Mexican vihuela tuner
The Mexican vihuela is tuned A D G B E (A3 D4 G4 B3 E4), from the 5th to the 1st string: the notes of the guitar's top five strings, but with A, D and G an octave higher. In frequencies: A3 220.0 Hz, D4 293.7 Hz, G4 392.0 Hz, B3 246.9 Hz and E4 329.6 Hz. This vihuela tuner already knows the octave of each string.
String notes and frequencies
Vihuela tuning, standard (A D G B E) (5 strings): A3 D4 G4 B3 E4, from 220.00 Hz to 392.00 Hz, with A4 = 440 Hz.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| String 5 | A3 | 220.00 |
| String 4 | D4 | 293.66 |
| String 3 | G4 | 392.00 |
| String 2 | B3 | 246.94 |
| String 1 | E4 | 329.63 |
How to use it
- Tap Turn on microphone and allow access.
- Play an open string with the phone near the soundhole. In Auto, the tuner recognizes which string it is.
- If you see flat: tighten (↑), raise the note with the tuning key; with sharp: loosen (↓), lower it. After one second on in tune, the string is marked.
- Pick a string to lock the tuner on it and press Play to hear its note. Auto goes back to recognizing the string you play.
Help and explanations
It works free in your phone's browser, with nothing to download. It is made for the mariachi vihuela, the small round-backed guitar that drives the rhythm. Because the tuning is re-entrant, the highest string is the 3rd (G4), not the 1st.
How to tune a vihuela by ear
For the first A, select the 5th string and press Play to hear A3 (220.0 Hz), or take it from a guitar (3rd string, 2nd fret). Then match each open string to one that is already tuned: the 4th (D) to the 5th string at the 5th fret; the 3rd (G) to the 4th at the 5th fret; the 2nd (B) to the 5th at the 2nd fret; and the 1st (E) to the 2nd at the 5th fret.
Tuning the vihuela with the mariachi guitar
The 2nd (B) and 1st (E) strings sound the same as on the guitar. For the other three, the guitarist frets the 3rd string at the 2nd fret (your A), the 2nd string at the 3rd fret (your D) and the 1st string at the 3rd fret (your G). The guitarrón's 1st string (A2, 110.0 Hz) sounds an octave below your 5th string. To tune the guitar itself, use the guitar tuner.
Tips
- Pick each string and use Play to compare: if the A, D or G string sounds an octave lower, bring it up slowly until it matches that note, even if the screen shows in tune.
- New nylon strings stretch for several days: tune, play for a while and tune again.
- Always tune up to the note: if you go past it, loosen a little and come back up.
- If the mariachi tunes to another reference, such as 442 Hz, change it under Reference A.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard mariachi vihuela tuning?
A3–D4–G4–B3–E4, from the 5th to the 1st string. A, D and G sit an octave above the matching guitar strings.
How do you tune a 5-string vihuela?
Turn on the microphone and play each open string. Adjust by the cents and confirm the octave, especially on A, D and G.
Do I need a vihuela tuner app?
No. It works free in the browser and analyzes the sound on your device. You can add a shortcut to your home screen.
Can I tune a vihuela with a guitar tuner?
A chromatic tuner works if you check the octave. A fixed guitar mode expects lower A, D and G strings and can get confused.
Is the Mexican vihuela tuned like the Spanish renaissance vihuela?
No: this page is for the Mexican mariachi vihuela. The renaissance vihuela has other courses and its own tuning, with the same intervals as the renaissance lute.