How to use the violin, viola & cello tuner
- Choose your instrument and press Start tuner, then allow the microphone.
- Start with the A string and tune it first, because the other strings are tuned from it.
- Bow or pluck each open string and adjust the peg (or the fine tuner) until the needle is in the middle.
- Tune the remaining strings: G, D and E on a violin.
- Re-check the A string at the end: tuning the others can pull it slightly.
- A violin is tuned G D A E in fifths from the lowest string to the highest.
- A viola and a cello are tuned C G D A, with the cello an octave lower than the viola.
- Use the fine tuners for small corrections so you do not overshoot with a peg.
Violin, viola & cello tuning chart
Violin (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 |
Viola (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 |
Cello (C G D A)
| 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 notes are the violin strings?
G3, D4, A4 and E5: G D A E from the lowest string to the highest, each a perfect fifth apart.
Is a mandolin tuned like a violin?
Yes. A mandolin has pairs of strings tuned G D A E, the same notes as a violin. It has its own mandolin tuner page.
Which string should I tune first?
Tune the A string first (to 440 Hz), then tune the others from it by ear or with the tuner.
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, Mandolin 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.