Cavaquinho tuner – Guitar (DGBE)
D-G-B-E · Alternative
Press “Start tuner” – the browser will ask for microphone access. Sound is analysed on this device and never uploaded.
This free online tuner listens through your microphone and shows how close each string of your Cavaquinho is to Guitar (DGBE) tuning (D-G-B-E). Play a string, watch the needle, and turn the peg until the meter glows green. If you prefer tuning by ear, tap any string card to hear its reference tone.
About Guitar (DGBE) tuning
Compared with Standard (DGBD), Guitar (DGBE) moves 1 string. Every change is upward, the largest by 2 semitones, so the strings pull tighter than in Standard (DGBD).3 strings stay exactly where they were.
| String | Standard (DGBD) | Guitar (DGBE) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | D5 | E5 | up 2 semitones |
Played open, the strings sound D-G-B-E – from D4 at the bottom to E5 at the top, a span of 1 octave and 2 semitones. Step by step across the neck the intervals are a fourth, a major third, a fourth, and that is what decides how chord shapes fall under the hand.
Left open, the strings together spell G6. That is a by-product of how the intervals are laid out rather than the point of the tuning, but it does mean some chords need very few fingers here. See G6 shapes in this tuning →
History
Where the Guitar (DGBE) tuning comes from
D-G-B-E matches the top four strings of a guitar, making the cavaquinho easy for guitarists to pick up. It is widely used in Brazil by guitarists playing the cavaquinho as a second instrument.
Other Cavaquinho tunings
Standard
Chords for this tuning
How do I tune my Cavaquinho to Guitar (DGBE)?
Allow microphone access, pluck a string, and the tuner will detect it automatically. The needle shows whether the string is flat or sharp – adjust until the reading is within ±5 cents (D-G-B-E).
Which notes are used in Guitar (DGBE) tuning?
Guitar (DGBE) tuning for Cavaquinho uses the notes D-G-B-E, listed from the lowest string to the highest.
Can I tune without a microphone?
Yes. Every string card plays a reference tone – tap it and match your string to the sound by ear.