Persian setar tuner online
The setar (سهتار, “three strings”) is the small long-necked lute of Persian classical music, played with the nail of the right index finger. Despite the name it has four metal strings: string 1 (white steel, the melody string), string 2 (yellow brass) and a drone pair formed by string 3 (thin steel, moshtaq) and string 4 (the wound bam), which sit close together and are played together. Its nominal tuning is C4 G3 C4 C3 for strings 1 to 4, written do–sol–do–do.
Open-string notes and frequencies (nominal Mahur)
Persian setar in nominal Mahur/Chahargah tuning, from string 1 (white) to string 4 (bam). Equal-tempered frequencies at A4 = 440 Hz; at the common Iranian B♭ pitch every string sounds a whole tone lower.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| String 1 · white (sefid), melody | C4 | 261.63 |
| String 2 · yellow (zard) | G3 | 196.00 |
| String 3 · moshtaq (drone pair) | C4 | 261.63 |
| String 4 · bam (drone pair) | C3 | 130.81 |
How to use it
- Tap Turn on microphone and choose a tuning: nominal C to play with santur, piano or recordings at 440 Hz, or B♭/B for the usual Iranian pitch.
- Tune string 1 (white) first, then string 2 (yellow) a fourth below it. Approach the yellow string’s note from below: its thin brass breaks easily.
- Tune strings 3 and 4 one at a time, muting the other with a finger. In Mahur, string 3 matches string 1 in unison and string 4 sounds an octave lower.
- Check by ear: strings 1 and 3 give the same note, string 4 the same note an octave down. Then go round once more, since new strings stretch.
Help and explanations
This tuner listens through your browser microphone and shows note, octave and cents for each open string. Besides the nominal pitch, the menu offers the same Mahur tuning a whole tone lower (B♭) and a half step lower (B), which is how many Iranian players actually tune, plus documented tunings for Shur, Nava/Homayun/Esfahan and Rast-Panjgah. This page is for the Persian setar; for the Indian instrument, use the sitar tuner.
The Persian do is a reference, not a fixed pitch
Persian notation writes the open white string as do on middle C (C4) in treble clef, and every other string is tuned relative to it. In real pitch there is no single traditional standard. The Persian Wikipedia notes that the Iranian do usually sits a whole tone lower, equal to B♭ on a tuning fork, so do–sol–do–do then sounds B♭3 F3 B♭3 B♭2. Some teachers tune to B instead, and A is sometimes used for practice.
Choose the pitch by context. With a fixed-pitch instrument such as santur or piano, or a recording at A4 = 440 Hz, use nominal C. Playing alone or with a singer, set the white string where the voice needs it and keep the same intervals. A440 is only the electronic tuner’s convention: in traditional music the setar is not tied to a tuning fork unless it plays in a tuned ensemble.
Dastgah tunings: mostly the drone pair changes
The white string stays the reference do. Mahur and Chahargah keep C4 G3 C4 C3. For Shur in G (also listed for Afshari and Abu’ata) string 4 rises to F3: C4 G3 C4 F3. For Nava, Homayun, Avaz-e Esfahan and Shur in D, the pair moves up a tone to D4 + D3. Rast-Panjgah in F is the one that changes the yellow string: C4 F3 C4 C3. Shur in A puts the pair on A3 + D3; sources give only note letters there, so the A3 octave is inferred from what the steel string can physically reach.
These names are conventions, not rules. The Persian Wikipedia lists four tunings for Homayun, puts Dashti on do–sol–la–re and says players may change the naming. Segah and Bayat-e Tork get different tunings from different sources, and the Segah drone on koron (quarter-flat) A lies outside equal temperament, so neither has a preset. Frets are tied, movable and set by ear for koron and sori: use this tool for open strings only.
Tips
- Muting is essential on the drone pair: with strings 3 and 4 sounding together, the octave confuses the detector.
- Never pull string 2 up to G4, a fifth above the white string. It belongs a fourth below, at G3, and an octave too high snaps it.
- After changing dastgah, recheck the string you raised a few times: a bam just brought up to F3 or D3 keeps settling.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of a Persian setar?
Nominally, from string 1 to string 4: C4 (white), G3 (yellow), C4 (moshtaq) and C3 (bam), at A4 = 440 Hz. Strings 3 and 4 form an octave pair that is played together.
Why do setar recordings sound lower than C?
Many Iranian players tune their do a whole tone lower (B♭) or a half step lower (B), to suit the singer, soften the tone and spare the yellow string. Select the B♭ or B tuning, or follow the recording’s pitch.
How do I tune a setar for Shur?
Two documented options: Shur in G, C4 G3 C4 F3, with the bam raised to F3; and Shur in A, C4 G3 A3 D3. The link between these names and tunings is a convention, so follow your teacher if their radif uses another.
Is the setar the same as the sitar or the tar?
No. The Indian sitar has many more strings, including sympathetic ones, and the Persian tar has six strings in three pairs on a double-bowl body with a skin top. For the tar, use the tar tuner.