Domra tuner – 4-String (GDAE)
G-D-A-E · Standard
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 Domra is to 4-String (GDAE) tuning (G-D-A-E). 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 4-String (GDAE) tuning
4-String (GDAE) uses 4 strings where 3-String (EAD) uses 3, so the two are not compared string by string.
Played open, the strings sound G-D-A-E – from G3 at the bottom to E5 at the top, a span of 1 octave and 9 semitones. Step by step across the neck the intervals are a fifth, a fifth, a fifth, and that is what decides how chord shapes fall under the hand.
The four-string domra is tuned GDAE in fifths – the violin's tuning. It was developed later than the three-string instrument and is common in Ukraine and Belarus as well as Russia.
The practical consequence is a much larger repertoire: everything written for violin or mandolin can be played from the original part, which is why conservatory programmes often favour the four-string instrument.
History
Where the 4-String (GDAE) tuning comes from
G-D-A-E in fifths is the tuning of the four-string domra developed by Grigory Lyubimov in 1908. It matches the violin, allowing the domra to play violin repertoire; it is the standard in Ukraine and Belarus.
Other Domra tunings
Chords for this tuning
How do I tune my Domra to 4-String (GDAE)?
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 (G-D-A-E).
Which notes are used in 4-String (GDAE) tuning?
4-String (GDAE) tuning for Domra uses the notes G-D-A-E, 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.