21 free tools

Free Folk Instrument Reference Tools

Fingering charts, tuning references, chord charts, string gauge guides and troubleshooters. Click your instrument below.

Select an instrument to jump to its tools

Folk Instrument Quiz

Not sure where to start? Find your ideal folk instrument in 2 minutes.

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Which Folk Instrument Should I Learn?

Answer 5 questions and get a personalised recommendation based on your goals and lifestyle.

Autoharp

Chord-based zither popular in American folk and country music.

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Autoharp Chord Reference

Which bars to press in any key — all 10 keys on a 21-chord autoharp.

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Autoharp String Gauge Guide

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Autoharp Troubleshooter

Diagnose and fix buzzing, tuning drift, sticky bars and dead strings.

Mountain Dulcimer

Diatonic lap instrument at the heart of Appalachian folk tradition.

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Dulcimer Tuning Reference

All common tunings — DAD, DGD, DAA and more — with fretboard maps.

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Dulcimer String Gauge Guide

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Dulcimer Chord Chart

Key of D chord shapes in DAD tuning plus bar chord reference.

Lever Harp

Portable Celtic harp — the most accessible harp for beginners.

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Lever Harp Key Settings

Which levers to engage in every major and minor key.

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Lever Harp String Materials Guide

Nylon, gut, fluorocarbon and wire strings compared.

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Harp String Chart

How to identify and replace any harp string using colour coding and position.

Tenor Banjo

Four-string banjo used in Irish trad, folk and early jazz.

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Tenor Banjo Capo Chart

Key transposition chart for CGDA and GDAE tunings.

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Banjo String Gauges

Complete guide for 5-string, tenor and Irish tenor — interactive selector plus full comparison tables.

Mandolin

Eight-string instrument tuned in fifths — essential in bluegrass and folk.

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Mandolin String Gauge Guide

Light through medium-heavy sets compared with verified D’Addario gauge data.

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Mandolin Scale and Tuning Reference

GDAE fretboard map, scale patterns and alternate tunings.

Ukulele

Four-string nylon instrument — one of the most popular folk starters.

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Ukulele Tuning Reference

Standard GCEA, low-G, baritone and D-tuning explained.

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Ukulele Capo Chart

Key transposition for all 12 capo positions in standard GCEA tuning.

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Ukulele Beginner Chord Chart

12 essential chords with fret diagrams and fingering notes.

Kalimba

African thumb piano — possibly the easiest folk instrument to start playing.

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Kalimba Note Layout Reference

Tine positions, scale patterns and thumb guidance for 10, 17 and 21-key instruments.

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Kalimba Tuning Guide

How to tune, retune to other keys and fix common problems.

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Kalimba Tab Converter

Click notes to build a melody and generate kalimba tab notation instantly.

Tin Whistle

Six-hole wind instrument — the entry point to Irish traditional music.

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Tin Whistle Fingering Chart

All notes in both octaves for D and C whistle with interactive hole diagrams.