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How Do I Tune My Psaltery?

The psaltery is a stringed instrument that dates back to ancient times. Psalteries can be plucked, bowed or struck. Temperature changes, along with normal string wear, can cause your psaltery to become out of tune. To keep your instrument playing the correct pitches, you'll have to tune it as needed.

Things You'll Need

  • Electronic tuner
  • Tuning wrench ("T" style or gooseneck)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Pluck the string that runs to the topmost angle of the psaltery. Watch your electronic tuner to see what the pitch is.

    • 2

      Tighten or loosen the tuning peg that corresponds with this string. If the tuner reads a note lower than G, turn the wrench clockwise. If the tuner reads a note higher than G, turn the wrench counterclockwise.

    • 3

      Apply a steady, moderate pressure to the wrench as you turn the tuning peg.

    • 4

      Pluck the string again and check it with the tuner to see whether it has reached G.

    • 5

      Continue to make slight turns with the wrench until the string is in tune.

    • 6

      Continue this procedure for the remaining strings. The G you tuned is the lowest pitch. The pitches go up in chromatic order, and are located on either side of the psaltery. The regular notes are on the right side, and the sharps are on the left. The other pitches are as follows: G# (left side-LS, first string-1S), A (RS, 1S), A# (LS, 2S), B (RS, 2S), C (RS, 3S), C# (LS, 3S), D (RS, 4S), D# (LS, 4S), E (RS, 5S), F (RS, 6S), F# (LS, 5S), G (RS, 7S), G# (LS, 6S), A (RS, 8S), A# (LS, 7S), B (RS, 9S), C (RS, 10S), C# (LS, 8S), D (RS, 11S), D# (LS, 9S), E (RS, 12S), F (RS, 13S), F# (LS, 10S), G (RS, 14 S).

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