Tuning Violins Like the Experts
Tuning violins is not nearly as complicated or daunting a task as it seems.
With some fundamental understanding of how the violin works, and the employment of a few essential techniques, you'll be tuning your violin in no time.
The first thing you'll need is an outside source to provide you with the proper tone to get started.
The most accurate way to accomplish this is through a 440 Hz tuning fork.
This tuning fork is available at most musical instrument stores and sells for approximately $9.
00.
The 440 Hz tuning fork always produces an exact A pitch.
This is considered the most accurate way to tune your A string and then you tune your other strings to be in perfect harmony with the A string.
A simpler way for you to tune your violin is by using a piano or electronic keyboard to establish a tone that you want to tune to.
In other words, simply by striking the G note on the piano, you can listen and tune your G string to that particular tone.
You can get the tone fairly close using the tuning peg, and then you can perfect it using the fine tuning screw down by the bridge.
Keep in mind when tuning violins that your violin must be tuned using an open string.
An open string simply refers to a string that is not fretted, or pressed down, by a finger of the left hand.
The four open strings of the violin must be tuned to a G tone, D tone, A tone, and the E tone, with the largest diameter string being tuned to the G.
It is recommended that you start the tuning process with your strings a little loose, or flat.
It is usually easier to hear a flat tone and then you bring it to correct pitch with the tuning peg.
A flat tone is defined as a tone that is lower than the desired pitch, while a sharp tone is defined as a tone that is higher than the desired pitch.
When you establish the pitch of any string on the violin, you will be able to tune the string next to it by listening for the harmony that it will produce.
Whether you are plucking the strings or bowing them (bowing two strings together is called a double stop) you must be able to hear the harmony to determine if the strings are in tune.
Because violin strings are tuned in perfect fifths, listening for the harmony is critical.
Perfect fifths means that the next string is tuned to exactly five notes above or below its counterpart.
Tuning violins can be made a little trickier by adverse weather conditions.
Temperature and humidity can affect how long a violin stays in tune.
You can tune your violin at home, and take it to a concert hall or church, and find that it is clearly out of tune.
Therefore, it is always best to tune your violin immediately before a performance.
With patience and practice you too will be tuning violins like the experts!
With some fundamental understanding of how the violin works, and the employment of a few essential techniques, you'll be tuning your violin in no time.
The first thing you'll need is an outside source to provide you with the proper tone to get started.
The most accurate way to accomplish this is through a 440 Hz tuning fork.
This tuning fork is available at most musical instrument stores and sells for approximately $9.
00.
The 440 Hz tuning fork always produces an exact A pitch.
This is considered the most accurate way to tune your A string and then you tune your other strings to be in perfect harmony with the A string.
A simpler way for you to tune your violin is by using a piano or electronic keyboard to establish a tone that you want to tune to.
In other words, simply by striking the G note on the piano, you can listen and tune your G string to that particular tone.
You can get the tone fairly close using the tuning peg, and then you can perfect it using the fine tuning screw down by the bridge.
Keep in mind when tuning violins that your violin must be tuned using an open string.
An open string simply refers to a string that is not fretted, or pressed down, by a finger of the left hand.
The four open strings of the violin must be tuned to a G tone, D tone, A tone, and the E tone, with the largest diameter string being tuned to the G.
It is recommended that you start the tuning process with your strings a little loose, or flat.
It is usually easier to hear a flat tone and then you bring it to correct pitch with the tuning peg.
A flat tone is defined as a tone that is lower than the desired pitch, while a sharp tone is defined as a tone that is higher than the desired pitch.
When you establish the pitch of any string on the violin, you will be able to tune the string next to it by listening for the harmony that it will produce.
Whether you are plucking the strings or bowing them (bowing two strings together is called a double stop) you must be able to hear the harmony to determine if the strings are in tune.
Because violin strings are tuned in perfect fifths, listening for the harmony is critical.
Perfect fifths means that the next string is tuned to exactly five notes above or below its counterpart.
Tuning violins can be made a little trickier by adverse weather conditions.
Temperature and humidity can affect how long a violin stays in tune.
You can tune your violin at home, and take it to a concert hall or church, and find that it is clearly out of tune.
Therefore, it is always best to tune your violin immediately before a performance.
With patience and practice you too will be tuning violins like the experts!
