The names of the cavaquinho open strings are, counting from bottom to top:
first D, second B, third G, fourth D
At this stage of the game you're already dying to get your instrument and play.
But you can`t forget an important detail. How should you hold the instrument?
That is where the secret lies. If you begin the wrong way, you will only have problems.
Let is learn the right way?
1. The arm of the cavaquinho has to be placed in the gap between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand.
2. When playing seated, place the bottom part of the cavaquinho on your leg, touching your body and leaning the arm of the cavaquinho.
3. Your left hand fingers will be used to press the strings. They are:
Index. finger 1
Middle finger. finger 2
Ring finger. finger 3
Pinky. Finger 4
4. To press a string, you must press the strings with the tip of the fingers.
The fingers joint must form a curve so that the fingers are practically in an angle of 90 degrees, this way you avoid that your fingers touch unwanted strings.
5. The right hand must hold the pick between the thumb and the index finger firmly.
When playing the strings the pick must form a 90 degree angle with the strings.
One of the most used sequences in samba is the one that the sambistas Call quadradinho.
It is called this way because we use four chords, and they form kind of a square around the arm.
Let is begin playing the quadradinho using the C ton. So, the first chord will be C major.
Practice this changing of chords many times before playing.
The most common mistake of every student is hurry. This is why many people give up.
Do not hurry to give the next step, the result will come if you
Practice a little everyday and do not give up.
Play one single beat down for each chord. Count up to four and change the chord.
Say 1, and let it ringing until you finish counting 4, then go to the next bar and so on until you complete the sequence.
Times may grouped in twos, in threes or in fours forming metric units which are called BARS
Each group of time, that is , each bar, is separated by a vertical line.
C | C | A7 | A7 | Dm | Dm | G7 | G7 |