Violin Tuner
Tune your violin to G D A E using your microphone. The tuner below is already set for violin — press Start Recording and bow or pluck an open string.
Auto-select string
Switches to string automatically
Target 196.00 Hz
Action Required
Start tuner and pluck highlighted note.
Peg Rotation & Offset
Standby
Headstock Alignment
Tap a peg to tune that string specifically.
Instrument
Tuning Preset
Reference Pitch
Concert pitch for A4. 440 is the standard; many orchestras use 442.
Quick Tuning Guidelines
- 1.Tap the Start Recording button at the top to initialize your microphone.
- 2.Pluck one string cleanly at a time. Let it vibrate naturally to get a continuous frequency reading.
- 3.Adjust your tuning pegs until the dial centers in the green zone (around 0 cents).
- 4.Watch indicators: amber is the currently selected note, green is the automatically detected audio feed.
String-by-String Frequency Chart
These are the exact target frequencies this tuner listens for, at A4 = 440 Hz equal temperament. String 1 is the E, the highest and thinnest string.
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 3 | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
| 2 | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
| 1 | E5 | 659.26 Hz |
How to Use This Violin Tuner
- Press Start Recording on the tuner above and allow microphone access.
- The Violin instrument is already selected.
- Draw a long, even bow on the open A string (440.00 Hz). Adjust until the needle settles at 0 cents.
- Tune the D (293.66 Hz), then the G (196.00 Hz), then the E (659.26 Hz).
- Go back and check the A. Tightening the other three strings presses the bridge down harder and can pull it slightly flat.
A steady, medium-weight bow stroke gives the clearest reading. A scratchy or very light stroke is full of noise and the needle will wander. If bowing is awkward while you watch the screen, pluck the string pizzicato instead — the tuner reads that just as well, though the note dies away faster, so you may need to pluck again.
Pegs and Fine Tuners
A violin has two ways to change pitch, and using the right one makes tuning far less frustrating.
Fine tuners are the small screws on the tailpiece. Turning one clockwise raises the pitch, anticlockwise lowers it. They only move the pitch a little, which is exactly what you want for the daily top-up. Most student violins have a fine tuner on all four strings; many advanced players keep only the one on the E string, where the thin steel string is too sensitive to tune with a peg.
Pegs are the friction pegs in the scroll. They hold by friction alone, so turn them while pushing gently into the pegbox — that is what makes them stay put. A peg that slips back is usually not pushed in enough; one that sticks and then jumps needs peg compound, which a violin shop can apply in a minute.
A useful rule: if the tuner shows a string more than about 30 cents out, use the peg to get it close, then finish with the fine tuner.
Watch the Bridge
The bridge on a violin is not glued down. It is held in place only by the pressure of the strings, and every time you tighten a string with a peg, friction drags the top of the bridge a little towards the fingerboard.
After a big tuning session — or new strings — look at the bridge from the side. The back face (towards the tailpiece) should stand roughly at a right angle to the top of the violin. If it is leaning forward, the bridge can warp or suddenly fall, which is loud, alarming, and can crack the top. Small corrections can be made by gently easing the top of the bridge back with both thumbs and forefingers while the strings are under tension; if you are unsure, ask your teacher or a luthier.
Tuning in Fifths by Ear
Once the A is right, experienced players check the other strings by playing two adjacent open strings together (a double stop) and listening for a perfect fifth. When the fifth is pure it rings clearly and steadily; when one string is slightly off, you hear a slow wobble or “beating” in the sound. The faster the wobble, the further out it is.
This is worth learning alongside the tuner. The tuner gets you close and teaches you what “in tune” sounds like; the double stops let you tune quietly in rehearsal, where a phone on the music stand is not always welcome.
Troubleshooting
The E string keeps going sharp or snapping. The E is a thin steel string at high tension. Tune it with the fine tuner only, and approach the target from below. If a new E string snaps at the bridge, a small parchment or plastic protector under it helps.
The needle jumps between two notes. The tuner is hearing a harmonic. Bow nearer the fingerboard with a little less pressure, or switch to pizzicato.
Everything goes flat overnight. Normal for new strings — synthetic-core strings take several days of playing to stabilise. If the strings are not new, check the room: violins drift noticeably with temperature and humidity changes.
Also available: our viola tuner, cello tuner, and the online metronome.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the notes of the violin strings?
From lowest to highest: G3, D4, A4, and E5. Each string is a perfect fifth above the one below it. The A string is the same A4 = 440 Hz that orchestras tune to.
Which string should I tune first?
The A. It is the reference pitch for the whole orchestra, and once it is right the other three can be checked against it. Tune A, then D, then G, then E — and then check the A again, because changing the tension on one string pulls slightly on the others through the bridge.
Should I use the pegs or the fine tuners?
Use the fine tuners for anything within roughly a quarter-tone, and the pegs only when a string is far out or has just been replaced. Pegs move the pitch a long way for a small turn, so they are hard to land precisely. If a fine tuner is screwed nearly all the way in, back it out to the middle and make up the difference with the peg.
My orchestra tunes to A = 442. Can I use this tuner?
Yes. This tuner measures against A = 440 Hz. A = 442 is about 8 cents higher, so tune each string until the needle reads roughly +8 cents instead of 0. Every string moves by the same amount, so the fifths between them stay pure.
Is the tuning different for smaller violins?
No. Fractional violins — 1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 — all tune to the same G D A E as a full-size 4/4. The strings are shorter and made for the smaller scale, but the target pitches are identical.