Balalaika tuner – Bass (EAD)
E-A-D · Alternative
Press “Start tuner” – the browser will ask for microphone access. Sound is analysed on this device and never uploaded.
This free online tuner listens through your microphone and shows how close each string of your Balalaika is to Bass (EAD) tuning (E-A-D). Play a string, watch the needle, and turn the peg until the meter glows green. If you prefer tuning by ear, tap any string card to hear its reference tone.
About Bass (EAD) tuning
Compared with Prima Standard (EEA), Bass (EAD) moves 3 strings. Every change is downward, the largest by 24 semitones, so the instrument sits at lower tension than in Prima Standard (EEA).
| String | Prima Standard (EEA) | Bass (EAD) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E4 | E2 | down 24 semitones |
| 2 | E4 | A2 | down 19 semitones |
| 3 | A4 | D3 | down 19 semitones |
Played open, the strings sound E-A-D – from E2 at the bottom to D3 at the top, a span of 10 semitones. Step by step across the neck the intervals are a fourth, a fourth, and that is what decides how chord shapes fall under the hand.
Left open, the strings together spell Asus4. That is a by-product of how the intervals are laid out rather than the point of the tuning, but it does mean some chords need very few fingers here. See Asus4 shapes in this tuning →
History
Where the Bass (EAD) tuning comes from
E-A-D, the bass balalaika tuning, is tuned in fourths like the lower strings of the double bass. The bass balalaika was built for Andreyev's orchestra at the end of the 19th century and plays the bass line of the ensemble.
Other Balalaika tunings
Standard
Chords for this tuning
How do I tune my Balalaika to Bass (EAD)?
Allow microphone access, pluck a string, and the tuner will detect it automatically. The needle shows whether the string is flat or sharp – adjust until the reading is within ±5 cents (E-A-D).
Which notes are used in Bass (EAD) tuning?
Bass (EAD) tuning for Balalaika uses the notes E-A-D, listed from the lowest string to the highest.
Can I tune without a microphone?
Yes. Every string card plays a reference tone – tap it and match your string to the sound by ear.