Cello Tuner
Free online cello tuner with tuning presets. Tune your cello using your microphone with accurate pitch detection.
Cello Tunings
Choose from popular cello tunings. Each tuning page includes a pre-configured tuner and information about when to use it.
How to Tune a Cello
Tuning your cello is essential for producing beautiful music. The standard cello tuning is C-G-D-A (from the lowest string to the highest). The strings are tuned in perfect fifths, which is the interval that defines the string family's characteristic sound.
Begin by tuning the A string to A3 (220 Hz). Then tune the D string a perfect fifth below A, followed by the G string a perfect fifth below D, and finally the C string a perfect fifth below G. Fine tuners on the tailpiece allow for small adjustments, while the pegs are used for larger changes.
How to Use This Cello Tuner
- Select your tuning from the dropdown menu (Standard CGDA is selected by default).
- Click the microphone button and allow microphone access when prompted.
- Bow or pluck a single string on your cello. The tuner will automatically detect which string you're playing.
- You can also tap a specific string button to tune that string. The tuner will show how sharp or flat you are from the target note.
- Turn the fine tuner or peg until the indicator is centered and the status shows "In Tune."
- Repeat for each string until your cello is fully in tune.
Understanding Cello Tuning
Standard (CGDA) — The universal tuning for cello, with strings tuned in perfect fifths: C2, G2, D3, A3. This tuning is used in classical, jazz, folk, and virtually all other cello genres.
Cello Tuning Tips — Always tune from below the pitch up to the target note, as this helps the string settle and hold its tuning better. New strings may need to be re-tuned frequently until they stretch and stabilize.
Perfect Fifths — Like the violin and viola, the cello is tuned in perfect fifths. This means each adjacent pair of strings is separated by an interval of a perfect fifth, giving the instrument its characteristic resonance when open strings ring together.