Stringed Instrument Tunings - C

C

Instrument Strings & Courses Tuning(s) Alternative Names Origin Notes Picture
Cak 4 strings

3 courses

D5 D5 • G4 • B4

 Steel kroncong guitar Indonesia
Cavaquinho 4 strings

4 courses

 Standard/Common:

D3 G3 B3 D4

Alternates:

  • 'Guitar': D3 G3 B3 E4
  • Alternative: G3 C4 B3 D4
  • Alternative: A3 A3 C#4 E4
 Cavaco, Manchete, Machimbo Portugal
Cello 4 strings

4 courses

 Standard/Common:

C2 G2 D3 A3

Alternates:

  • "5th Suite" tuning: C2 G2 D3 G3
 Violoncello Europe Many scordatura tunings have been employed by various composers for individual pieces, for example:
  • "Zoltán Kodály" tuning:

B1 F#2 D3 A3
Celovic 4 strings

4 courses

 E2 A2 D3 G3 Celo, Csello, Cselo Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia
Cetera 16 strings

8 courses

 Standard/Common:

C3 C3•D3 D3•Eb3 Eb3•F3 F3•G3 G3•G3 G3•D4 D4•G4 G4

Alternate:

  • Renaissance:

G2 G2•A2 A2•C3 C3•D3 D3•A3 A3•G3 G3•D4 D4•E4 E4

 Corsica, France.
Chanzy 3 strings

3 courses

 Standard/Common:

F2 C3 F3

Alternates"

  • D2 A2 D3
  • C2 G2 C3
 Chanzi, Tyanzi Tuva, Russia
Chapey 3 strings

2 courses

F3 F3 • B3

 Chapei, Chapei Dong Veng Cambodia
Chapman Stick 10 strings

10 courses

E3 A2 D2 G1 C1 F#2 B2 E3 A3 D4

 Stick, The Stick, Classic Stick United States There are many alternate tunings, which vary from individual to individual
Chapman Stick,

Grand Stick

 12 strings

12 courses

B3 E3 A2 D2 G1 C1 C#2 F#2 B2 E3 A3 D4

 Stick, The Stick, Grand Stick United States There are many alternates, which vary from individual to individual
Charango 10 strings

5 courses

G4 G4•C5 C5•E5 E4•A4 A4•E5 E5

 Quirquincho, Mulita, Tatu, Kirki Bolivia, Peru, Argentina

Chile, Ecuador

 Common C6/Am7 tuning, but there are many variants. 3rd course is an octave pair.
Charango, Hatun 7 or 8 strings

6 or 7 courses

(A3) • D4 • G4 • C5 • E5 E4 • A4 • E5

 Grand Charango, Hatun Charango, Peruvian Charango Peru A recent addition to the charango family.
Charangon 10 strings

5 courses

 Standard/Common:

G3 G3•C4 C4•E4 E3•A3 A3•E4 E4

Alternates:

  • Bass C

G3 G3•C4 C3•E4 E3•A3 A3•E4 E4

  • Bass G

G3 G2•C4 C3•E4 E3•A3 A3•E4 E4

  • Bolivian tuning:

C4 C4•F4 F4•A4 A3•D4 D4•A4 A4

  • G6 tuning:

D4 D4•G4 G4•B4 B3•E4 E4•B4 B4

 Bass Charango Andean Region Standard AKA "C6 tuning", one octave lower than the charango.

Very similar in appearance to the ronroco, but slightly larger.
Charango, Ranka 11 strings

5 courses

 G4 G4•C5 C5•E5 E4•A4 A4•E5 E5 E6•D4 D4•A4 A4•G5 G4•C5 C5•G5 G5 G6 Patasi Charango, Ranqha Charango Cochabamba, Bolivia
Chillador 10 strings

5 courses

 Standard/Common:

G3 G3•C4 C4•E4 E3•A3 A3•E4 E4

Alternates: Same as charango

 Andean mountains Essentilally a flat-backed charango
Chitarra battente 10 strings

5 courses

A3 A3•D4 D4•G3 G3•B3 B3•E4 E4

 Italy
Çiftelia 2 strings

2 courses

 B3 E3 Albania Common tuning, there are variants.
Cimbalom about 125 strings

about 53 courses

A2 A#2 B2 C3 C#3 D3 D#3 E3 F3 F#3 G3 G#3 * A#5 B5 C6 C#6 D6 D#6 E6 F6 F#6 G6 G#6 A6

 Cimbál, cymbalom, cymbalum, ţambal, tsymbaly and tsimbl, santur, santouri, sandouri Hungary * String number varies with size of instrument; bass courses are usually triple strung and higher courses typically quadruple strung. Range given is for a Concert Grand; other sizes with smaller, and with more extended ranges exist. Only lowest and highest octaves are given; intervening notes are tuned chromatically.
Cinco Cuatro 5 strings

4 courses

 G3•D4 D3•F#4•B4 North-western Venezuela
Cinco Y Medio 5 strings

5 courses

 Standard/Common:

E4•G3•D4•F#4•B4

Alternates:

  • "El Tocuyo tuning":

A4•D3•F#4•B4•E4

 North-western Venezuela
Cinco y Medio 6 strings

6 courses

 Standard/Common:

E3•A3•D3•F#4•B4•E4

Alternate:

  • "El Tocuyo tuning":

A4•A3•D3•F#4•B4•E4

 North-western Venezuela Standard aka "Sanara tuning"
Cinco Seis ( See Seis Cinco ) ( See Seis Cinco )
Cittern 10 strings

5 courses

 Standard/Common:

C2 C2•G2 G2•D3 D3•A3 A3•D4 D4

Alternates:

  • Mandolin low 'C' (All fifths):

C2 C2•G2 G2•D3 D3•A3 A3•E4 E4

  • Irish:

D2 D2•G2 G2•D3 D3•A3 A3•D4 D4

  • Mandolin high 'B':

G2 G2•D3 D3•A3 A3•E4 E4•B4 B4

  • Modal D:

D2 D2•A2 A2•D3 D3•A3 A3•D4 D4

 Celtic or Flatback Cittern Europe Many other modal tunings have been described for citterns.
Chonguri 4 strings

4 courses

 Standard/Common:

D2 F2 D3 A2

Alternate:

  • F3 A3 F4 C4
 Georgia There are many tuning variations. Note that both examples here are re-entrant.
Crwth 5 strings

5 courses

 G2•C3•C2•D2•D3 Wales Traditional Welsh tuning
Cuatro Antiguo 8 strings

4 courses

A3 A3•E4 E4•A4 A4•D5 D5

 Puerto Rico An 4 string/4 course version exists, tuned the same
Cuatro Cubano 8 strings

4 courses

 Standard/Common:

G4 G3•C4 C4•E4 E4•A4 A4

Alternates:

  • G4 G3•C4 C4•E4 E4•G4 G4%%
  • A4 A3•D4 D4•F#4 F#4•B4 B4
 Cuban Cuatro, Tres-Cuatro Cuba
Cuatro, Puerto Rican 10 strings

5 courses

B3 B2•E4 E3•A3 A3•D4 D4•G4 G4

 Cuatro Puertorriqueno, Cuatro Aviolinado, Cuatro Moderno Puerto Rico Cuatro Aviolinado means 'violin-shaped cuatro';

Cuatro Moderno is to distinguish from the Cuatro Antiguo
Cuatro, Venezuelan 4 strings

4 courses

A3•D4•F#4•B3

 Cuatro Venezolano Venezuela Standard AKA "D6 tuning"
Cuk 3 strings

3 courses

G4 • B3 • E3

 Kroncong Cuk, Nylon kroncong guitar Indonesia
Cümbüş 12 strings

6 courses

 Standard/Common:

A2 A2•B2 B2•E3 E3•A3 A3•D4 D4•G4 G4

Alternates:

  • Alternative Standard: D2 D2•E2 E2•A2 A2•D3 D3•G3 G3•C4 C4
  • Egypt/Arab: D2 D2•G2 G2•A2 A2•D3 D3•G3 G3•C4 C4
  • Turkish/Armenian:

E2 E2•A2 A2•B2 B2•E3 E3•A3 A3•D4 D4

  • Turkish Armenian alt.: C#2 C#2•F#2 F#2•B2 B2•E3 E3•A3 A3•D4 D4
  • New Turkish classical: F#2 F#2•B2 B2•E3 E3•A3 A3•D4 D4•G4 G4
  • Old Turkish classical:

A2 A2•D3 D3•E3 E3•A3 A3•D4 D4•G4 G4

 Turkey
Cümbüş, Tambor 6 strings

3 courses

D2 D2•A2 A2•D3 D3

 Turkey
Cura 6 strings

3 courses

D4 D4•A4 A4•E5 E5

 Cura saz Turkey
Cura 7 strings

3 courses

G3 G3•D4 D4•A4 A4 A4

 Cura saz Turkey
Cura 8 strings

4 courses

G3 G3•D4 D4•A4 A4•E5 E5

 Cura saz Turkey Same as Mandolin

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