Tune your cello with the microphone of your phone or computer. The cello preset is already selected: press the microphone, play a string, and the tuner shows the note and whether it is too low or too high.
Standard cello tuning: C G D A
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| 4th string (C, lowest) | C2 | 65.41 |
| 3rd string (G) | G2 | 98.00 |
| 2nd string (D) | D3 | 146.83 |
| 1st string (A, highest) | A3 | 220.00 |
The cello is tuned in fifths, one octave below the viola.
How to tune a cello in 3 steps
- Press the microphone button and allow microphone access when your browser asks.
- Start with the A string. Bow it and let it ring. The tuner shows the note and a needle: left is flat, right is sharp.
- Turn the peg for large changes and the fine tuner for small ones, until the needle stays in the centre. Then tune D, G and C.
Tips for tuning a cello
- Put the phone or laptop on a stand or chair close to the cello, not on the floor behind you.
- The C string sounds at only 65 Hz, and small laptop microphones hear low notes poorly. Use a long, firm bow stroke. If the reading jumps, play the harmonic in the middle of the string: it sounds one octave higher, so the tuner shows C3 instead of C2.
- Tune up to the note: if a string is sharp, loosen it a little below the note and bring it back up.
- Does your orchestra tune to A4 = 442 Hz? Tap “A4 = 440 Hz” under the tuner to change the reference pitch.