Online Kora Tuner
Kora commonly has 21 strings arranged on two sides in a particular physical order. Different traditions use tunings such as Silaba and Sauta. A modern F-major profile with twelve equal semitones is a practice or ensemble adaptation, not a universal definition of those traditions.
References for a modern adaptation
← marks the left side and → the right, each ordered from nearest to farthest from the player. The table follows a modern F-major adaptation in equal temperament with A4 = 440 Hz.
| String | Actual note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| ←1 | F2 | 87.31 |
| ←2 | C3 | 130.81 |
| ←3 | D3 | 146.83 |
| ←4 | E3 | 164.81 |
| ←5 | G3 | 196.00 |
| ←6 | Bb3 | 233.08 |
| ←7 | D4 | 293.66 |
| ←8 | F4 | 349.23 |
| ←9 | A4 | 440.00 |
| ←10 | C5 | 523.25 |
| ←11 | E5 | 659.26 |
| →1 | F3 | 174.61 |
| →2 | A3 | 220.00 |
| →3 | C4 | 261.63 |
| →4 | E4 | 329.63 |
| →5 | G4 | 392.00 |
| →6 | Bb4 | 466.16 |
| →7 | D5 | 587.33 |
| →8 | F5 | 698.46 |
| →9 | G5 | 783.99 |
| →10 | A5 | 880.00 |
How to use it
- Identify string order and your intended tuning with your teacher or maker.
- Enable the microphone and pluck one string, damping the others to separate its sound.
- In modern profiles, capture by playing the F2 bass string or its transposed pitch. In free mode, choose the actual note and octave before capture.
- Compare strings individually and adjust according to the instrument’s construction, then revisit previously tuned strings.
Help and explanations
This page starts with the modern F-major profile. For another tuning or tradition, select the free reference and choose the string’s actual note and octave. Capturing F2 as the modern profile’s bass recalibrates its reference; it does not require every kora to use F2.
Modern profiles and traditional tunings
The modern F-major profile compares a 21-string layout with equal-tempered centers. Modern Sauta is another adaptation clearly named as such. Relationships passed on within each tradition may vary. Use a profile only when it fits the arrangement you have learned, and confirm the intervals by ear.
Understand the numbers in tuning diagrams
A diagram may call the starting note F0 as an index relative to the string arrangement. That does not mean scientific F0, the frequency of an extremely low octave. Here, F2 is an illustrative 87.31 Hz reference with A4 = 440 Hz. Identify your string’s actual octave before comparing.
Tips
- Damp neighboring strings so their resonance does not dominate the reading.
- Check physical string position; the profile order is not simply a linear scale.
- Make gradual adjustments following the maker and check again after playing.
Frequently asked questions
Must every kora be tuned to F major?
No. Equal-tempered F major is a modern adaptation. Reference pitch and intervals depend on the tradition, teacher and instrument.
Are Silaba and Sauta the same as modern profiles?
Not necessarily. Profiles labeled modern are explicit adaptations; traditional tunings may have different pitch relationships and reference points.
Does F0 in a diagram mean scientific F0?
Not in this kind of relative diagram. Check the source’s convention and measured octave rather than turning a layout index into a universal frequency.
How do I capture a string reference?
In a modern profile, play the F2 bass string or its transposed pitch: capture always uses the first target, even if another string is selected. In free mode, choose the string’s actual note and octave before capture. This recalibrates the reference A and the targets derived from it.