Tune the Strings

Violin Tuner

Tune your violin with your microphone: play a string and the needle shows whether it is flat or sharp. Or tap a string to hear its reference note and tune by ear.

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Press Start and allow the microphone. Audio stays on your device.

Violin string notes

Standard (G D A E)
NoteFrequency (A4 = 440 Hz)
G3196.00 Hz
D4293.66 Hz
A4440.00 Hz
E5659.26 Hz

Listed in the same order as the string buttons in the tuner.

How to tune a violin with this tuner

  1. Press Start tuner and allow microphone access. Hold the violin about 30 cm (a foot) from your phone or laptop.
  2. Tune the A string first — it is the reference orchestras tune to. Pluck it (pizzicato) or bow it lightly.
  3. Then tune D, G and E. The tuner detects which string you are playing automatically.
  4. Use the fine tuners on the tailpiece for small corrections. Only use the pegs when a string is more than a few cents (or a semitone) away.
  5. Come up to pitch from below: if you overshoot, loosen slightly and tighten back up. Strings hold pitch better that way.
  6. Check all four strings again — tightening one string slightly changes the tension on the others.

Violin tuning tips

Pegs slipping?

Push the peg gently into the pegbox as you turn it. If it still slips or sticks, ask a luthier or teacher; peg compound can help.

New strings

New strings stretch for several days and go flat quickly. Retune often until they settle.

E string fine tuner

Most violins have a fine tuner on the E string because its thin steel string is very sensitive to peg movement.

Bridge position

After a big tuning change, check that the bridge is still upright; the strings can pull it forward.

Tune by ear with reference notes

No microphone? Press any string button above to play its note for three seconds, then adjust the string until the two sounds stop "beating" (wobbling) against each other. Headphones or decent speakers make low notes much easier to hear.

FAQ

What notes are violin strings tuned to?

From lowest to highest: G3 (196 Hz), D4 (293.66 Hz), A4 (440 Hz) and E5 (659.26 Hz), each a perfect fifth apart.

Should I tune the violin with the pegs or the fine tuners?

Use the fine tuners for small adjustments of a few cents and the pegs only when a string is well out of tune, for example after changing strings.

Can I tune my violin to A = 442?

Yes. Many orchestras tune slightly higher than 440 Hz. Change the A4 reference setting above the tuner to 441, 442 or 443 Hz and the whole tuner shifts with it.

Why does the tuner jump around when I bow?

Bow noise and vibrato make the pitch wobble. Pluck the string instead, or bow slowly with an even, light stroke, and hold the violin closer to the microphone.

Other tuners