Nothing is worse than an out of tune instrument, and the violin is no different. Before practicing or playing, it is important to tune your violin. Playing an out of tune instrument can make your playing sound terrible, or even worse, put you off playing your instrument altogether.
But learning to tune by ear can take years of practice, and buying a proper tuner can be expensive for something so insignificant. That is where mobile apps come in. All mobile phones and tablets come with built-in microphones, which can be used to tune your violin.
So, I decided to take a look at 5 of the best apps to tune your violin, starting with…
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Pano Tuner – Chromatic Tuner
Pano Tuner is an app that never leaves my smartphone and is usually the first thing I install when I change phones.
Don’t be worried about the name. Sure, the name almost sounds misspelled, but this is a chromatic tuner that not only comes with some extra features suited for guitars like different tunings, etc., but it also features tunings for other instruments like bass, ukulele, and yes, you guessed it, violin.
The chromatic tuner on here is super easy to read, accurate, and even has the option to adjust the frequency of the 4th A note if you prefer to tune your instruments in 432Hz. Honestly, this app should be called Pro string tuner because it can tune any instrument with strings that you can name.
The best part is that it is completely free! It does have ads, but they are non-intrusive and only pop up every now and then.
Guitar and Violin Tuner
Guitar and violin tuner is just that, a tuner that has been made with guitarists and violinists in mind.
It is a great looking app, although the interface is not as simple or easy to read as something like Pro Guitar Tuner. But if you like a flashy-looking app, then this is a great option.
It is an accurate tuner that will show the exact frequency of the note. The chromatic tuner is paired with a strobe tuner, so you can easily see how close you are to the correct note. Mixing the two will give you the most accurate and fastest tuning experience.
Or use your ear…
However, if you prefer to tune by ear, there is an option to listen to each note and tune your instrument to the note.
The app is free to use but is heavy-handed with the advertising.
ClearTune
ClearTune is a chromatic tuner that also allows you to tune in different frequencies other than 440Hz, which makes it an excellent choice if you want to experiment with micro-tonal guitars.
ClearTune is a paid app, which might put you off from getting it, but it offers a lot of extras that the free apps do not offer. Plus, it only costs $3.99.
Celebrity endorsed…
First off, it is backed by some high-profile artists like Damon Albarn from Gorillaz, and The Black Keys. That might be enough to convince you, but let’s dig a little deeper.
Well, the interface is like no other tuner app or real tuner. It is a revolving “note wheel” that quickly cycles through the different frequencies and notes as you play your instrument with pinpoint accuracy. It also offers options to dampen the needle, tune to a hundredth of a semitone and select the tone waveform.
If you are looking for the best of the best, and you’re willing to pay a few bucks, then ClearTune should be your top pick.
Tuner & Metronome -Soundcorset
Next in my rundown of the Best Apps to Tune Your Violin, if you want the best metronome and tuner, why not get them both within one app. Simplifying everything is in vogue at the moment, so trimming things down to a single app is an excellent idea, and Tuner & Metronome does just that.
The tuner has two options available. The chromatic tuner is simple to use and easy to read. It is also fairly accurate. The second option is a pitch fork mode, if that’s your thing.
The frequency is customizable, so you don’t have to stick to the standard 440Hz.
Tick tok, tick tok…
The metronome is a great extra feature and works great. It even has a metronome flashlight mode, which just means a silent metronome. It will flash to the tempo instead of playing a sound.
The coolest part about this app is that it also has practice modes, so you can practice scales, and it even includes a BPM detector.
Tuner – Pitched!
Tuner – Pitched! is a sleek-looking tuner app that comes with all the flashy extras you’d expect from an app that looks as good as this one does. These include a light and dark mode for those who want to save battery life or just like everything black. I’m guilty of that as well!
It offers a very bare-bones experience when looking from the outside, which makes it perfect for beginners. If you search a little deeper, though, it actually has some really cool features.
First off…
You can choose from a large range of instruments, which will quickly give you the standard tuning of the instrument, making tuning quick on the fly. It supports guitars, violins, ukuleles, and more. If you get the pro paid version, you can even create custom tunings, which is fantastic if you happen to play in a Sonic Youth cover band!
You can also change the pitch from standard 440Hz to any other frequency you prefer.
The best feature for me is the volume sensitivity knob. This allows you to turn the sensitivity of the microphone higher or lower, depending on the surrounding noise levels.
Looking for more tuner options?
Most chromatic tuners will work on most instruments in the same frequency range; therefore, most guitar tuners work fine for tuning a violin. So, check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Guitar Tuners and the Best Clip On Guitar Tuners you can buy in 2023.
You might also be thinking of getting a new violin or some accessories? If so, take a look at our reviews of the Best Student Violins, the Best Cremona Violins, the Best Violin Strings, the Best Electric Violins, the Best Violin Bows, the Best Violin for Kids, the Best Violin Cases, or the Best Violin Rosins currently on the market.
Or you may also enjoy our comprehensive guides to How Are Violin Strings Made, How to Replace Your Violin Strings, Tips For Tuning Your Violin, Who Invented the Violin, or A Guide to Choosing the Right Violin Strings for more useful information.
So, what is the very best of the Best Apps to Tune Your Violin?
There are plenty of tuner apps to tune your violin. But whichever you choose, the most important thing is to always play with your instrument tuned correctly, since an out of tune instrument can lead to a badly trained ear, which will slow down your musical progression significantly.
In terms of a personal favorite, I would go for…
But since you can basically try out most of these for free initially, just go for the one you like the most, then either purchase it or delete it and try another until you find one that works best for you.
Hopefully, the 5 best violin apps I have reviewed do everything you want them to do and help you get your violin tuned perfectly, so you can play to your heart’s content.
Now get your instrument in tune and make some great music!
