Mandolin Tuner

Tuning the Mandolin

Before learning how to tune a Mandolin you must determine the specific type of Mandolin. Even if there are different types in the mandolin family, it is most common with four courses. Each course have two strings that are tuned in unisone, giving a total of eight strings. The courses are usually tuned in perfect fifths.

Note, that the tuner above only shows four strings than corresponds to the four courses. To tune the mandolin you adjust the strings in four pairs.

The Mandolin Family

The mandolin family consists of many variants with different constructions and tunings, thus the variatians is commonly used in a certain style. The Neapolitan mandolin is used in classical and traditional music, primarly in Europe. In American folk music and bluegrass music the Carved-top mandolins are the ones widely used and in British, Irish and Brazilian music the Flat-backed is more commonly seen. Click on the preferred mandolin type below to see the tunings available. The standard mandolin refer to the soprano size in the family.

• Mandolin (soprano)
• Piccolo Mandolin
• Mandola (alto)
• Octave Mandolin (tenor)
• Mandocello (Baritone)
• Mandobass
• Irish bouzouki
• Cittern
• Greek Bouzouki

The tuner is fully chromatic but if you need a reference of a specific tuning when tuning by ear or if you want to tune any other instrument follow the steps in how to setup the guitar tuner for other instruments