How to use a tuner and just intonation: from tuning strings to tuning chords
OrchMate Team · · 6 min read
Key takeaways
- A tuner's reference pitch is usually A4=440Hz, and orchestras sometimes use 441 to 442Hz depending on the group. Set the reference pitch before playing together.
- A tuner's cent is a unit that divides a semitone into 100. Within ±5 cents, most ears can't tell the difference.
- On string instruments, tune the A string first, then tune the other strings by sounding two open strings together until the fifth sounds clear.
- In chords, use just intonation: tune a major third about 14 cents lower than equal temperament, a minor third about 16 cents higher, and a perfect fifth about 2 cents higher, and it rings without beating.
A tuner isn't just a tool for 'getting the needle to the center.' Once you know the reference pitch, cents, and just intonation, where you deliberately tune off-center in chords, your ensemble sound gets noticeably clearer.
Reference pitch: 440Hz or 442Hz?
The international standard reference pitch is A4=440Hz. But many orchestras use 441 to 442Hz for a brighter sound. When playing together, switch your tuner to your group's reference pitch and tune to the A given by the oboe (or concertmaster).
How to read cents
- A semitone = 100 cents. A tuner reading of -10 means 'one tenth of a semitone flat'
- Within ±5 cents: a range most ears can't distinguish
- ±10 cents or more: audible right away in an ensemble
Order for tuning string instruments
- Tune the A string to the tuner (or a reference pitch).
- Sound the A and D strings together and tune the D string until the fifth rings clear. If the sound wobbles ('wah-wah', called beating), it isn't there yet.
- Do the same for D–G (G–C on cello and viola) and A–E (on violin).
- Finally, just check each string with the tuner.
Tips When tightening a string, go a little flat first and then come up to pitch. If you tune down from above, the string stretches again and the pitch tends to sag.
Just intonation: tune chords differently on purpose
Pianos and tuners use equal temperament, which divides an octave into 12 equal steps. But chords, where two or more notes sound together, ring clear without beating only when tuned in just intonation, where the frequency ratios are simple. String and wind players can adjust this by ear.
| Pitch | Just intonation ratios | vs. equal temperament |
|---|---|---|
| Perfect 5th | 3:2 | about 2 cents high |
| Perfect 4th | 4:3 | about 2 cents low |
| Major 3rd | 5:4 | about 14 cents low |
| Minor 3rd | 6:5 | about 16 cents high |
For example, if you have the 'mi' (third) in a C major chord (do-mi-sol), you should play about 14 cents lower than the tuner for the chord to ring clear. That's why the center of the tuner isn't always the right answer in an ensemble. The best practice is to sound the chord's root and find by ear the spot where the beating disappears.
FAQ
- What Hz should I set my tuner to?
- When practicing alone, 440Hz is the default. When playing with an orchestra or accompanist, switch to that group's or instrument's reference pitch (441 to 442Hz, etc.).
- What's the difference between just intonation and equal temperament?
- Equal temperament divides the octave into 12 equal semitones, while just intonation tunes chords to simple whole-number frequency ratios (3:2, 5:4, etc.). Chords ring clearer in just intonation, and a major third, for example, is about 14 cents lower than in equal temperament.
- The tuner needle keeps wavering and is hard to read.
- Keep your bow (or breath) steady and long so the needle settles. Read the value after the sound stabilizes, not at the moment of the first note.