Cavaquinho Arpeggios — Standard
4-string tuning: D-G-B-D — The bright, percussive soul of samba and Brazilian choro
About Standard Tuning on Cavaquinho
The cavaquinho is a small four-string Brazilian instrument tuned D-G-B-D, producing a bright, punchy tone that drives the rhythm in samba, choro, and pagode. Its steel strings and small body create a percussive attack that cuts through percussion-heavy ensembles, making it the rhythmic backbone of Brazilian popular music.
The cavaquinho (also spelled cavaco) is to Brazilian music what the guitar is to rock — absolutely essential. In samba, the cavaquinho player provides the rhythmic centro (center) that holds the bateria (percussion section) together. In choro, it takes on a more melodic role, weaving intricate lines between the bandolim and guitar. Waldir Azevedo's 'Brasileirinho' is perhaps the most famous cavaquinho piece, showcasing the instrument's virtuosic potential. The cavaquinho is also the ancestor of the Hawaiian ukulele, brought to the islands by Portuguese immigrants.
SambaChoroPagodeMPBForró
Notable artists: Waldir Azevedo, Paulinho da Viola, Beth Carvalho, Nelson Cavaquinho, Luciana Rabello
Best for: Samba rhythm, choro melody and accompaniment, pagode, and Brazilian ensemble playing
Browse 432 cavaquinho arpeggios in Standard tuning. Click any arpeggio below to view the interactive fretboard diagram.
C
- C Fifth
- C Suspended Fourth
- C Suspended Fourth Seventh
- C Augmented
- C Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- C Augmented Seventh
- C Major
- C Major Seventh
- C Dominant Seventh
- C Sixth
- C Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- C Lydian Dominant Seventh
- C Minor Augmented
- C Minor
- C Minor/major Seventh
- C Minor Seventh
- C Minor Sixth
- C Diminished
- C Half-diminished
- C Diminished Seventh
- C Dominant Sharp Ninth
- C Suspended Second
- C Eleventh
- C Major Ninth
- C Dominant Ninth
- C Sixth Added Ninth
- C Major Thirteenth
- C Dominant Thirteenth
- C Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- C Minor/major Ninth
- C Minor Ninth
- C Minor Thirteenth
- C Minor Eleventh
- C Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- C Altered
- C Dominant Flat Ninth
C#
- C# Fifth
- C# Suspended Fourth
- C# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- C# Augmented
- C# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- C# Augmented Seventh
- C# Major
- C# Major Seventh
- C# Dominant Seventh
- C# Sixth
- C# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- C# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- C# Minor Augmented
- C# Minor
- C# Minor/major Seventh
- C# Minor Seventh
- C# Minor Sixth
- C# Diminished
- C# Half-diminished
- C# Diminished Seventh
- C# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- C# Suspended Second
- C# Eleventh
- C# Major Ninth
- C# Dominant Ninth
- C# Sixth Added Ninth
- C# Major Thirteenth
- C# Dominant Thirteenth
- C# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- C# Minor/major Ninth
- C# Minor Ninth
- C# Minor Thirteenth
- C# Minor Eleventh
- C# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- C# Altered
- C# Dominant Flat Ninth
D
- D Fifth
- D Suspended Fourth
- D Suspended Fourth Seventh
- D Augmented
- D Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- D Augmented Seventh
- D Major
- D Major Seventh
- D Dominant Seventh
- D Sixth
- D Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- D Lydian Dominant Seventh
- D Minor Augmented
- D Minor
- D Minor/major Seventh
- D Minor Seventh
- D Minor Sixth
- D Diminished
- D Half-diminished
- D Diminished Seventh
- D Dominant Sharp Ninth
- D Suspended Second
- D Eleventh
- D Major Ninth
- D Dominant Ninth
- D Sixth Added Ninth
- D Major Thirteenth
- D Dominant Thirteenth
- D Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- D Minor/major Ninth
- D Minor Ninth
- D Minor Thirteenth
- D Minor Eleventh
- D Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- D Altered
- D Dominant Flat Ninth
D#
- D# Fifth
- D# Suspended Fourth
- D# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- D# Augmented
- D# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- D# Augmented Seventh
- D# Major
- D# Major Seventh
- D# Dominant Seventh
- D# Sixth
- D# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- D# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- D# Minor Augmented
- D# Minor
- D# Minor/major Seventh
- D# Minor Seventh
- D# Minor Sixth
- D# Diminished
- D# Half-diminished
- D# Diminished Seventh
- D# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- D# Suspended Second
- D# Eleventh
- D# Major Ninth
- D# Dominant Ninth
- D# Sixth Added Ninth
- D# Major Thirteenth
- D# Dominant Thirteenth
- D# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- D# Minor/major Ninth
- D# Minor Ninth
- D# Minor Thirteenth
- D# Minor Eleventh
- D# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- D# Altered
- D# Dominant Flat Ninth
E
- E Fifth
- E Suspended Fourth
- E Suspended Fourth Seventh
- E Augmented
- E Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- E Augmented Seventh
- E Major
- E Major Seventh
- E Dominant Seventh
- E Sixth
- E Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- E Lydian Dominant Seventh
- E Minor Augmented
- E Minor
- E Minor/major Seventh
- E Minor Seventh
- E Minor Sixth
- E Diminished
- E Half-diminished
- E Diminished Seventh
- E Dominant Sharp Ninth
- E Suspended Second
- E Eleventh
- E Major Ninth
- E Dominant Ninth
- E Sixth Added Ninth
- E Major Thirteenth
- E Dominant Thirteenth
- E Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- E Minor/major Ninth
- E Minor Ninth
- E Minor Thirteenth
- E Minor Eleventh
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- E Altered
- E Dominant Flat Ninth
F
- F Fifth
- F Suspended Fourth
- F Suspended Fourth Seventh
- F Augmented
- F Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- F Augmented Seventh
- F Major
- F Major Seventh
- F Dominant Seventh
- F Sixth
- F Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- F Lydian Dominant Seventh
- F Minor Augmented
- F Minor
- F Minor/major Seventh
- F Minor Seventh
- F Minor Sixth
- F Diminished
- F Half-diminished
- F Diminished Seventh
- F Dominant Sharp Ninth
- F Suspended Second
- F Eleventh
- F Major Ninth
- F Dominant Ninth
- F Sixth Added Ninth
- F Major Thirteenth
- F Dominant Thirteenth
- F Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- F Minor/major Ninth
- F Minor Ninth
- F Minor Thirteenth
- F Minor Eleventh
- F Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- F Altered
- F Dominant Flat Ninth
F#
- F# Fifth
- F# Suspended Fourth
- F# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- F# Augmented
- F# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- F# Augmented Seventh
- F# Major
- F# Major Seventh
- F# Dominant Seventh
- F# Sixth
- F# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- F# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- F# Minor Augmented
- F# Minor
- F# Minor/major Seventh
- F# Minor Seventh
- F# Minor Sixth
- F# Diminished
- F# Half-diminished
- F# Diminished Seventh
- F# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- F# Suspended Second
- F# Eleventh
- F# Major Ninth
- F# Dominant Ninth
- F# Sixth Added Ninth
- F# Major Thirteenth
- F# Dominant Thirteenth
- F# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- F# Minor/major Ninth
- F# Minor Ninth
- F# Minor Thirteenth
- F# Minor Eleventh
- F# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- F# Altered
- F# Dominant Flat Ninth
G
- G Fifth
- G Suspended Fourth
- G Suspended Fourth Seventh
- G Augmented
- G Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- G Augmented Seventh
- G Major
- G Major Seventh
- G Dominant Seventh
- G Sixth
- G Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- G Lydian Dominant Seventh
- G Minor Augmented
- G Minor
- G Minor/major Seventh
- G Minor Seventh
- G Minor Sixth
- G Diminished
- G Half-diminished
- G Diminished Seventh
- G Dominant Sharp Ninth
- G Suspended Second
- G Eleventh
- G Major Ninth
- G Dominant Ninth
- G Sixth Added Ninth
- G Major Thirteenth
- G Dominant Thirteenth
- G Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- G Minor/major Ninth
- G Minor Ninth
- G Minor Thirteenth
- G Minor Eleventh
- G Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- G Altered
- G Dominant Flat Ninth
G#
- G# Fifth
- G# Suspended Fourth
- G# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- G# Augmented
- G# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- G# Augmented Seventh
- G# Major
- G# Major Seventh
- G# Dominant Seventh
- G# Sixth
- G# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- G# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- G# Minor Augmented
- G# Minor
- G# Minor/major Seventh
- G# Minor Seventh
- G# Minor Sixth
- G# Diminished
- G# Half-diminished
- G# Diminished Seventh
- G# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- G# Suspended Second
- G# Eleventh
- G# Major Ninth
- G# Dominant Ninth
- G# Sixth Added Ninth
- G# Major Thirteenth
- G# Dominant Thirteenth
- G# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- G# Minor/major Ninth
- G# Minor Ninth
- G# Minor Thirteenth
- G# Minor Eleventh
- G# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- G# Altered
- G# Dominant Flat Ninth
A
- A Fifth
- A Suspended Fourth
- A Suspended Fourth Seventh
- A Augmented
- A Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- A Augmented Seventh
- A Major
- A Major Seventh
- A Dominant Seventh
- A Sixth
- A Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- A Lydian Dominant Seventh
- A Minor Augmented
- A Minor
- A Minor/major Seventh
- A Minor Seventh
- A Minor Sixth
- A Diminished
- A Half-diminished
- A Diminished Seventh
- A Dominant Sharp Ninth
- A Suspended Second
- A Eleventh
- A Major Ninth
- A Dominant Ninth
- A Sixth Added Ninth
- A Major Thirteenth
- A Dominant Thirteenth
- A Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- A Minor/major Ninth
- A Minor Ninth
- A Minor Thirteenth
- A Minor Eleventh
- A Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- A Altered
- A Dominant Flat Ninth
A#
- A# Fifth
- A# Suspended Fourth
- A# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- A# Augmented
- A# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- A# Augmented Seventh
- A# Major
- A# Major Seventh
- A# Dominant Seventh
- A# Sixth
- A# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- A# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- A# Minor Augmented
- A# Minor
- A# Minor/major Seventh
- A# Minor Seventh
- A# Minor Sixth
- A# Diminished
- A# Half-diminished
- A# Diminished Seventh
- A# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- A# Suspended Second
- A# Eleventh
- A# Major Ninth
- A# Dominant Ninth
- A# Sixth Added Ninth
- A# Major Thirteenth
- A# Dominant Thirteenth
- A# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- A# Minor/major Ninth
- A# Minor Ninth
- A# Minor Thirteenth
- A# Minor Eleventh
- A# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- A# Altered
- A# Dominant Flat Ninth
B
- B Fifth
- B Suspended Fourth
- B Suspended Fourth Seventh
- B Augmented
- B Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- B Augmented Seventh
- B Major
- B Major Seventh
- B Dominant Seventh
- B Sixth
- B Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- B Lydian Dominant Seventh
- B Minor Augmented
- B Minor
- B Minor/major Seventh
- B Minor Seventh
- B Minor Sixth
- B Diminished
- B Half-diminished
- B Diminished Seventh
- B Dominant Sharp Ninth
- B Suspended Second
- B Eleventh
- B Major Ninth
- B Dominant Ninth
- B Sixth Added Ninth
- B Major Thirteenth
- B Dominant Thirteenth
- B Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- B Minor/major Ninth
- B Minor Ninth
- B Minor Thirteenth
- B Minor Eleventh
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- B Altered
- B Dominant Flat Ninth