Online Viola Tuner

The following notes represent all the strings.

How to tune your viola

Method 1: Tune Each String Independently

  1. Click the button for the string you want to tune. If the tuning tone is too loud, you can adjust the volume with the slider (the webpage will remember the volume next time you visit).
  2. While the tuning tone is playing, pluck the corresponding string you want to tune. If the sound from the string is not close in pitch to the tuning tone, use the peg tuners to adjust the tension in the string. Turn the peg clockwise to raise the pitch and and counterclockwise to lower it. Continue plucking as you turn the peg. Go slowly as it's easy to over tighten.
  3. Continue adjusting the peg until the string’s tone is very close to the tuning tone.
  4. If your viola has fine tuners, adjust the string’s fine tuner until it exactly matches the tuning tone, otherwise, use the peg to match the tuning tone.
  5. If the string is slightly sharp (slightly high in pitch), you can pull at the string to lower the pitch. Be careful here too, it is possible to break a string if you pull too hard.

The steps above can be done with the bow as well. If attempting to tune using a bow:

  1. Hold the viola using the chin rest and your shoulder rest. If you don’t have a shoulder rest, just use a sponge or folded cloth.
  2. Place the bow on the strings and wrap your left arm around the viola to access the fine tuners.
  3. Pull the bow slowly across the string you want to tune. Follow the "Tune Each String Independently" set of steps above for each string with this adjusted method.

Method 2: Tune Using only A-string and double stops

  1. Tune only the A string using the beginner method or the bow.
  2. Now pull the bow across the A and D strings simultaneously.
  3. Adjust the D string fine tuner (or peg) until the two strings played together produce a perfect 5th.
  4. Now pull the bow across the D and G strings together.
  5. Adjust the G string fine tuner (or peg) until the two strings produce a perfect 5th.
  6. Now pull the bow across the G and C strings simultaneously.
  7. Adjust the C string fine tuner until the two strings produce a perfect 5th.