Octavina Tuner
Standard octavina tuning is F♯2 B2 E3 A3 D4 G4, from the lowest course to the highest, in fourths. At A4 = 440 Hz, these notes span 92.5–392 Hz. This page opens with the 14-string setup selected.
String notes and frequencies
Octavina tuning, 14-string standard (F♯ B E A D G) (14 strings in 6 courses (the three highest courses are tripled)): F♯2 B2 E3 A3 D4 G4, from 92.50 Hz to 392.00 Hz, with A4 = 440 Hz.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| String 6 | F♯2 | 92.50 |
| Pair 5 | B2 | 123.47 |
| Pair 4 | E3 | 164.81 |
| Pair 3 | A3 | 220.00 |
| Pair 2 | D4 | 293.66 |
| Pair 1 | G4 | 392.00 |
How to use it
- Tap Turn on microphone and allow access when the browser asks. The Tuning menu is already set to the 14-string standard.
- Pluck one open string. Auto finds the course you played, or tap a course button to hear its note and lock the reading.
- Turn the peg slowly the way the screen says (flat: tighten or sharp: loosen) until the needle is centered and you see in tune.
- Tune each string of a course on its own, muting the others with a finger. A course button gets a check mark when the string you played holds the note, so check them all.
- Strum each course: a wavy sound means one of its strings is still off.
Help and explanations
The octavina is the guitar-shaped member of the Filipino rondalla, played with a pick. Its 14 metal strings form 6 courses: a single bass F♯, pairs on B and E, and three strings each on A, D and G. It has the laud's tuning, one octave below the bandurria.
How to tune an octavina by ear
Start with A3 at 220 Hz. Adjacent courses are fourths: the 5th fret of A matches open D, and D at the 5th fret matches open G. Continue downward by comparing each lower course’s 5th fret with its neighbour above. Measure course partners separately, then listen together for a steady unison.
Tuning with the laud, bandurria and guitar
The Filipino laud shares the octavina’s tuning. The 14-string bandurria sounds an octave higher, so an octavina course at the 12th fret matches its corresponding open bandurria course. For rondalla rehearsal, agree on one A reference before tuning. A guitar can provide comparison notes, but its ordinary open-string preset is not the octavina’s F♯ B E A D G arrangement.
Tips
- Read the needle a moment after you pluck: a hard pick stroke makes metal strings sound sharp at first.
- If the bridge is held in place only by the strings, change one course at a time so it doesn't move.
- Learned the notes as do re mi? Set Note names to Do Re Mi: the courses read Fa♯ Ti Mi La Re Sol.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard tuning of an octavina?
F♯ B E A D G, from the 6th course (the lowest) to the 1st: F♯2 B2 E3 A3 D4 G4, from 92.5 to 392.0 Hz with A4 = 440 Hz.
How many strings does an octavina have?
14 strings in 6 courses: one string on F♯, two each on B and E, and three each on A, D and G. All the strings of a course play the same note.
What is the difference between the octavina and the laud?
Mostly the body. Both have 14 strings and the same tuning, but the octavina looks like a small guitar with a round sound hole, and the laud has the pear shape of a big bandurria, often with f-holes.
Is the octavina tuned like the bandurria?
The note names are the same, but the octavina is an octave lower. Its top course is G4 at 392 Hz, compared with the bandurria’s G5 at 784 Hz at A440.
Do I need an app to tune an octavina?
No. This tuner runs in your phone's browser and listens through the microphone, free. Save it to your home screen to open it like an app.