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4 strings · 5 fiddle presets

Fiddle tuner for standard and old-time cross tunings

Tune standard G3 D4 A4 E5 or switch to Cross A, Cross G, ADAE and Calico for open-string drones used in old-time repertoire.

Open tuner Private by design · no account · audio stays on this device
Tuning target±5 cents
G3D4A4E5
FlatIn tuneSharp
01Standard plus four old-time presets
02Exact octave-aware targets
03Select a string for a large tuning change
Know the target

Fiddle tuning beyond standard GDAE

A fiddle and violin share standard G3 D4 A4 E5 tuning, but old-time playing frequently uses scordatura to create strong open drones and easier resonant fingering.

Cross A is A3 E4 A4 E5, Cross G is G3 D4 G4 D5, ADAE is A3 D4 A4 E5 and Calico is A3 E4 A4 C♯5.

Four clear steps

How to tune accurately

  1. 1Select the intended old-time preset before tuning.
  2. 2Change the lowest string gradually and let it settle.
  3. 3Tune each remaining physical string in order.
  4. 4Sound the open drones together and correct any audible beating.
Reference: A4 = 440 Hz

Notes and frequencies

Physical stringTargetFrequency
String 4 G3 196.00 Hz
String 3 D4 293.66 Hz
String 2 A4 440.00 Hz
String 1 E5 659.26 Hz

Changing the tuner calibration recalculates every target from A4 = 415–450 Hz. The values above use the common 440 Hz reference.

All supported tunings

The instructions and frequency table above describe this page's tuning. These links open other supported setups directly in the live tuner. A separate guide appears only where one has been written.

Calico · AEAC♯

A3 · E4 · A4 · C♯5

Check string tension

Practical answers

Frequently asked questions

Are fiddle and violin standard tuning the same?

Yes. Both normally use G3, D4, A4 and E5; the fiddle presets add common old-time cross tunings.

What is Calico fiddle tuning?

Calico is A3, E4, A4 and C♯5, often written AEAC♯.

Does tuner.love upload my microphone audio?

No. Pitch analysis runs locally in your browser. Microphone audio is not uploaded to a backend and is never replayed through your speakers.

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4 strings · 5 fiddle presets

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