Online Violin Tuner

How to tune your violin, step by step

1. Allow microphone access and place your phone 30 to 50 cm (about 1 to 1.5 feet) from the violin, somewhere quiet.
2. Start with the A string (A4, 440 Hz): it is the reference pitch for the orchestra and for the other strings.
3. Play the open string, either pizzicato or with a long, even bow stroke. The tuner selects the string automatically; you can also lock it so it doesn't jump to another string.
4. For a small deviation (a few cents), turn the fine tuner on the tailpiece: clockwise to raise the pitch, counterclockwise to lower it.
5. For a large deviation, use the peg: turn it gently while pushing it into the pegbox so it holds.
6. Then move on to D (D4, 293.66 Hz), G (G3, 196.00 Hz) and finally E (E5, 659.26 Hz).
7. Go around all four strings once more: raising one string adds tension on the bridge and can pull the others slightly flat.
8. Finally, check that the bridge is still straight, perpendicular to the top of the violin.

Notes and frequencies

Fine tuners or pegs: which should you use?

Fine tuners are for small adjustments, a quarter tone at most. Many violinists only have one, on the E string, because that thin steel string reacts to the slightest peg movement. Students often have four fine tuners, which makes tuning easier.

Pegs are for large adjustments: after changing a string, traveling, or a big change in temperature. Turn in small steps while pressing inward. If a peg slips, it may be too dry; if it sticks, it needs attention: a luthier or some peg compound will fix it.

If you are unsure which way to turn, the app's “which way to turn” helper shows a diagram of the pegs and fine tuners, then watches the note while you turn and tells you whether you are going the right way or the wrong way.

A440 or A442?

A = 440 Hz is the international standard. Many European orchestras play slightly higher, though, at 442 Hz or even 443 Hz. If you rehearse with an ensemble, ask which reference pitch they use and pick the matching preset in the settings: 415 (Baroque), 430, 432, 435, 440, 442, 443, 444 or 466 Hz.

At 442 Hz, every note goes up by about 7.9 cents: D becomes 295.00 Hz and E becomes 662.25 Hz. If the oboe gives the A, you can also calibrate the reference directly on the note it plays.

Tuning fifths by ear

Violin strings are tuned in fifths. An electronic tuner targets equal-tempered fifths, which are slightly narrower (by about 2 cents) than pure fifths. Many violinists tune the A with the tuner, then tune the other strings by ear, playing two strings together until the beats disappear.

To practice this, turn on the drone: the app holds a root, a fifth or a just chord while you play. You will hear the beats slow down as you approach a pure fifth. You can also choose just intonation or Pythagorean temperament so the needle targets those intervals instead of equal temperament.

Readings designed for bowed strings

A bowed note is never perfectly steady. The tuner ignores the attack, averages out vibrato on the display and tells you when the note is stable. The in-tune tolerance defaults to ±3 cents for bowed strings; you can tighten it to ±1 or ±2 cents.

To be honest: with a phone microphone and a real instrument, actual accuracy is around ±2 to 3 cents, which is more than enough to play in tune. An anti-breakage alert warns you if you raise a string well above its target note.

Scordatura and custom tunings

AEAE tuning (A3 E4 A4 E5) is common in traditional music, especially in some folk fiddle repertoires. It is available in the list, and you can also create your own tuning and share it by link with your students or your ensemble.