Tune your dombra
Pick a tuning, play the reference tone for each open string, then use the microphone to check how sharp or flat you are.
Tuning
—Hz
— Hz
awaiting input
♭ flatsharp ♯
microphone off
Tap a string card to hold its reference tone — tap again to stop. Pluck the matching string on your dombra and turn the peg until the needle sits in the centre band.
New to the dombra? Start with an easy piece: Erkem-ai · Qazaq osy · Zhastar bii
Frequently asked questions
- How do I tune a dombra?
- The standard tuning is ré–sol: the lower (thicker) string to ré (D3) and the upper string to sol (G3), a perfect fourth apart. On this page, tap a string card to hold its reference tone, pluck the matching string on your dombra, and turn the peg until the pitch matches. Then switch on the microphone to see, in Hz, how sharp or flat each string is and fine-tune until the needle sits in the centre.
- What are the string frequencies in ré–sol tuning?
- In the standard ré–sol tuning the open strings are ré (D3) = 146.83 Hz (lower string) and sol (G3) = 196.00 Hz (upper string) — a perfect fourth apart. Fretted notes rise from there; the reference tones on this page play these exact pitches.
- What are the mi–si and fa–do tunings, and when should I use them?
- Besides ré–sol, two other tunings are common. Mi–si (E–B) raises both strings for a brighter, higher sound or to suit a singer’s range; fa–do (F–C) sits between them. Many kúіs are written for a specific tuning — the player page shows each piece’s tuning — so pick the one the music calls for. Use the tuning selector above to hear the reference tones for each.
- Can I tune my dombra without a microphone?
- Yes. Tap a string card to hold its reference tone and tune your string to match purely by ear — no microphone needed, and it works offline. The microphone only adds a visual cents/Hz readout to confirm you are exactly in tune; it is optional.
- Why won’t my string hold its tuning?
- A new string stretches for the first few days and drifts flat until it settles — retune often at first. A string that keeps slipping usually means the peg isn’t seated firmly (push it gently inward as you turn) or the string isn’t wound neatly on the peg. Big swings in temperature or humidity also detune a dombra, so let the instrument acclimatise before playing.
- How often should I retune?
- Check the tuning every time you pick up the dombra, and again after the first few minutes of playing as the strings settle. New strings need frequent retuning for a week or so; a well-settled instrument in a stable room usually holds well between sessions.