Tune your mandolin with the microphone of your phone or computer. The mandolin preset is already selected: press the microphone, play one string, and the tuner shows the note and whether it is too low or too high.
Standard mandolin tuning: G D A E
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| 4th pair (G, lowest) | G3 | 196.00 |
| 3rd pair (D) | D4 | 293.66 |
| 2nd pair (A) | A4 | 440.00 |
| 1st pair (E, highest) | E5 | 659.26 |
The mandolin has eight strings in four pairs. Both strings of a pair are tuned to the same note (unison), like the four violin strings.
How to tune a mandolin in 3 steps
- Press the microphone button and allow microphone access when your browser asks.
- Pluck one string of a pair and mute the other with a finger. The tuner shows the note and a needle: left is flat, right is sharp.
- Turn the tuning key until the needle stays in the centre. Then tune the second string of the pair, and continue with the other pairs.
Tips for tuning a mandolin
- Tune each string on its own. Two strings played together give an unsteady reading.
- When both strings of a pair are in tune, play them together: a slow “wobble” in the sound means one of them is still slightly off.
- Tune up to the note: if a string is sharp, loosen it a little below the note and bring it back up.
- Without a microphone, tap a note button under the menu to hear its reference tone and tune by ear.