Autoharp tuner online
This autoharp tuner provides the 36-string RBI Standard Chromaharp layout, from F2 to C6. The bass begins F2 G2 C3 D3 E3; above it, the chart contains F3 F♯3 G3 A3 B♭3 B3, then every semitone from C4 to C6.
Open-string notes and frequencies
RBI Standard Chromaharp 36-string chart, lowest to highest; compare your instrument’s labels. A4=440 Hz.
| String / course | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | F2 | 87.31 |
| 2 | G2 | 98.00 |
| 3 | C3 | 130.81 |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 |
| 5 | E3 | 164.81 |
| 6 | F3 | 174.61 |
| 7 | F♯3 | 185.00 |
| 8 | G3 | 196.00 |
| 9 | A3 | 220.00 |
| 10 | B♭3 | 233.08 |
| 11 | B3 | 246.94 |
| 12 | C4 | 261.63 |
| 13 | C♯4 | 277.18 |
| 14 | D4 | 293.66 |
| 15 | D♯4 | 311.13 |
| 16 | E4 | 329.63 |
| 17 | F4 | 349.23 |
| 18 | F♯4 | 369.99 |
| 19 | G4 | 392.00 |
| 20 | G♯4 | 415.30 |
| 21 | A4 | 440.00 |
| 22 | B♭4 | 466.16 |
| 23 | B4 | 493.88 |
| 24 | C5 | 523.25 |
| 25 | C♯5 | 554.37 |
| 26 | D5 | 587.33 |
| 27 | D♯5 | 622.25 |
| 28 | E5 | 659.26 |
| 29 | F5 | 698.46 |
| 30 | F♯5 | 739.99 |
| 31 | G5 | 783.99 |
| 32 | G♯5 | 830.61 |
| 33 | A5 | 880.00 |
| 34 | B♭5 | 932.33 |
| 35 | B5 | 987.77 |
| 36 | C6 | 1046.50 |
How to use it
- Compare the preset’s 36 notes with the labels beside your tuning pins.
- Place the autoharp securely on a table and allow the microphone.
- Pick one accessible string without pressing a chord bar.
- Turn that string’s tuning pin a very small amount with the correct wrench.
- Check the other strings, then listen to each chord after tuning.
Help and explanations
Read the note strip on your own instrument before using this preset. Chromatic autoharps can have different bass layouts, while diatonic models may repeat selected notes. The number of chord buttons does not tell you the number or tuning of the strings.
Follow the note strip, not a continuous chromatic scale
The low end of this layout deliberately skips notes. After G2 comes C3, not G♯2. Between G3 and A3 there is no G♯3 string in this specific chart. A different model may omit B♭3 instead, so forcing every 36-string instrument into the same pattern would give wrong targets. Use the chromatic tuner for any layout that differs.
Treat chord bars as dampers, not as separate strings to tune. With a bar held down, several strings remain audible; that is useful for a final musical check but unsuitable for measuring one pitch. Lift the bar and pluck only the string you are adjusting. If it is awkward to reach, pick in the exposed area beyond the bars. On a model with fine tuners, use the main pin to get close and the fine adjustment for the last small correction.
Tips
- Keep the tuning wrench aligned on the pin so it does not slip.
- Check C4 in the middle register before comparing its octave partners.
- If one chord still sounds sour, isolate its individual strings before changing anything else.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are the 36 autoharp strings tuned to?
This RBI layout runs F2 to C6, with gaps in the bass and no G♯3. The table lists every target; other 36-string models can differ.
Is an autoharp tuned chromatically?
A chromatic model has a chromatic section, but its lowest strings need not include every semitone. Diatonic autoharps use a different note layout.
Can I tune an autoharp with a guitar tuner?
Use a chromatic or matching autoharp mode. A fixed six-note guitar mode does not cover the autoharp’s many pitches.
Do I press a chord button while tuning?
For a microphone reading, pick one string with the bars released. Press the buttons afterward to check how the completed chords sound.
Do 21 chord bars mean 21 strings?
No. Chord bars select groups of strings by damping the unwanted notes; they are not a string count.
Will this work for a diatonic autoharp?
Use the chromatic tuner and the maker’s string chart. This preset is specifically the 36-string RBI Standard Chromaharp arrangement.