Online Violin Tuner
Precise, microphone-based tuning for violin — standard G D A E plus open cross-tunings for fiddle styles.
Tap the mic and play a string
How to tune a violin online
Tap the microphone button and allow browser access — nothing is recorded or uploaded. Bow or pluck one string at a time and let it ring clearly. Watch the note name and needle: green and centered means that string is perfectly in tune. Turn pegs gently for big adjustments and fine tuners for small ones.
Standard violin tuning
Standard violin tuning, from lowest to highest string, is G D A E, each a perfect fifth apart. CleanTune also supports open cross-tunings used in old-time and folk fiddle playing: Open G (G D G D), common in Appalachian old-time music, and AEAE, used in Cajun and Métis fiddle traditions. Switch between them with the tuning selector above.
Why pegs stick or slip with the weather
Violin pegs are held in place by friction against a tapered wooden peg box, which makes them sensitive to humidity — pegs can stick in dry conditions and slip in humid ones. If a peg won't turn smoothly, push it in gently while turning rather than forcing it; if it won't hold at all, a small amount of peg compound (not soap, which can make slipping worse) usually restores enough grip. Fine tuners on the tailpiece sidestep this problem entirely for small adjustments.
Use fine tuners for small changes
If your violin has fine tuners on the tailpiece, use them for tiny adjustments — they're far less likely to overshoot than the pegs.
Bow steadily, don't pluck if avoidable
A sustained bow stroke gives the pitch detector a cleaner, steadier signal than a plucked string.
Tune the A string first
Traditionally violinists tune A first, then D, G and E relative to it — CleanTune's chromatic detection works fine in any order too.
Frequently asked questions
What is standard violin tuning?
Standard violin tuning, from lowest to highest string, is G D A E, tuned in perfect fifths.
What is cross-tuning on a violin?
Cross-tuning, or scordatura, is any alternate violin tuning used to change the instrument's resonance or make certain chords easier to play, common in old-time and folk fiddle styles like Open G (G D G D) or AEAE.
Can I tune a viola with CleanTune?
CleanTune's tuner is fully chromatic, so it detects any pitch. A viola tunes C G D A, a fifth below violin — just match each string to the right note using the chromatic display.
Why does my violin go out of tune between playing sessions?
Wood pegs respond to humidity changes, expanding and contracting enough to shift string tension even when the violin isn't played. That's normal — retuning briefly before each session is standard practice, not a sign anything is wrong.