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A Guide to Tunings on the Hardingfele

by Karin Løberg Code

The following reference was compiled to identify the numerous tunings for the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle. Listed below in the first column are the top strings of the fiddle from lowest to highest (G-string to E-string) with the understrings in brackets []. In the next column you will find the various names for the tunings and finally where the name originates. I have also included other pertinent facts, such as well-known tunes and origins of the names.

My sources include Bjørndal and Alver's ...og fela, ho let, Olav Gurvin's "The Harding Fiddle" Studia Musicological Norvegia, Loretta Kelley's Telemarkspel, and Volume 7 of Norsk Folkemusikk - Hardingfeleslåtter (NFMHS). I also included information from the Valdres Folkemuseum for which I have no recording of the source. To my knowledge, this is the most complete list of tunings for the hardingfele.

I have listed the most common tuning first and then the rest follow in alphabetical order. Please note that middle C is designated as such: c';. One octave higher would therefore be identified as: c". One octave lower as: c.

Top Strings
[Under Strings]
Name of Tuning Where Name Originates and Tune Examples / Notes

a.d'.a'.e"
[(b).d'.e'.f#'.a']

regular tuning
oppstilt bas
oppstilt
vanleg stille
høg bas
håge base
halvforstemt
jamt stille

81% of tunes transcribed in NFMHS
general usage in norway
Seljord
Vinje
Valdres
Setesdal
Fjotland
Sunnfjord

a.c'.a'.d"
[(a).c'.d'.f'.a']
nedstilt kvint og ters Telemark - "Sumarmorgon" by Eivind Groven
a.c'.a'.e"
[(b).d'.e'.g'.a']
nedstilt ters Telemark - "Brunnslåtten" by Eivind Groven
a.d'.a'.e"
[(a).d'.e'.g'.a']
kolagutstille
kolastill
kolåsstille
Møre, Nordfjord
Sykkylven - named after fiddlers from Gudbrandsdal, "Kolagutane"
Sunnmøre
a.d'.a'.c#"
[c'.e'.f#'.a']
nedstilt kvint Tinn - "Førnesbrunen" etter Olav Bernos Gvåle
a.d'.a'.d"
[(b).d'.e'.f#'.a']
unnamed
håvt forstemt

Setesdal
Valdres
a.d'.f#'.e"
[(b).d'.e'.f#'.a']
trollstilt
trollstemt
huldrastilling
låg kvart
seljekvatstille
seltakvedne
forkjer
forstemt
overforstemt
nedstilt kvart
Seljord, Setesdal, Hornindal, Strandebarm
Fresvik
Øystre Slidre
Valdres - "St. Thomasklokkelåten"
Voss, Granvin
Granvin
Tinn
Setesdal, Førde
Ytre Sogn
Tinn - "Trollhallingen etter Knut Dahle"
a.e'.a'.a"
[(a).c'.e'.g'.a']
[(a).c#'.e'.g'.a']
huldrastilling or huldastilt
unnamed
Granvin - seldom used because fiddle becomes 'out of whack' afterwards according to one spelemann in this region
Ål - "Dekken" and "Prillarguri"
a.e'.a'.b"
[(a).c#'.e'.f#'.a']
seltakvedlstille
seltakvednstille
Hardanger
Granvin

a.e'.a'.c#"
[(a).c#'.e'.f#'.a']

trollstilt
trollstilling
trollstemt
huldrestille
fjellmøystidde
nøringstille


nøringjæ
grålysingstille
solungstille
hjuringstille
forstemt
heilt forstemt
fullt forstemt
half forstemt
halvstemming
overforstemt

Ål, Vinje
Lindås
Odda
Seljord, Jølster
Setesdal
Hardanger, Voss - comes from a three-day wedding ceremony. Used while guests ate the breakfast meal on the second day of the festivities (nøring)
Granvin
Valdres, Sogn - the light which permeates the sky just before sunrise
Skjåk
Vennesla
Voss, Breim
Gloppen
Gaular
Fjaler
Standebarm
Brekke (Sogn) - tuning used late at night to reinvigorate the dancers

a.e'.a'.d"
[(b).d'.e'.f#'.a']
forstemt Setesdal

a.e'.a'.e"
[(a).c#'.e'.f#'.a']
[(b).c#'.e'.f#'.a']

hælgråing
forstemt
halvt forstemt
oppstilt tenor
oppstilt ters
halvgråing

Valdres - "Hælgråingad'n" - to liven up the dancers
Vestre Sildre, Sejord, Gaular - "Hinkarsslåtten" (Fanitullen)
Gaular, Breim, Gloppen
Vinje
Strandebarm, Telemark - "Myllarguten Bruremarsj"

a.f#'.a'.e"
[(a).d'.e'.f#'.a']
overforstemt Voss
bb.d'.g'.d"
[(bb).c'.d'.f'.g']
unnamed Telemark - a tune by Torkjell Haugerud
b.e'.a'.e"
[(b).c#'.e'.f#'.a']
unnamed Setesdal "Homslien etter Gunnar Austegard"
c.e'.a'.e"
[c'.d'.e'.a']
oppstilt ters og bas Tinn - "Salme Tone fra Tuddal"
c.f'.a'.e"
[(c').d'.e'.f'.a']
unnamed Sogn - "Hagastille" (old form)
e.a.a'.c#"
[unknown]

unknown

Vestland-"Bygdatråen"

f.c'.a'.e"
[(a).c'.f'.g'.a']
[c'.d'.f'.a']

Blinde-Rasmus-stillet
fantestille understemt
nedstilt hansehåkon

Stryn - after a fiddler named Breim
Telemark - "Systerslått etter Svein Løndal"
Valdres - apparently named after a fiddler

f.d'.a'.e"
[(a/bb/b).d'.e'.f'.a']
[(f)b.d'.g'.a']

gorrlaus
unnamed
huldrastilling
gorrlaus bas


Setesdal
Skjåk - "Kristen Nakjen"
Aurdal - "Grihamaren etter Ole Moe"
Valdres
f#.d'.a'.e"
[(a).d'.e'.f#'.a']
unnamed Listed by Gurvin

g.c'.a'.e"
[(b).c'.e'.g'.a']
[c'.d'.e'.a']

trollstilt
fantesstille
kolagutstille
ondestemt
forkjert
forstemt
nedstilt bas og ters
låg ters og bas
hansehåkon stille


Seljord, Vinje, Setesdal
Naustedal, Breim, Stryn
Veøy
Tinn
Setesdal
Gloppen
Tinn - "Jotunheimsensprin"
Valdres - Ola Okshovd's springar "Ein sumarkveld i Jotunheimen"
Valdres - apparently named after a fiddler

g.d'.a'.b"
[(b).d'.e'.g'.a']

den grøne stilling
huldrastilling
grøntstille


Aurdal
Valdres
Valdres
g.c'.a'.c#"
[(b).d'.e'.f#'.a']
nedstilt kvint Tinn - Ole O. Bernås played "Førnesbrunen" which he learned on munnharpe

g.d'.a'.d"
[(b).d'.e'.g'.a']

nedstilt kvint og bas
låg kvint og bas
halv kvint
ljøsblått
håvt forstemt
bestemt
huldrastille, Solund og spokrostille


Telemark, Vinje
Valdres
Ål
Valdres
Setesdal
Jølster
Gudbrandsdal

g.d'.a'.e"
[(b).d'.e'.g'.a']

violin tuning,
nedstilt or nedstilt bas
låg bas
lause base
halv kvint

11% of tune in NFMHS
general usage in Norway

Valdres
Bygland
Ål

g.d'.g'.e"
[(b).d'.e'.g'.a']
forstemt Gaular - "Klunkespringaren"

g.e'.a'.e"
[(b).d'.e'.g'.a']

unnamed
forkjert


Ål
Setesdal
g.e'.b'.c#"
[(b).c#'.e'.g'.a']
unnamed Listed by Gurvin