Keeping your violin properly tuned is an essential part of performing as a violinist. No one likes an out-of-tune violin and if your strings are out of tune, it can affect the sound quality of the violin and the intonation of the notes that the violinist plays.
In this post, we’re going to look at some of the best violin tuner apps for mobile with some options for Apple and Android phones.
We’ve also got our violin tuning guide that might be worth looking at too.
Standard Tuning
Violins and other instruments used to be tuned to different frequencies until an international tuning standard was set in the mid-1800s.
Instrument tuners now tune instruments at the 440 hertz (Hz) tuning standard.
440Hz is known as concert pitch and is what any modern violin tuner that you use will help you tune your violin to.
There are many types of violin tuners that are available for you to use, but modern advancements in technology have allowed tuners to go fully digital, eliminating the need for you to carry an extra piece of equipment to play your violin.
You can now conveniently tune your violin by using your smartphone and here are some of our favorites.
1. Tuner gStrings (Andriod)
Our first recommendation is Tuner gStrings which is a free tuner application that is only available for Android devices.
Tuner gStrings is a great app for several reasons.
One of the best reasons is that the app is free, allowing you to test out the app and determine whether or not it is a great fit for your specific needs.
Secondly, it’s not just for tuning the violin and can be used to tune a multitude of instruments, which is great if you play more string instruments like the cello or a guitar.
Another reason we like it is that Tuner gStrings also allows you to adjust the sensitivity of your phone’s microphone from the app’s settings menu, which in turn will allow you to tune your violin at further distances.
If you want to tune your violin to a different frequency, such as at 432Hz, you can also do that which is handy if you’re playing with a piano that’s not tuned at concert pitch.
All in all, a great little free app that’s worth trying out.
2. DaTuner(Andriod)
Next, we have DaTuner which is another violin tuning app that is only available for Android devices.
DaTuner is a chromatic tuner but has a user interface that differs greatly from other chromatic tuner applications.
It’s an ideal option if you want a violin tuner that is simple, quick, and easy to use as the app is developed specifically to eliminate the complex displays that are used by other apps.
We also love that it provides a visual display of the note that you are playing, its frequency and octave, and how in-tune the note is.
Even better, it has a free version as well as a paid option so you can try it out and see if it’s a good fit without spending a dime.
3. Tuner by Piascore (iOS)
Next on our list is Tuner Lite byPiascore which is a smartphone tuner application that is the free variant of Piascore’s more-involved Tuner app.
Tuner Lite is only available for Apple devices at the moment so you’ll need an iPhone or iPad to try it out.
Like some of the other apps, Tuner Lite can be used to tune a range of instruments, aside from the violin, and offers many helpful features.
It’s a great little app for a variety of violinists, whether you’re a beginner or advanced due to the many features that it has to offer.
It can be used as a chromatic tuner, depicting a needle and a range of notes, or as a sound generator, where a violinist selects a note and the app plays an in-tune note if you prefer to tune by ear. I
As it’s free, give it a go and if you decide that you really enjoy what Tuner Lite has to offer and would like to use even more features, then you can choose to upgrade to the paid version for only $4.99.
4. Pano Tuner (Andriod and iOS)
Another free chromatic tuner that is available for both Apple devices and Android devices is Pano Tuner.
Ideal for violinists as it allows its users to tune any of the notes that they need, whether the note is an E, A, B, G, or anything else on the chromatic scale.
One feature that we like is that Pano Tuner can also listen to a pitch and identify the note that is being played!
It has a friendly interface that is very easy to use as when you are tuning your violin, you can play an open string and Pano Tuner will show you how in-tune the string is through the movement of a needle.
And like most of the apps on our list, as it’s free you can test out the app for yourself and determine if it’s the tuning app that you would like to use.
Then if you like it, they have a paid version for only $1.99 which allows you to customize it a bit more than the free version.
If you decide that you aren’t a fan of what Pano Tuner has to offer, you can easily uninstall it from your smartphone device and try another one instead.
5. Tune This! – Violin (iOS)
Next, we have the first app that is only available for iOS devices, which is TuneThis!
It’s a simple, clean, minimalistic iPhone tuning app designed specifically for violin players (although they have lots of other apps for tuning different instruments).
It’s easy to use, that features both a free metronome and a tuner, so you can use it to stay in time during your practice sessions.
While it’s free, it does have quite a few adverts, which can get quite annoying very quickly.
But you can upgrade to the premium version for only $0.99 which is ad-free and is well worth it to get rid of all the annoying ads.
6. Violin Tuner Tools (Andriod)
At number 6 we have Violin Tuner Tools which is a free violin tuner application that is developed by Cecropia Solutions.
The app is only available for Android devices and can be downloaded through the Google Play Store for free.
The interface of Violin Tuner Tools is simple and is designed for violinists to be used in multiple ways, making it versatile for violinists of different skill levels.
The app has a built-in chromatic tuner and a sound generator as well which allows violinists to select the number of notes that they would like to hear, the tempo of the notes, and the duration that they would like to hear the notes for.
One of the differentiating features that Violin Tuner Tools has to offer is its built-in metronome, which can be very advantageous for you to use as you practice your violin.
The metronome can be set to a variety of tempos and can eliminate the need for you to carry a tuner or a metronome with you and you can just take your phone.
All in all, a good little free app that’s worth checking out.
7. ClearTune (Android and iOS)
Now we have ClearTune which is a paid smartphone tuner application that is available for both Apple and Android devices.
ClearTune works as both a chromatic tuner and a pitch pipe, also allowing a variety of musicians to use the app, whether violinists or guitarists and more.
ClearTune is a great app for violinists because it offers numerous ways to tune violins.
In addition to its pitch pipe sound generator, the chromatic tuner portion of ClearTune provides a visible green indicator when a note is in-tune and allows you to tune to very minute fractions of a pitch.
For its chromatic tuner, ClearTune also provides two different displays for violinists to use when tuning their instruments.
At only $3.99 it’s a good low-cost option for anyone looking for a reliable tuner with ultra-precise tuning options.
8. Master Viola Tuner (Android and Windows)
Master Viola Tuner is a free tuner app that is available for both Android devices and computers that are running the Windows operating system.
While its name suggests that it is a viola tuner app, Master Viola Tuner can be set to tune different instruments, one of which is the violin.
Master Viola Tuner can be a great tool for you to have if you are both a violinist and a violist, as the app has an interface that features a viola with the notes of its strings labeled clearly.
9. nTune Violin (Android)
nTune Violin is a free smartphone tuner application that is developed specifically for violins and is available for Andriod devices.
Upon opening the app, you will be greeted by the depiction of a violin, with each of its strings clearly labeled.
You can click on the strings of the violin and tune your violin according to the notes that are played by the app.
nTune Violin is a great app for violinists who want a dedicated violin tuner, especially for beginner violinists who may not yet know the exact notes of their violin or may not understand how to use more complicated violin tuners yet.
The simple user interface of nTune Violin is easy to see and understand, check it out below
10. iStroboSoft Tuner by Peterson (Andriod and iOS)
And lastly, we have iStroboSoft by Peterson Tuner which is another paid application that is available for Apple devices and Android devices through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, respectively.
iStroboSoft offers professional-grade features and will be a great tool for you to utilize well into your playing career as a violinist.
Aside from its well-crafted interface, there are numerous modes and special features that separate the iStroboSoft app from other smartphone applications.
While relatively it is a bit on the expensive side, for anyone that’s serious about the violin tuning and wants to invest a small amount of money into a good user experience we’d highly recommend it.
Conclusion: Which one Should you Get?
Violin tuner apps have made playing much easier for violinists, providing a multitude of convenient options for violinists to tune their violins with.
Choosing a violin tuner app will depend on which app you prefer and the type of smartphone that you have, as some violin tuners are only available for Apple products or Android-based products.
Due to most of them being free (or very inexpensive) give them a go and see if you like the user interface and the accuracy of its tuning before settling on using one.
