Best violin tuner

Which violin tuner IS best?

Tuning a violin is much the same as tuning any stringed instrument, with the notes ascending in perfect fifths as G, D, A and E, the latter being the highest in pitch. An electric tuner makes life much easier as it helps you to tune quickly and quietly while making sure that the strings are in tune with each other and with the rest of the orchestra or ensemble. An example of a high-quality yet affordable violin tuner is the excellent D’Addario NS Micro Violin Tuner

What to know before you buy a violin tuner

When to use fine tuners

Digital tuners are highly sensitive and react to small adjustments in pitch. While this is essential as far as tuning accuracy is concerned, it can be difficult to lock in your desired pitch while tuning. Fine tuners enable the player to tension their string close to pitch and then use a small rotary knob at the bridge end of the string to make incremental adjustments. Some violins have fine tuners on all strings, some just on the E string, while others have none.

Different types of tuners

The two most popular types of violin tuners are pedal and clip-on tuners. Pedal tuners are only effective if you have a magnetic pickup fitted or play an electric violin, as they are positioned between two instrument cables. These are silent to use, highly accurate and very sturdy. Clip-on tuners are the most popular violin tuners by far and they work by detecting the resonance in the instrument's body as the string is plucked. They are affordable, lightweight and small enough to fit into an instrument case or pocket.

Clamping mechanism

The clamping mechanism is the main point of differentiation between a violin tuner and a regular stringed instrument tuner. Many violin tuners use a wider clamp to attach to the body of the violin, not the headstock as with an acoustic guitar. Those that do attach to the far end of the instrument must also have a clamping mechanism that is wide enough to accommodate this. Ensure that a tuner is suitable for attaching to violins before you make a purchase.

What to look for in a quality violin tuner

Response time

To tune your violin, a string is plucked as if you’re playing pizzicato, and the note registers with the tuner, which displays the amount by which it is sharp or flat. The best tuners compute and present the result in milliseconds, with barely any visible delay. The meter on the screen should not lag while you turn your tuning peg, as this can affect your ability to quickly and precisely tune to pitch.

Display visibility

You must be able to read your tuner's display, whether you are tuning your violin alfresco in bright sunshine or the orchestra pit of a dimly lit concert hall. The best tuners have highly illuminated graphic meters, often with backlit LED screens. In addition, many screens can rotate and swivel to ensure they can always face the musician, no matter how the tuner is clamped to the instrument.

Battery economy

A low battery can affect your tuner’s performance before it stops working completely, so the longer the battery life, the better. The best violin tuners are rechargeable via a micro USB or USB-C port and give you several hours of use when fully charged. Many also feature auto power-off functionality, which helps to ensure that you can tune your instrument for over a week between charges.

How much you can expect to spend on a violin tuner

Digital violin tuners are relatively inexpensive as far as musical instrument accessories are concerned. You can pick up a perfectly effective clip-on model for as little as $10, but high-quality options cost $15-$30, with pedal tuners costing $50-$150.