Making sure your instrument is well tuned is important for musicians of every level. For beginners especially, tuning helps engage the ear with the specific sound and frequency of the intended note. This engagement makes it easier to translate written music on the page into sound, and in time, makes this process into an action of second nature, requiring little thought. More advanced violists are encouraged to teach themselves to tune by ear, but it is still important - especially when playing with others - to have a tuner on hand.

It is important to think of the process of tuning in itself as not just an act to get the instrument ready for playing, but to get your ears and mind in tune too. A good musician will use the process of tuning as a “switch” to move from everyday thinking into “practice mode.” If you are a beginner, you can do this too, by using the tuning process to interact and really listen to your viola, thinking about all aspects of sound, tune, timbre and of course the pitch of the note itself as you change the note with the fine tuners.

Tuning in a Nutshell

Tuning a viola is easy if you follow these simple steps.

• Always tune from below the note to prevent strings from breaking.
• Use the fine tuners as much as possible. When they become wound down to the nub, loosen them right the way up, use the peg to tighten the string to just below the note, and use the fine tuners to tune the note up the rest of the way.
• Tune the A string first, followed by D, G then C strings. (this is how orchestral players tune their violas.)
• Try humming the right note from the tuner first, before you tune, so you know exactly what note you are looking for.
• Still having trouble? Check out the rest of this article for added tips and tuning tricks, as well as a look at why it is important to tune your instrument. If you are having technical problems (such as pegs slipping) check out our article on Violin Maintenance.

Parts of the viola you need to know:

When tuning any instrument, you should always tune from below the note, up. This prevents string breakages and systematizes the process of tuning, so you can become more familiar with the sounds and pitches of a perfect, in-tune note. When tuning your viola, you should also always tune using the fine tuners. When the fine tuners have been wound right down to the end of the screw, loosen the fine tuner all the way out before carefully tightening the tuning peg. This way, you limit unnecessary pressure on the stings which can cause breakages, and prevent tuning to the wrong octave.

When tuning, play the note continuously, listening carefully to the string as it tightens towards the desired pitch – remember, you may need to stop to tune halfway through a practice, especially with new strings, which stretch out of tune, and may need tightening from the peg 4+ times per practice session for the first few days.

It is advisable to start by tuning the A string first, followed by the D, G then C strings. When you get more confident and internalize the sounds of the notes of the strings, you can try tuning the strings from each other. The viola is tuned in perfect fifths, which resonate together strongly when sounded. You will often see orchestral players pass around a perfect A, then tune their other strings off this A. You can do this yourself by tuning your A string to a tuner, then playing the A and D strings together, while tuning the D string from below until you hear the right resonating frequency of a perfect fifth . You can then use the tuned D string played together with the G string to tune the G string, and then the C string off the G. Do remember that orchestral violists have acquired this skill by playing for many years, and internalizing the sound of a perfect fifth can take months if not years of practice.

Note: If you want to know more about the physics of tuning any instrument, head over to The Science of Tuning Musical Instruments. Having trouble turning the fine tuners or pegs? Check out our Violin Maintenance And Upkeep Guide for tips on how to loosen those troublesome joints.