How to use the mandolin tuner
- Choose your instrument and press Start tuner, then allow the microphone.
- Start with the A string pair: damp one string of the pair with a finger and pluck the other, so the tuner hears one note.
- Turn the peg until the needle is in the middle, then tune the second string of the pair to match it.
- Tune the other pairs: D, G and E on a mandolin.
- Strum all the pairs together and listen for beating (a wobble) between the two strings of a pair. No wobble means they are matched.
- A mandolin is tuned G D A E, the same notes as a violin, with two strings per note.
- Tune one string of a pair at a time: two slightly different strings sounding together confuse any tuner.
- A mandola is tuned C G D A, a fifth below the mandolin. The octave mandolin is an octave below it.
Mandolin tuning chart
Mandolin (G D A E)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 3rd | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
| 2nd | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
| 1st | E5 | 659.26 Hz |
Mandola (C G D A)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | C3 | 130.81 Hz |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2nd | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
| 1st | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
Octave mandolin (G D A E, an octave lower)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | G2 | 98.00 Hz |
| 3rd | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 2nd | A3 | 220.00 Hz |
| 1st | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
Mandocello (C G D A, two octaves below mandolin)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | C2 | 65.41 Hz |
| 3rd | G2 | 98.00 Hz |
| 2nd | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 1st | A3 | 220.00 Hz |
Tips for an accurate reading
- Pluck one string at a time and let it ring. Muted or buzzing strings are hard to read.
- Use a quiet room. Background music or voices can confuse any tuner.
- Hold the device close to the instrument's sound hole or body.
- Tune up to the note. If you overshoot, go below the note and tighten up to it again.
- Re-check every string once you have finished, as adjusting one affects the neck tension.
How the tuner works
Every note is a vibration with a frequency: A4 is 440 vibrations per second, or 440 Hz. The tuner listens through your microphone and uses a pitch-detection method called YIN to find how often the sound repeats. It compares that frequency with the one the string should have and shows the gap in cents, where 100 cents is one semitone (the step between two neighbouring piano keys). Within 5 cents of the target the note turns green: that is far finer than most listeners can hear.
Troubleshooting
- "The microphone is blocked": open your browser's site settings, allow the microphone for this page, and reload.
- The needle jumps around: let the note ring for a second, mute the other strings and move away from noise.
- It shows the wrong octave or note: pluck more gently, and check the right tuning and instrument are chosen above.
- Nothing happens on iPhone: tap Start tuner yourself; browsers only allow the microphone after a tap.
Frequently asked questions
What are the mandolin string notes?
G3, D4, A4 and E5, from the lowest pair to the highest. That is G D A E, each pair a perfect fifth from the next.
Why does my mandolin sound out of tune even when each note is right?
Both strings of a pair must match. Pluck the pair together and listen for a slow wobble: tune one string slightly until it disappears.
Is a mandolin tuned like a violin?
Yes, G D A E, so the violin and mandolin share the same tuning notes.
What if the tuner cannot hear my instrument?
Allow the microphone, get closer to the sound, pluck one string clearly in a quiet room and let it ring. If it still struggles, tune by ear with the reference notes (the ▶ buttons).
More tuners and tools
Guitar tuner, Ukulele tuner, Bass tuner, Violin tuner, Banjo tuner, Chromatic tuner. Once you are in tune, learn the chord shapes in the guitar chord library or the ukulele chord library, find the easiest capo position with the capo calculator, or look up what any set of notes is called with the chord finder.