How to tune a Carnatic Violin (Pa–Sa–Pa–Sa Tuning Guide)

The Carnatic violin is not a different instrument; it is the same violin used in Western music, tuned differently according to the Carnatic system. In Carnatic, violins are tuned based on Aadhara Shruthi. Reading the blog on Aadhara Shruthi is strongly recommended before continuing with this one. Carnatic violin tuning follows the Pa–Sa–Pa–Sa pattern based on the chosen Aadhara Shruthi. Counting strings from thinnest to thickest, the 1st string is tuned to Pa, 2nd string to Sa, 3rd string to lower Pa (mandhra/lower octave), and 4th string to lower Sa (mandhra/lower octave). 

If you already have some experience in tuning a musical instrument or you are trained musically and can detect pitch of an instrument relative to a Tanpura, you can simply use Tanpura Droid app or Bheema Pro Tanpura app to tune the violin to the Aadhara Shruthi (Here D#). (Pa, Sa, Lower Pa, Lower Sa – from thinnest to the thickest string).
 
Initially students may not be able to tune using only their ears to align their violin with a Tanpura resonating the Aadhara Shruthi. So in the beginning, students can tune their violin using technology. Here are the apps you can use to do the same.