This seems to be a very complicated operation, in reality we can all try and manage to tune the violin, parents and young students. First rule: don’t be afraid to do it .

In my work it often happens to tune the instruments of young students, also because on the occasion maybe you change a broken string, a whole wetsuit or you review the correct attitude of the instrument. If the musical instrument is only to be granted, the parent will save himself the trip. These are a few simple things to keep in mind, then you can try to tune the instrument yourself.

1.Buy a tuner for violin, I suggest you a very cheap type, alternatively there are free mobile applications. The tuner with clamp is the best, it detects the note played, you do not have to use the bow, you can only pinch the string with the forefinger by applying moderate force. You must remember that the violin strings , starting from the first (the finest) are MI-LA-RE-SOL , in the English notation E-A-D-G. For Viola the order is LA-RE-SOL-DO. Put the tuner in mode C , that is chromatic.

I usually lock the tuner on the bridge . It’s been tested by me, they work very well.

2.If the string has come off the peg you will simply have to put it back in the small entrance hole in the middle of it. The peg is a truncated conical piece interlocking in the hedgehog of the violin, it can turn clockwise / counterclockwise by slipping off or getting stuck.

3. Turn the peg clockwise (like tightening a screwdriver) to pull the string until it reaches a slight tension, which allows you to let out a sound by pinching it. Don’t be afraid, I know that strings have a cost, but they don’t break immediately. Do the operations progressively.

4.To lock the string to the tuning you want, or to stop it momentarily, as well as screwing the peg you will have to tighten it (always turning clockwise) inwards by fitting it . THE PEG CANNOT BE STOPPED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION (unscrewing the peg). It is a piece of conical wood, therefore it is designed to fit together. If it should flow poorly (jerky) or be too fluid, the intervention of the luthier will probably be necessary. Don’t be afraid of tightening the peg inward, often the pegs melt easily because you are afraid of tightening with the right force, especially in cellos.

5. The perhaps more complicated part is figuring out which note to stop at. Here the tuner finds its usefulness, but you will also have to take into account other factors. While pulling the string with the peg, in a linear way, you pinch it (to give a sound it must be stretched a little). The note that will come out of the violin will have to be compared with the tuner who tells you which note we you to. Remember that the tuner reasons by respecting the order of the notes , what we all know a little DO-RE-MI-FA-SOL-LA-SI , in English CDEFGAB . If we are tuning the first string of MI (E in English) and reading on the tuner DO (C in English) we will probably have to go up (screw the peg) by two tones to reach the MI.

FOR MORE EXPERT PEOPLE: Try to understand common sense what is the normal tension of the string, to speed up the operation. Making a tension comparison with the other strings mounted on the violin, if any, can help. The mi is the most tight one.

I give a practical example: to tune the violin on the fourth string (the largest) the SOL (G in English). Watch the video (sorry it’s in italian, ask please if you want it in english).

“Here we are, today we have a problem to deal with that has a very simple solution. I was asked by many people a video that would allow you to understand how to easily tune a musical instrument at home, in particular today we grant a I will also make another video for cellists, where I will use the same methods of course but changing some things at the tuning level. To tune you don’t have to be afraid of breaking the instrument! This is the first thing to know because many are afraid to force the pegs in the pegbox or they are afraid to move the jumper These problems should not be magnified, but must be addressed So in order to tune first of all you must have all the four strings and a tuner. These tuners have a clamp that allows me to hold them on the bridge. You see now a letter that stands for LA, they are in English notation so practically instead of giving me it only gives me you will see C D E F G A B that English annotations.I put the tuner on the bridge and turn it towards the video camera so that you can always read the note, that the string obviously doesn’t hit us! Here, near the bridge at the left foot of the bridge. So at this point let’s say that I have to reassemble the string because the peg has completely slipped. I hold the G string in my hand while the other strings are partially tuned, to finish the tuning. Always remember that the pegs are these here on the box where there is the hedgehog and they are practically pieces of wood that get stuck when turning. While the tiracantini, i.e. these ones, are metal parts that you may not even have, it depends on the violin that unscrewing and tightening have the same function as the pegs. It is a fine function, that is, when you are close to tuning with the tuning peg at that point you end the tuning with the finisher. The jumper is this element that, when you want to tune, as you push the string forward, it could go a little bit forward. This usually does not happen to mount a single rope, but if you see it crooked, that is, if you see that this plane that I simulate with the hand is a little forward or a little back then you have to put it back like this. This should be done with the hands with perhaps the slightly less tightened strings. I recommend going to a luthier to do this, but I still wanted to explain this detail to you. First of all I have to put the rope in the tyrant, while on the other side I will have to put it in a small hole … continue “