition of a second E-course.

Is the charango hard to play?

The charango is a fantastic instrument, but it is (in my experience) somewhat harder to play than the ukulele: the double courses and string tension makes it harder to fret, the ‘extra’ e-course really taxes your left-hand little finger, and the ‘re-re-re-entrant’ tuning makes melody playing rather interesting.

What should your strings be tuned to?

Standard guitar tuning, starting from the thickest, lowest-pitched string (the 6th string) at the top of neck is: E – A – D – G – B – E – The high E string—the thinnest, highest-pitched string at the bottom of the neck—is known as the 1st string and all others follow suit.

When was the charango invented?

The charango dates back at least to the 18th century during Spanish colonial times. It is a local adaptation of the Spanish guitar and/or vihuela of the time. Its distribution follows the main colonial era trade routes through the Andes.

What country is the charango from?

The charango is the Spanish guitar’s little South-American brother. The instrument is thought to have originated some three hundred years ago in the “silver city” Potosi, in what is now Bolivia. It may have been devised by Indian musicians after the example of the guitars or mandolins of the Spanish conquistadors.

What are the strings on a Charango tuned to?

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.

Where is the G on a charango?

On the charango, this will be the ‘G’ on the 9 th and 10 th 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.

What is the lowest note on a charanago?

Charango Strings Gauges and Tuning The typical tuning for a standard charanago is gg, cc, eE, aa , ee , from the 10th to 1st (highest) string. These 10 strings are separated into pairs. The lowest note is the 5th string (E). For a guitar player it will seem curious that the lowest string is in the center of the strings.

What is a double course charango?

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. What is standard tuning for a charango? How do I tune my charango? What is the Notation for Tuning a Charango?