Learn which the best violin tuner is and how to tune your instrument in a few simple steps.
Tuning the violin is one of the most important things to learn, and the same applies for every string instrument there is! But, the violin requires you to know the basics of tuning before you even think of trying it out.
This is because the tuning pegs of a violin aren’t like those of guitars that contain gears. Some violinists might want to use a fine tuner, but you are advised to do so if you do not mind the weight it would add to your violin. However, taking the time to practice tuning with a violin tuner won’t be such a bad idea.
In tuning a violin, there are two major areas to focus on. These areas are the bridge placement and the winding of the strings around the pegs. These two areas affect the tuning process, and one can’t be perfect without the other in place. They might cause the tuning process to become easier or harder by using the pegs.
The bridge placement is as essential to tuning as skill is important to playing the violin. One cause of difficulty in violin tuning is the improper placement of the violin bridge. Improper placement can cause it to snap or lean out of position while you’re tuning, and this can scar the finish on the body of the violin. These two problems would eventually take you to the Luthier to fix.
Make sure to check the vertical alignment of the bride and ensure it is facing the tailpiece at a 90-degree angle with the top plate. The edge facing the scroll should appear as if it’s leaning on the tailpiece, and the feet of the bridge should fit evenly on the top plate. The edge of the feet should align with the extreme inside edge of the F-holes at the upper side.
Once the bridge is placed properly, winding the strings is the next thing to sort out. It is a very simple process but requires precision and skill to work efficiently. The string needs to be wound in a way that the force of the winding is near to the edge of the peg box to prevent the string from breaking and dis-tuning.
You need to ensure that the strings are first wound closely to the holes in the peg, then working your way out toward the box. The strings must be close together and not wound in a spacious and scattered manner.
STANDARD VIOLIN TUNING
The standard way to tune a violin is with the pegs. The pegs tighten and loosen the strings, and there is no other way to do so.
However, you should know that the pegs are smooth and tapered, and tuning with them with require a turning and pushing motion. The pushing gives more room for the string to wind properly.
Just make sure to remember that every small movement you make with the pegs has a large impact on the sound of the strings. A completely loose string requires about a 180-degree turn to get to the pitch which is half of a complete turn.
In truth, there is no particular string you must start from in tuning a violin. You can start from any string, but you should make sure there is a balanced tension on the bridge if you want to start from the middle strings.
You should also remember not to tune a string all the way before adjusting the others – or else, your tuning would not work! You have to carry each of the four strings along when tuning a particular one, else the changes in a particular one would force the other ones to be out of tune.
It is advisable to start with the A string by bringing it a full step from the reference tone. Then you can proceed to the D, G, and E note strings. You are to keep repeating this process until all the strings are tuned. You can add a fine tuner to make each string produce the perfect pitch if you have one.
HOW TO TUNE A VIOLIN WITH A TUNER
The strings on the violin are in perfect fifths to each other – G, D, A, and E. Since you are starting the tuning with an A note, then using an A note tuning fork won’t be a bad idea.
Just ensure that the pegs and the bridge are in the proper position. Once they are, you can use the pegs or the fine tuners to reach the desired notes by turning the pegs or fine tuners to the right to tighten and to the left to loosen.
Follow these steps below:
? Start by tuning the string to a desired pitch from the tuner. It is easier to tighten than loosen, so try to start below the desired note and move higher.
? Listen to the sound of the tuner, and compare it to the sound of the string. A digital tuner or tuning app can do the ‘listening’ for you – as you pluck the string, it tells you if there is a match or tells you the note of the string if there is no match.
? Make sure to make tiny adjustments in equal distribution to ensure that all of your strings are in equal tension.
? Increase the tension of the A and E strings with the tuning pegs to match that of the tuner.
? Then increase the pitch of the D and G strings to match that of the tuner.
Since you know that you need a tuner, why not try a better type of tuner?
VIOLIN TUNING APP
You can find this particular tuner using the following link
A lot of violinist use tuners and a vast majority is into digital tuners. However, the presence of the violin tuning apps on the internet has changed the game completely. With just a number of clicks, you can get any violin tuning app of your choice and, most free to use.
These apps serve the same purpose but have different features. Some can only produce the right violin notes for you, while others can produce the note you need and listen to the note of the string to see if it matches. Get an app now!
VIOLIN TUNING CONCLUSION
In the above review, you learned how to tune your musical instrument using a violin tuner, be it a physical one or an online app.
It is not a complicated task to undertake and you should make the effort to do so yourself as you may need to tune your violin more often than you think, especially if you play the violin frequently.
So, all that is left to do is to start tuning and making great music.