text: It depends if you are playing solo or with a piano accompaniment. If you are playing solo, you would use a tuning fork (440 Hz)to tune your "A" string. Then, you would use your "A" string as a reference to tune the other strings. The strings on a violin are "G" "D" "A" and "E". Basically, the pitch of the strings is in ascending fifth. You want to try to tune to a perfect fifth: ie. "G and D" "D and A" and "A and E". \n\nWith a piano accompaniment, you tune to the A above the middle C on the piano. And use that as your reference.