What key is standard mandolin tuning?

The standard mandolin tuning is the same as violin tuning: G-D-A-E, from low to high. The only difference is that the mandolin has eight strings, but the violin has only four. On a mandolin, you tune each “course,” or pair, of strings to the same pitch, so the mandolin’s tuning is really G-G-D-D-A-A-E-E.

Can you play a mandolin like a guitar?

(An acronym you can use to remember this is: Giant Dogs Ate Everyone.) Mandolins are actually tuned the same way a violin is tuned (except that mandolins have 4 pairs of strings and violins have 4 single strings). So you can almost think of the mandolin as a fretted violin that you can strum like a guitar.

Can you use guitar strings on a mandolin?

You can use guitar strings on a mandolin as long as the gauge or tension level is appropriate for the instrument. Many strings are basically the same for most guitar-like instruments. However, if you don’t have extra mandolin strings available but need one, a similar gauge guitar string will do the trick.

What octave is A mandolin tuned to?

The standard octave mandolin tuning is G2G2−D3D3−A3A3−E4E4, so the lowest open strings are tuned to the lowest G on the guitar, and the highest strings are tuned to the same E as the highest string of the guitar.

What to do if Your Mandolin goes out of tune?

You might also find that some mandolins hold their tuning better than others. If your mandolin goes out of tune quickly, check to see if it has a truss rod running through the neck. Truss rods provide stability, so if you don’t have one your mandolin may not hold its tuning very well.

Can you play a G on a mandolin?

Play a G on the piano, then play the string on your mandolin. If your mandolin sounds lower, tune it a little higher, and vice versa. Repeat until your G strings match the pitch of the piano. From there, you can tune your other strings using your mandolin alone.

Which is better a mandolin or a guitar tuner?

The pitches on a mandolin are higher than those on a guitar (except for the G strings), so your tuner may struggle to recognize the upper strings accurately. In that case, you’re better off tuning your lower strings with the guitar tuner and tuning the rest by ear.

How many strings are there on a mandolin?

Mandolins have four sets of two strings that are tuned to the same pitch. Violinists will tell you that it’s far easier for three violinists to play in tune with one another than for only two. The same principle makes it a particular challenge for each pair of strings on a mandolin to sound in tune.