These are alternate guitar tunings that are used in Peruvian and other South American Guitar traditions. The open and dropped tunings are the more commonly used alternate tunings.
The same tunings under numerous different names can be found in Peru, Argentina, Africa, Asia and the South Pacific. For example D / A / D / F# / B / E the D 6/9 tuning, it is known as Rondeñas in Flamenco and used in the Amazonian region of Peru. It is also known as D Ni`ihau / Old Mauna Loa tuning in Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar.
Peruvian guitar tunings are named classified according to genre. This also manifests in a regional manner. For example the tunings used in Cajamarca are in open major chords, for example in E or A major. Where as a raised tuning such as the D Minor tuning is favoured in the Huayno repertoire.
Note: Should you attempt a tuning whose notes maybe a semitone or tone above the Huayno tuning F / A / D / G / B / E. I would recommend the lightest string gauge set available for nylon string guitars. These tunings can be used on acoustic steel string and electric guitars with appropriate gauges.
| Scordatura / Guitar Tunings / South America | |||
| Names | Nomenclature | Region | |
| Standard | Em11th | Peru | E A D G B E |
| Setime Dulce | Peru | E A D G B D | |
| Wailija | E A Dd G B E | ||
| Wailija | E A D G# B E | ||
| A Major | Cajamarca, Peru | E A D A C# E | |
| Baulin | E A C# F# B E | ||
| Diablo No. 1 | F# A C# F# B F# | ||
| Diablo No. 2 | Cusco, Peru | E A C# F# B Eb | |
| E A D# F# B E | |||
| Diablo | E A D# F# B D# | ||
| Victima | E A D# F# B E | ||
| E A D G B G | |||
| Baulin | D Minor | Ayacucho, Peru | F A D G B E |
| F A D G Bb E | |||
| Argentina | F A D# G B E | ||
| Huayno | Peru | F B D G B E | |
| E Minor | Cajamarca, Peru | E B E G B E | |
| E Major | Cajamarca, Peru | E B E G# B E | |
| F Bb D G B E | |||
| F Bb D G C E | |||
| Peru | E C D G B E | ||
| Drop C | Argentina | C A D G B E | |
| Amazonas | Drop D | * | D A D G B E |
| Drop D 6 / 9 | * | D A D F# B E | |
| Open D Minor | Peru | D A D F A D | |
| Open D Major | Cajamarca, Peru | D A D F# A D | |
| Open G Minor | D G D G Bb D | ||
| Open G Major | D G D G B D | ||
| G6 | D G D G B E | ||
| D G D G D F# | |||
| D G D G# B D# | |||
| Raised G Major | G A D G B E | ||
| Carnival | G Major | Peru | G Bb D G B E |
| Diablo | Peru | G Bb D G C E | |
| Comuncha | Open G Major | Peru | G B D G B D |
| C Maj 7 | Peru | G C D G B E | |
| Yaravi | Peru | D B D G B E | |
| Baulin / Harp | Peru | D B D F# B E | |
| Diablo? | Peru | E Bb E G# B E | |
| Ancashina, Peru | E G D G B E | ||
| Carnival | Peru | E B D G B E | |
Citations: Bibliography: Websites: Pacoweb.net [archived on the wayback machine] ;