Zhonghu tuner – A-E
A-E · Alternative
This free online tuner listens through your microphone and shows how close each string of your Zhonghu is to A-E tuning (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 A-E tuning
Compared with Standard (G-D), A-E moves 2 strings. Every change is upward, the largest by 2 semitones, so the strings pull tighter than in Standard (G-D).
| String | Standard (G-D) | A-E | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G3 | A3 | up 2 semitones |
| 2 | D4 | E4 | up 2 semitones |
Played open, the strings sound A-E – from A3 at the bottom to E4 at the top, a span of 7 semitones. Step by step across the neck the intervals are a fifth, and that is what decides how chord shapes fall under the hand.
Strummed open, the strings spell A5 – root and fifth with no third, so the tuning stays neutral between major and minor.
History
Where the A-E tuning comes from
A-E is a higher alternative tuning of the zhonghu used for certain arrangements and folk pieces.
Other Zhonghu tunings
Standard
Alternative
How do I tune my Zhonghu to A-E?
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 (A-E).
Which notes are used in A-E tuning?
A-E tuning for Zhonghu uses the notes 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.