Help! I am an absolute beginner but was advised by the 'adult learners' forum to try other teachers - at the moment I have one tutor who tells me my violin is too flat (and tunes it for me) but when I go to the next tutor I get told my violin is too sharp and then he tunes it!! Last week, by coincidence I saw them just 48 hours apart and it is very off putting to have my 'finger positions' be so different each time.

Shoild I decide what I like the sound of and be forceful at the next lesson - saying 'I like the way it sounds'???

I assume they are tuning it so it is in tune relatively - ie the strings are in 5ths, in which case, the finger positions shouldn't change really. If the strings aren't in tune with each other, that's a different matter.

Tuning to a different A just depends on the piano (or whatever else) they tune to.

Yes, tuning it to a different A won't affect your fingers positions. But if you are a beginner, is it a new violin? If so, the strings may still be stretching, and it will tend to go more out of tune between lessons - but that would mean it would be flat. However, add in the colder weather, and that could also affect the tuning. Where do you keep your violin when you're not playing it? And is it always the same teacher who says it's sharp / flat, or does it vary?

Could they be tuning to an out of tune piano or in very different climates? You could always buy an electronic tuner for under £20 and have digital arbitration- and tune it yourself between lessons.

A good ear tuning perfect 5ths from an A will be 4 cents off the digital tuner on the G string and 2 cents off on the D and E strings but this is a tiny amount and will hardly alter your finger positions.

I agree with erard - buy a tuner and ask them to show you how to tune to it, that way they will agree.

If however they are tuning your violin to be 'in tune with a piano, then it is quite possible for the 2 different tunings to be correct if the 2 pianos are different.

The best way forward will be to only have one teacher - how long have you got 2 for?

I have a digital tuner and last night I checked the 'second' teacher's tuning - it was spot-on.
I will take your advice re: the tuner and take it with me next week so hopefully I can produce some consensus.

I agree that someone's piano is not quite in tune - it is in a very cold damp room! nuff said


thank you, I am chuffed to bits, 12 weeks learning and I am starting some exam pieces

I think you need to make a decision about which tutor you are going to continue with. You cannot continue to see several teachers, because you will inevitably end up with conflicting advice or confusion. Trying out a few different people initially is fine, but you need choose, not carry on seeing two tutors indefinitely.