04/23/2020 03:56 PM
Tuning the violin can be difficult, especially if the violin is your first instrument. Violin strings are very fragile, and even just a half turn too far is enough to break a string. Because of this, beginning violinists should be very careful when tuning their violins!
TUNING FROM THE FINE TUNERS
The fine tuners are the easiest way to tune the violin. Fine tuners are small screws located on the tailpiece of the violin, so they can tighten the strings from below the bridge. To tune with the fine tuners, simply turn the fine tuner knob looser or higher until you get to the correct pitch.
If a violin is only slightly out of tune (around 1 note too low or too high), the fine tuners are a great way for beginners to tune their violins. Because fine tuners can’t tune up or down more than a note or two, they are safe to use and it’s almost impossible to break a string using only the fine tuners.
TIP: Remember, “righty-tighty, lefty-loosey!” when you are tuning. A tighter string will mean a higher pitch and a looser string will mean a lower pitch.
Most beginning violins come with fine tuners, but you can buy fine tuners for any violin and they are fairly simply to install on the tailpiece of the violin.
Fine tuners work great for everyday tuning, but for brand new strings or strings that have slipped out of tune, you may need to tune from the pegs instead.
TUNING WITH THE PEGS
Tuning from the pegs of the violin is more difficult than tuning with fine tuners, but sometimes it’s necessary. With a new violin (or an older violin that hasn’t been played regularly), the strings may be too far off from the right pitch to use the fine tuners.
First, make sure you turn the peg toward yourself and slightly out of the peg box to loosen the string. On violins that haven’t been played often, the peg may be stuck pretty tight in the violin, so you may need to use some muscle to wiggle it loose! Always loosen the string first (turn towards yourself), because tightening too far may break the string!
Once you have loosened the peg, you will need to turn the peg to the correct pitch. To do this, use one hand to pluck the string repeatedly while the other hand tightens the peg very slowly. Watch the pitch go up on the tuner or the tuner app until it reaches the correct pitch. Be very careful not to turn past the correct pitch or the string may break!
Once you have tightened the string to the correct pitch, you’ll need to press the peg into the peg box so it will stick. If you simply let go of the peg (like you would for tuning a guitar), it will slip out and the string will go loose again.
TIP: If you’re having trouble getting the peg to stick, you may wiggle the peg back and forth (being very careful not to turn the peg too far) as you push it into the peg box.
Once you’ve secured the peg firmly in the peg box, you may need to double-check the pitch. If you have fine tuners, now is a great time to use them!
TUNING APPS VS. TUNERS
For beginners, I recommend using a tuning app like Guitar Tuna because you can set it to tune the individual strings, which means you won’t have to think through the musical alphabet or worry about getting the correct octave. You can simply click on the string you are trying to tune, and the app will tell you if you need to tune up (make the string tighter) or tune down (make the string looser).
If you are using an electronic tuner or a clip-on tuner, you will need to have a basic understanding of the music alphabet and the different octaves of notes.
The music alphabet goes from A to G, and then repeats itself over and over:
A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C...etc.
This means there are multiple different As, multiple different Bs, etc. These different versions of the notes are called “octaves,” and are essentially higher and lower versions of the same note. You’ll need to be careful to tune each string to the correct “octave” of the note, which means using your ear to discern whether you need to tune up or down.
TIP: If you are using a clip-on tuner like a Snark tuner, you will have to clip it to the scroll of the violin and try to angle the tuner so you can see it.
PLUCKING VS. BOWING
Many beginners find that plucking the strings while tuning is easier than bowing, especially when tuning from the pegs.
Bowing will produce a louder, more sustained tone, so for more advanced students and professionals it is the preferred way to tune the violin. To tune while bowing, hold your violin with just your shoulder and your chin and bring your left hand close to your chest (underneath your bow). Now play an open string while you turn the fine tuners and watch the pitch go up and down on the tuner as you play.
Holding up your violin with no hands can be awkward, but once you get the hang of this technique you’ll find that it’s much faster and will get you a more accurate pitch.
KEEPING YOUR VIOLIN IN TUNE
Fortunately, violins that are well maintained and played regularly will stay in tune fairly well, once the strings stretch out and “settle in” to their correct pitch.
Here are some tips for making sure your violin stays in tune:
- Be very gentle with your violin, both when it’s in and out of the case. Bumping or dropping the violin can cause the pegs or the bridge to slip, which will de-tune your strings.
- Tune new strings regularly for the first couple weeks. New strings usually take a few weeks to gradually stretch out, but after that, they will start to maintain a tune.
- Keep the violin in moderate temperatures. High or low temperatures can cause the wood to contract or swell, which will change the tuning of the strings, or even cause the pegs to come completely loose. Always keep your violin indoors and never leave in a hot (or cold) car!
The best way to learn how to tune a violin is with one-on-one guidance from a teacher. If you’re interested in learning more about the violin or improving your skills, talk to us about signing up for private music lessons with one of our violin teachers!