Violin tuner
G D A E, tuned in fifths from the A. Tap Start tuner and bow or pluck one string.
Play a string
Tune with your microphone
We listen through your microphone to hear the pitch. Audio stays on this device: nothing is recorded or sent.
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Android
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Firefox
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No microphone found
Plug in a headset or use a phone or laptop with a built-in microphone. Until then, the reference notes let you tune by ear.
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All strings in tune. Happy playing!
Reference notes
Tap a note, play the same string and turn the peg until the two sounds stop “beating” against each other.
Violin tuning: notes and frequencies
The violin’s four strings are tuned a perfect fifth apart: G3 (196 Hz), D4 (293.66 Hz), A4 (440 Hz) and E5 (659.26 Hz). Violinists tune the A first, because it is the note an orchestra or a piano gives, and then the others from it. Many orchestras tune A slightly above 440 Hz, often 442 or 443 Hz; set A4 under the gauge to match your ensemble, and every string follows.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) | MIDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | G₃ | 196.00 | 55 |
| 3 | D₄ | 293.66 | 62 |
| 2 | A₄ | 440.00 | 69 |
| 1 | E₅ | 659.26 | 76 |
Frequencies in equal temperament with A4 = 440 Hz. If you calibrate A4, the tuner shifts every target with it.
How to tune a violin, string by string
- Tune the A string first (440 Hz, or your orchestra’s pitch). Bow a long, even note or pluck it near the end of the fingerboard.
- Tune the D string (293.66 Hz), then the G (196 Hz), then the E (659.26 Hz).
- Use the pegs only for big corrections, pushing the peg gently into the pegbox as you turn so it holds. Use the fine tuners on the tailpiece for the last few cents.
- Check pairs of strings by ear: a perfect fifth that is in tune sounds still and open, without a slow wobble.
Tips for the violin
- Most violins have a fine tuner at least on the E string. Turning it clockwise raises the pitch; if it reaches the end of its thread, loosen it and correct with the peg instead.
- Keep an eye on the bridge: tuning pulls it toward the fingerboard. It should stay straight, at a right angle to the top.
- Tuning by bowed note is steadier than by pizzicato, because the note does not fade. Keep the bow speed even.
- The same tuner works for viola (C G D A) and cello (C G D A an octave lower) in Chromatic mode.
If the tuner does not react
- Nothing happens after Start: look for the browser’s permission prompt (top of the screen on a computer, bottom on Android) and choose Allow.
- The note jumps around: play one string at a time, let the others ring out or mute them, and pluck a little harder.
- It shows the right note an octave off: that is the second harmonic. Pluck over the neck rather than at the bridge, and wait half a second.
- Blocked by mistake? The panel that appears tells you how to allow the microphone in your browser.
Questions and answers
Why do violinists tune to A?
The A is the shared reference: an oboe gives it to an orchestra and a piano can play it. Once the A is right, the other strings are tuned in fifths from it.
Should I tune to 440 or 442 Hz?
Use whatever your teacher, ensemble or piano uses. Practising alone, 440 Hz is the standard. The A4 setting is remembered on this device.
My peg keeps slipping. What can I do?
Push the peg in slightly while turning. If it still slips, the peg and pegbox may need peg compound or a visit to a luthier; in the meantime, use the fine tuners.
Is my audio recorded or sent anywhere?
No. The sound from the microphone is analysed in your browser, a few thousandths of a second at a time, and thrown away. Nothing is recorded, stored or uploaded. The microphone switches off when you tap Stop, when you leave the page and after two minutes of silence.