Mandolin Tuning
Standard mandolin tuning is G – D – A – E, the same notes as a violin. Each note is played on a pair of strings tuned in unison, so a mandolin has eight strings. Press Start tuner and tune one string at a time.
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✓ All strings in tune
Tap a string to hear it and tune only that string. Audio is analysed on this device and never uploaded. How it works →
- What it does
- Hears each mandolin string, shows which one, its note, Hz and cents
- What it does not do
- Record or upload audio · detect chords
- Reference pitch
- A4 = 440 Hz, adjustable 415–466 Hz
- Tested with
- 58 studio recordings of 11 instruments (right note on about 95% of frames at normal volume) and test tones from B0 to C6
- Made by
- The Appcellent team
- Updated
- November 2026
Tuner not hearing you?
- Allow the microphone. If you blocked it: in Chrome or Edge, click the icon left of the address bar → Microphone → Allow, then reload. In Safari on iPhone, tap aA → Website Settings → Microphone → Allow. In Firefox, click the crossed-out microphone in the address bar. On a Mac, also check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone for your browser.
- Open the page in Safari or Chrome. In-app browsers (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) often block the microphone.
- Play one note at a time, louder. Hold your phone or laptop close to the instrument and let the string ring. A quiet room helps.
- Wrong octave or jumping notes? Let the attack fade for a moment — the reading settles once the note is steady.
- No microphone at all? Tap a string button to hear its note and tune by ear.
Mandolin string notes and frequencies
Standard mandolin tuning is G3 (196.00 Hz), D4 (293.66 Hz), A4 (440.00 Hz) and E5 (659.26 Hz), from the lowest string to the highest (A4 = 440 Hz).
| Pair | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 4 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 3 | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
| 3 | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
| 2 | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
| 2 | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
| 1 | E5 | 659.26 Hz |
| 1 | E5 | 659.26 Hz |
How to tune a mandolin
- Press Start tuner and allow the microphone.
- Mute one string of the pair with a finger and tune the other.
- Tune the second string of the pair to the same note. When both are in tune the pair sounds clean, without a wobble.
- Repeat for all four pairs.
Why mandolin strings come in pairs
The doubled strings (called courses) make the mandolin louder and give it its shimmering tone. If two strings of a pair are slightly out of tune with each other you will hear a slow “beating” — tune them until it disappears.