A mandolin has eight strings but only four different notes: the strings come in pairs that lie close together and are tuned exactly the same. Such a pair is called a course. You always fret and pick both strings of a pair together – that’s what gives the mandolin its bright, shimmering sound.
The target notes
- Course 4 (top, the lowest): G (G3)
- Course 3: D (D4)
- Course 2: A (A4)
- Course 1 (bottom, the highest): E (E5)
From one pair to the next there is always exactly a fifth – just like on a violin. The G and D strings are thicker and wound with wire; the A and E strings are plain and thin.
With a tuner
- Open the tuner and allow the microphone.
- Rest one finger of your fretting hand lightly on one string of the pair so it doesn’t ring. Pluck the other string.
- If the note is too low, turn the peg to tighten the string. If it’s too high, loosen it a little. Turn in small steps.
- Now mute the string you just tuned and tune the second string of the pair the same way. Then move on to the next pair.
Do both strings match?
Finally, pick each pair together and listen closely. If both strings match, the note sounds calm and clear. If one string is a tiny bit off, you’ll hear a wobble – “wah-wah-wah”. Turn the second string very slowly until the wobble gets slower and disappears.
By ear: always the 7th fret
Because all pairs are a fifth apart, the same rule works everywhere: the 7th fret of one pair sounds like the next pair open.
- G strings at the 7th fret = D strings open
- D strings at the 7th fret = A strings open
- A strings at the 7th fret = E strings open