Alternate Tuning

Alternate Tunings for Violin and Viola - Cross Tuning Violin and Viola - Fiddle Tuning

For country fiddle music / old time fiddle music, the violin is often tuned differently then the standard violin tuning of G-D-A- E and the viola is often tuned differently then the standard C-G-D-A.

Common cross tunings allow you to more easily use the fiddle as a chording / background / solo instrument. However many common cross tunings make it easy to play in only one or two keys. Common cross tunings are good for beginning fiddlers / kids because they can start playing some simple music that sounds pretty good right away. Alternate tunings / cross tunings are also great for advanced players who want to incorporate the beautiful or gritty overtones the open strings can add - though it takes some practice incorporating and controlling this in ones' playing . The open tunings can work wonderfully for solo / one man band performances because of the chording options.

WARNING: Before I tell you more about alternate tunings, a word of caution - anytime you raise the pitch of a string on a violin or viola, there is a chance you might damage your instrument. It is often good to try alternate tunings on a second inexpensive instrument. Having another instrument (or a couple other instruments) is a good idea - you can have another instrument that is alternately tuned and ready to go.

Violin alternate tunings - Violin cross tunings

(G-D-G-D tuning) The first alternate tuning I'll mention is G-D-G-D cross tuning - you just lower the two high notes on the standard violin tuning. This is basically an G chord (only root and fifth). The G-D-G-D tuning makes playing in the key of G very easy for many songs. It is also a pretty good tuning for playing in the key of D.

However, since the low G on many violins is fairly week in tone, often the the two lower strings on the violin are tuned up instead - giving us the A-E-A-E tuning.

(A-E-A-E tuning) The most common alternate tuning / cross tuning on the violin is A-E-A-E - this is basically an A chord (only root and fifth). The A-E-A-E tuning makes playing in the key of A very easy for many songs. It is also a pretty good tuning for playing in the key of E.

(A-D-A-D tuning) This tuning is basically a D chord and is good for playing in the key of D.

(D-D-A-D tuning) (Dead mans tuning) In this tuning, the lowest sting is tuned down an octave below the second D string. On most violins, the low D is very week . If you have a violin with a good bottom end and/or a violin little larger than the standard size violin or a small viola with violin strings, this may work better for you.

Nordic violin tuning "troll tuning" (A-E-A-C♯) (this tunning is used play the tune "Fanitullen") The Hardanger Fiddle is often tunned to troll tunning a full step up (B-F#-B-D#) - More Nordic tunings: (I have never used these tunings) - (A-D-A-E) (F-D-A-E)

Viola alternate tunings - Viola cross tunings

(C-G-C-G tuning) The first alternate tuning I'll mention is C-G-C-G cross tuning - you just lower the two high notes on the standard viola tuning. This is basically an C chord (only root and fifth). The C-G-C-G tuning makes playing in the key of C very easy for many songs. It is also a pretty good tuning for playing in the key of G.

(D-A-D-A tuning) Good for playing in the key of D or A - cross tuning one full step up from C.

(D-G-D-G tuning) This tuning is basically a G chord - good for playing in the key of G.

(D-D-A-D tuning) (Dead mans tuning) (warning, you may damage your viola) If you put violin strings on a viola, you can do this and the low D is nice and full. I have done this with a standard viola - a slightly smaller viola may work better for this. If you raise the highest string any higher than D on a standard viola, you will break something (either the tail gut or the viola) .

(A-D-A-D tuning octave below violin) This cross tuning works pretty good on a full size viola. Using this tuning, you are an octave below the A-D-A-D violin, so you can double the violin part with the same fingering.

(G-D-G-D tuning octave below violin) This cross tuning works pretty good on a full size viola. Using this tuning, you are an octave below the violin, so you can double the violin part with the same fingering. However, the low G string tends to be a bit floppy.

(G-D-A-E tuning octave below violin) The standard violin tuning an octave below the violin. This works pretty good on a full size viola with some heavy gauge string. However, the low G string tends to be a bit floppy. You can double the standard violin part on a viola with the same fingering. Make your viola a chin cello - the low notes put your viola in the cello range -kind of fun.

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