violintuner.app

How to Tune a Violin for Beginners

Six calm steps, a minute or two before practice.

  1. Get ready

    Sit or stand in a quiet room. Put your phone or laptop near the violin, pick Violin and press Start tuner.

Violin tuner

A4

Uses your microphone. Nothing is recorded.

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Microphone is blocked

The tuner can’t hear your violin until you allow the microphone for this site. 1. Open the site settings for this page (steps for your browser below). 2. Set Microphone to Allow, then press Try again.

Chrome on a computer

Click the icon to the left of the web address, set Microphone to Allow, then reload the page.

Microsoft Edge

Click the lock icon to the left of the web address, open Permissions for this site, set Microphone to Allow and reload.

Firefox

Click the crossed-out microphone icon in the address bar, clear the blocked permission, reload and choose Allow when asked.

Safari on a Mac

Open Safari, Settings, Websites, Microphone, and set violintuner.app to Allow or Ask. Then reload the page.

iPhone or iPad

Tap the page menu (aA) in the address bar, open Website Settings and set Microphone to Allow or Ask. Then reload the page.

Chrome on Android

Tap the icon to the left of the web address, open Permissions and turn on Microphone. Then reload the page.

Or tune by ear with the reference tones, or tap a string button below to hear its note.

  1. Play the A string open

    Bow the open A evenly, or pluck it. Let it sound for a second.

  2. Read the needle

    Left of centre (flat) means tighten the string, right of centre (sharp) means loosen it. Within 5 cents counts as in tune.

  3. Use the fine tuner first

    Turn the small screw on the tailpiece: clockwise raises the note, anticlockwise lowers it. Use the peg only for bigger changes.

  4. Tune D, G and E

    Do the same for each string. The string buttons get a tick when a string has been in tune for a moment.

  5. Check again and look at the bridge

    Play all four strings once more. Check that the bridge still stands straight and is not leaning towards the fingerboard.

To tune a violin, play one open string, read the tuner and turn the fine tuner until the note is in the centre. Tighten if it is flat, loosen if it is sharp. Start with the A, then tune D, G and E, and use the pegs only when a string is far off.

Fifths and the tuner

Many violinists tune the strings as pure fifths by ear, checking two strings at once. A pure fifth is about 2 cents wider than the fifths a tuner uses, so strings tuned by ear from the A can differ from the tuner by a few cents. Both are normal; follow what your teacher asks for.

Next: fine tuners and pegs, or tune by ear with the reference tones.

Questions and answers

How often should I tune my violin?

Every time you play. Temperature, humidity and playing all move the strings a little, and new strings stretch and need retuning often during the first days.

Which string should I tune first?

The A string. It is the usual reference note in lessons and orchestras. Then tune D, G and E.

Should I tune up or down to the note?

Up. If the string is sharp, loosen it a little below the note and then come up to it. The string and peg hold their pitch better that way.

My string is very far off. What now?

If the fine tuner cannot reach the note, use the peg, and make only small turns. If you are unsure, or a string is slack or broken, ask your teacher or a violin maker so the bridge does not fall over.

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Last updated October 23, 2026.