How to Tune an Octave Mandolin

An octave mandolin is a member of the string family. It is larger than the regular mandolin and the mandola, but smaller than the mandocello. This instrument, like the others in the mandolin division, is played with a pick and is popular in folk music and American bluegrass music. The octave mandolin's four pairs of strings are tuned in fifths, which is the same manner as a standard mandolin with the exception that the octave mandolin's strings are one octave lower.

Things You'll Need

• Octave mandolin
• Electronic tuner or other tuned instrument

Instructions

Tuning with an Instrument

1. Play a high E on a piano or other instrument that you know is in tune.

2. Pluck the first string of the octave mandolin and listen to see if it's lower or higher than the E you played.

3. Turn the first tuning key to tighten or loosen the first string on the octave mandolin. If strung correctly, you should be able to turn the key counter clockwise to tighten and counter-clockwise to loosen. Tighten the string if the pitch is too low and you need to raise it. Loosen the string if the pitch is too high and you need to lower it.

4. Continue to make slight adjustments until the pitch of the string matches the E pitch you played. You may have to play the E multiple times on the other instrument in order to make proper adjustments to the octave mandolin.

5. Tune the second string of the mandolin to the same E pitch.

6. Play an A above middle C on your other instrument and tune the third and fourth strings of the octave mandolin to this pitch.

7. Play a D above middle C on the other instrument and tune the fifth and sixth strings to this pitch.

8. Play a G below middle C and tune the seventh and eighth strings to this pitch.

Tuning with an Electronic Tuner

1. Turn on the tuner and pluck the first string of the octave mandolin.

2. Watch to see which note lights up on the tuner. If it's a note lower than E, you'll have to tighten the string by using the same method described in the previous section. If the string is registering higher than E, you should lower the string.

3. Continue to make adjustments until the tuner indicates that the string is playing an E. Some tuners have a light that lights up in the middle to indicate correct pitch, while some tuners have a needle that needs to move to the middle of a dial in order to show correct pitch.

4. Tune the second string to the same E pitch using the same method.

5. Use the same method to tune the others strings. Again, strings 3 and 4 are A. Strings 5 and 6 are D, and strings 7 and 8 are G.

References

• Mandolin Cafe website
• DGlenn: Instrument Definition