violin tuning advice please

[BlueChampagne]

As a non-violinist (as is DH), any tips on how to keep DS1's violin in tune over the summer holidays? Any app recommendations? Am I right to think it's hardly worth practising if it's badly out of tune, as he'll get the wrong idea of the tune in his head?

TIA!

I downloaded the app gstrings when my daughter started playing 3 and a bit years ago. It makes tuning super easy and listening to her practice much easier to bear!

Definitely not worth practicing unless it's in tune. Don't know about the apps but sound worth trying.

It's not so much that he'll get the wrong idea of the tune, it's that if he places his fingers in the 'right' places for the notes it'll sound all out of tune, and if he tries to make it sound right, he'll be putting his fingers in the wrong places and developing the wrong muscle memory for where the finger positions are.

I haven't tried the app, but you can get automatic tuners that clip to the string - not perfect but good enough. Longer term, you don't need to be a musician to tune a violin well enough, I would ask his teacher for tips on how to do it.

Dd's teacher bought her smth like that
www.amazon.co.uk/AtoG-Music-Digital-Chromatic-Ukulele/dp/B00N7BAYW8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1437691094&sr=8-3&keywords=violin+tuner
I must admit I still cannot use it as dh tunes it for me, but it is supposed to be very easy to use as she bought it when dd was around 5yo and for her use.
There are other models on amazon too, just search for violin tuner

I use String Tuner which is a free app. Does the job and covers violin, viola, cello and DB. I've got it on my phone so that we can due a quick pre-performance tune up if we're at an event too.

This is very encouraging - thanks everyone.