I got my fiddle/violin for Christmas this year, and I haven`t ever played this before. In the event that any of you are so kind as to possibly help me with the idea of tuning, that would be greatly appriciated. Thank you for your kindness.

seems to me you`ve got a pretty good Cristmas...lol but seriouisly, I`ve (FINALLY) gotten mine this year for my birthday (18th) and I`ve been asking for it for 10 years and I know some stuff that might help...so just ask and I`ll try my best to help ye (by the way, I`ve just added you on my msn list (hannah_m_lee) so we could talk when I`m not on the forum or something...
anyways byebyez
Han

oh and when I got mine, I got it tuned when I bought it, at the music shop, the guy tuned it for me so...either you could do that too, or you could look for some books at yer local library...or something else you could do, if ye don`t wanna use any books or anythin, there`s this lil thing you could use, I just can`t think of the nameof it right now sorry but if I rememeber I`ll tell ye, it`s pitch...something, can`t rememeber the name...but I`m tryin to think...it`s a lil plastic thing that you blow in and it makes this sound and then you tune your violin so the strings would sound the same as the sound, but ye gotta set the right note first so...I know this isn`t really helpful but...I`ll try to rememeber what it`s called and I`ll get back to you on that...
anyways byeeeeezzzz
Han

it`s called a pitchpipe, theyre about 5 bucks. If youre new to violin, you really need to take lessons, and play seriously. I`ve played for 5 years but only seriously for 9 months, and have increased a tenfold in talent. to tune, i would reccomend trying to match the pitch of a piano or the pitch pipe, or get someone to do it for you. It is VERY easy to break a string... and if you have nice strings (my new strings just cost 250 dollars!) you really need to be adept at tuning. a teacher helps nicely in this regard.

glad to see people are interested in the violin! its a great instrument, although a very hard one.

Thanks, I got the man at the local music store to teach me to tune it. It`s very nice that you were helping me, thank you again!

It`s not to hard. Ask your Mom to call a music store for lesssons. Also, at some music store, there are "learn to play" books. Usually, tuning isn`t taught untill you are into your third year. I learned early because I was in a class of third years when I was a first year. It`s fun, too,so, I suggest you ask your Mom RIGHT NOW! bye! (:
~Calliope Sylvers future novelist~

Lessons are definately a good idea. As for pitchpipes and pianos, both can be out of tune, I`d recomend a tuning fork (A-440) or an electronic tuner, with the tuner though, you will need to also have a tuning fork to make sure it`s calibrated right, and the tuners are expensive.

Thank you all again! I`ve found a $35 electric tuner and also I`m getting free lessons thru my school. I have to thank you all very much for your efforts in help!