Hi, I finally got my violin. I`m starting to learn and the first thing I noticed about it was that its sounded like it wasn`t tuned so I turned the tuners till it sound ok. What is the best way to make sure it`s right? The violin is a cheap one and I can`t aford to send it to a professional. I do play other instruments. I don`t want to start playing something that isn`t playing the right notes straight off.

if u have another instrument, like a piano, then use those notes to tune then u know it will be right!

Tuning is something every violinist needs to learn to do themselves. Every time you need to play, you need to tune. Sometimes you`ll need to tune WHILE you play, especially if your strings are new.

At first, don`t attempt to tune with the pegs. It`s very easy to break a string that way, and these are only to be used if your violin`s really out of tune, or when you don`t have fine tuners. If your violin is majorly out of tune and there`s nobody to help you, make sure you turn the violin away from yourself so in case the string snaps, it won`t get you in the face. That can be painful, and you might have a welt for days. ALWAYS know the pitch you are looking for. Like the person before me said, play the pitch on the piano or something. If you don`t have the pitch in your head, it`s likely that you`ll go too sharp and snap the string.

So, for right now, stick with the fine tuners unless it`s an emergency. If your violin doesn`t have any, buy some and have a repair person put them on for you.

when you first get a violin it is very common for it to go out of tune frequently. mine did but now it is fine! as long as you play it regulary then it will learn to stay in tune! its kind of like a dog being taught a new trick! it doesnt want to do it at first and you have to reward it and giveit praise so it will learn that if it does this certain `thing` then it will be rewarded. but im not saying that you need 2 praise your violin when it is in tune! but if you play it regulary and make sure it is ALWAYS in tune when you play it it will learn to stay in the same place because it has become trained and used to having the pegs in that position. does that help any?

You said you played other instruments, but just in case you don`t have a reference, the dialtone on the telephone is 440Hz.

Buy an electric tuner. Also may I enquire how you tuned your guitar without any trouble and violin you can`t?

Highest to lowest, your strings should be tuned to E, A, D, and G. There is an interval of a perfect 5th between each note, so if you can identify that interval, you can tune the entire instrument by ear... assuming that one of the strings is in tune.