Tune a Violin

The violin is a fun instrument that produces beautiful music if played correctly. But if the violin isn't tuned correctly before playing, the music will be far from beautiful! By tuning a violin, the musician is adjusting the pitch that the instrument produces, string by string. Pitch is a term that refers to the frequency of the sound waves (in Hertz) that are produced. Tuning a violin may sound tricky, but with practice it will become very easy.

Steps

Diagnosis

Hold the violin firmly in front of you and pluck the second highest-pitched string, or the third string counting from your left. This string is called "A.”

  1. There are two ways to determine if your violin is out of tune. For more advanced violinists, try playing "A" on a piano or keyboard, and compare it to the pitch of the plucked string. Most beginning violinists fare better with a tuner, which is a device that determines the frequency of any open string--or, actually, any note--a musician plays. Tuners are extremely helpful and precise, and you can buy them for a reasonable price at most music stores. If you choose to use a tuner, the tuner will indicate exactly how sharp or flat a string is by picking up the sound as you play that string.
  2. Whichever method you choose to use, what you need to figure out is how far the string’s pitch is from the pitch that is desired. If the note you are plucking on your violin is a just a little higher than the note on your tuner or piano, then you should use the fine tuner method to tune the violin. However, if the string is way out of tune, you should use the peg method to get the string closer to the desired pitch, and then use the fine tuner method to perfect the tuning.

Fine Tuner Method

  1. While using the fine tuners to tune your violin, you may simply lay the instrument across your lap as long as you are very careful to keep it from falling to the ground.
  2. Fine tuners are small, circular, screw-like devices found at the top of the tailpiece, which is located in the lower part of the instrument and shaped a bit like a triangle.
    • Each string can be gradually tightened or loosened by the fine tuner positioned directly below it on the instrument. Not all violins have four fine tuners, and some have none at all.
    • If your instrument does not have fine tuners, then you will have to tune with your pegs. Fine tuners are meant to be turned either clockwise or counterclockwise to affect the pitch of the string, and they are helpful only when a slight change in pitch is needed.
    • If the string you wish to tune is too low-pitched, then you should turn the fine tuner clockwise, or the way that a clock‘s hands turn. This will tighten the string, and therefore raise the pitch. But if the peg is tight and doesn't turn easily, it should be turned so the string is loosened and then tightened the string again. This will avoid breaking the string by placing to much force on the peg. Pluck the string again, and observe if it is closer to the desired pitch then before. Turn and pluck as many times as necessary. If it eventually becomes too high-pitched when you pluck, follow the instructions in the next step.
    • If the string is too high-pitched, turn the fine tuner counter-clockwise, or the opposite of the way that a clock‘s hands turn. This will loosen the string and therefore lower the pitch. Pluck the string again, and observe if the sound is closer to the desired pitch then before. Turn as many times as necessary. If it is now too low-pitched when you pluck, follow the directions in previous step.
  3. Follow these steps on all four strings. The next string you should tune after "A" is "D", which is to the left of "A." Then, after you tune "D," you should try tuning "G." "G" is to the left of "D." Lastly, once all of the other strings are tuned, you can tune "E."

Peg Method

The "peg method" should be used if any of the strings are extremely sharp or flat. This method is more difficult than the fine tuner method, but still necessary. While tuning with the pegs, you need to be very cautious! If you tighten the string too much, you may break it!

  1. While tuning with the pegs, hold the violin in front of you so that you can see the strings and so that the bottom part of the instrument rests on your legs. One hand should always be firmly holding the violin and the other hand should be tuning. This position will help you to create the force needed to turn the pegs correctly and it will keep your instrument safe.
  2. Locate the correct peg that you will be using to tune. Pegs, which are often made of ebony, are knobs located on the neck of your violin near the top. Observe that each of your violin's four strings is attached to one of the four pegs. Turning one of these pegs tightens or loosens one of the strings, therefore changing its pitch. If you are tuning "E," for example, then you will be turning the bottom right peg. If you are tuning "A," you will be turning the top right peg. If you are tuning "D," you will be turning the top left peg. And, finally, if you are tuning "G," you will be turning the bottom left peg.
  3. Once you have located the peg that you will be turning, you are ready to tune! Keep in mind the proper tuning position.
  4. With one hand, grip the desired peg. You will be turning the peg “towards” you or “away” from you based on how you would like to change the current pitch of the string.
    • For strings that are very “sharp”, or high-pitched, you will need to turn the peg “towards” yourself.
    • For strings that are very “flat” or low-pitched, you will need to turn the peg “away“ from yourself.
  5. As you turn the peg, pluck the string you are tuning but still keep a firm hold on your violin. It is important to pluck the string so that you can hear how the pitch is changing.
  6. When you would like to stop turning the peg, you should gently push the peg into the instrument to reinforce its position. This will help keep the peg in place so that the tension won’t move it and make the string slip further out of tune. This can be difficult, so have patience! You can also gently push the pegs in as you're tuning.
  7. When the peg finally sticks in place, pluck the string again and listen carefully. Is the string too high? Too low? Can it be tuned with a fine tuner, or is it so out of tune that you need to turn the peg some more?
  8. When you pluck the string and the pitch is just a little out of tune, then you may use a fine tuner to perfect the pitch. When it sounds just right, then you are finished. Congratulations! Time to move on to the other strings. Just as in the fine tuner method, the next string you should tune after "A" is "D", which is to the left of "A." Then, after you tune "D," you should try tuning "G." "G" is to the left of "D." Lastly, once all of the other strings are tuned, you can tune "E."

Tips

  • Low-quality violins are often more difficult to tune than high-quality violins. Some pegs stick too much on the extremely cheap violins, so you practically need a champion weight lifter to help you tune it. This is one reason to buy (or rent) a higher-quality instrument.
  • "A" is the string that is always tuned first because, when "A" is in tune, it is quite easy to compare the other strings to that note.
  • To avoid breaking a string while tuning with the peg, loosen the peg by turning it towards you before you attempt to turn it away from you.
  • If you break a string, don't get too upset. It was only an accident! You can buy a new one at a music store, and it would be good to ask if someone there could put it back on for you.
  • Don't turn the pegs too fast or the strings may break.
  • All strings eventually break. You may look at your instrument one day and notice that a string looks like it is unraveling. When this happens, it is definitely time to change your string!
  • Buying an electric tuner is highly recommended.
  • If a peg is sticking, pull the peg slightly out and, using a common graphite pencil, draw on the peg in order to reduce the friction.
  • You can also tune playing 2 strings at a time. This is called "tuning in 5ths".
  • If you have turned the fine-tuner to it's maximum, seek a professional to tune it via tuning pegs.
  • If one string is way out of tune, then after you fix that one, the others that you just tuned will likely all be out of tune again.
  • If you need further help, someone at a music store will most likely assist you.
  • A common predicament is that the pegs will not stay in place. Because of this, they will keep untwisting and worsening the pitch of your string considerably. Sometimes this is because the pegs fit badly. However, you may be able to work around this by pushing the pegs into the peg box with more force. (But not too much force, of course!) If your violin regularly has this problem, the only permanent solution is to get a professional violin repair-person to refit the pegs. A temporary solution is to take out the peg, rub some peg compound on it, and then replace it.
  • Another reason the pegs may not stick is because the string is wrapped incorrectly. Strings are wrapped up against the side of the peg box so that the pegs do not slip. If you notice that your peg is slipping and peg compound is not working as well as you would like it to, try unwrapping the string most of the ways and then wrapping it so that is wrapped closer to the side of the peg box. If you don't have much experience with changing strings, though, it would be better to ask someone with more experience to do it for you.
  • Don't always rely on your tuner. Train your ears so you can tune your violin if you don't have a tuner with you, although it's always better to double-check.
  • Please remember this: If you tune with the pegs, make sure to loosen then peg by turning it towards you first, then start tuning. This actually lessens the chances of it the string breaking.
  • Note that if you tune using the pegs, your other strings will like go back out of tune. Make sure to revisit them to tune them again.

Warnings

  • Don't tune the E string with the peg unless you are changing the string. If it is severely out of tune take it to a shop or have an experienced violin player do it.
  • Never hold the instrument close to your face while tuning. If the string breaks, it could hit your eyes.
  • Be careful not to tighten the fine tuners too much. Tightening the fine tuners too much will cause the bottom of the fine tuner to touch the body of the violin. Over time, this can cause damage to the finish and perhaps the wood surface of the violin. Peek under the tailpiece to see how much space is between the bottom of the fine tuner and the surface of the violin. Loosen the fine tuner, if required, and adjust the associated peg to make up for the change.
  • If you are a beginner, don't try the peg method. If your violin is really out of tune, go to a violin shop or an instructor to do it.
  • If you aren't careful, you may break a string.
  • Be very cautious not to drop the instrument.
  • Don't use chalk to make a peg stick. Over time this will cause the peg to squeak when you turn it, and could eventually damage the instrument. Peg compound is preferable.

Things You'll Need

  • A violin
  • A piano or tuner

Helpful External Links

http://www.get-tuned.com/violin_tuner.php

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