Dan ty ba tuner (Vietnamese pipa)
The Vietnamese đàn tỳ bà has four open strings, named relatively Hò – Xang – Xê – Líu. Today's usual tuning is C3 – F3 – G3 – C4 (Đô3 Fa3 Sol3 Đô4), from string 4, the thickest and lowest, to string 1, the thinnest: a fourth, a major second, then a fourth, so string 1 sounds exactly an octave above string 4.
Open-string notes and frequencies of the Vietnamese đàn tỳ bà
Vietnamese đàn tỳ bà, usual tuning Đô3 – Fa3 – Sol3 – Đô4: equal-tempered frequencies at A4 = 440 Hz, from string 4 (lowest) to string 1. The Chinese pipa is tuned A2 D3 E3 A3.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| String 4 · Hò | C3 | 130.81 |
| String 3 · Xang | F3 | 174.61 |
| String 2 · Xê | G3 | 196.00 |
| String 1 · Líu | C4 | 261.63 |
How to use it
- Tap Turn on microphone; keep Vietnamese standard for a Vietnamese tỳ bà.
- Start with string 4, the thickest: pluck it open with the plectrum, without tremolo or vibrato, and bring it to C3.
- Tune string 3 to F3, string 2 to G3 and string 1 to C4. Wooden pegs hold by friction, so push the peg gently inwards as you turn it.
- Check again: strings 3 and 2 are only a whole tone apart, and string 1 must be exactly an octave above string 4.
Help and explanations
Vietnamese books often write "Đô – Fa – Sol – Đô1", where Đô1 is middle C (C4), not C1. The Chinese pipa uses the same interval shape a minor third lower, A2 D3 E3 A3, and that is included as a second preset for Chinese instruments. In traditional music A4 = 440 Hz is only a convention: an ensemble may shift the whole tuning together.
Reading Đô1 and online frequency charts
In Vietnamese books Đô = c = C3 and Đô1 = c1 = C4, so "Đô – Fa – Sol – Đô1" and "Đô3 – Fa3 – Sol3 – Đô4" are the same tuning. Many shop pages copy "A, d, e, a" next to Đô – Fa – Sol – Đô as if they were one thing; A D E A is the Chinese pipa. The "electric tỳ bà" chart of 146.83 / 196 / 246.94 / 329.63 Hz on Vietnamese Wikipedia lists the guitar's D3 G3 B3 E4 strings, so ignore it.
The Sol – Đô – Rê – Sol form and ensemble pitch
The Vietnamese Institute for Musicology and Võ Thanh Tùng also give "Sol – Đô1 – Rê1 – Sol1", with the same 4th–2nd–4th shape. Trần Văn Khê wrote it as g, c', d', g' (G3 C4 D4 G4), while tybavietnam.vn calls Sol2 – Đô3 – Rê3 – Sol3 hò nhứt. The sources disagree on the octave, so it is not preset here; if your teacher uses it, pick the notes with the chromatic tuner.
When playing đờn ca tài tử or ca Huế with zither, moon lute, fiddle or a singer, you can tune to the group's pitch as long as the 4th–2nd–4th pattern stays intact.
Tips
- New nylon strings stretch a lot: retune several times over the first days and always approach the note from below.
- Measure open strings only: the Vietnamese tỳ bà has few, non-chromatic frets, and the nhấn technique raises notes on purpose.
- String 4 (130.81 Hz) is faint on a laptop mic; hold the phone close to the soundboard near the bridge in a quiet room.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dan ty ba string notes?
From string 4 to string 1: C3 F3 G3 C4 (Đô3 Fa3 Sol3 Đô4), which is 130.81 / 174.61 / 196.00 / 261.63 Hz at A4 = 440 Hz.
Is the Vietnamese tỳ bà tuned A D E A?
Not as standard. A2 D3 E3 A3 is the usual tuning of the modern Chinese pipa; the Vietnamese instrument uses the same intervals on C – F – G – C.
Which string is string 1?
String 1 is the thinnest and highest (C4); string 4 is the thickest and lowest (C3).
Do I need an app to tune a tỳ bà?
No. The page runs in your browser; allow the microphone and the sound is analysed on your device.