Embodiment apparatus and associated methods relate to adapting an actuator to adjust the tension of a musical instrument string, configuring a sensor to detect vibration propagated through the musical instrument body, configuring a noise removal filter to remove an undesired signal from vibration propagated through the musical instrument body, and automatically tuning the musical instrument based on adjusting the musical instrument string tension by the actuator while removing the undesired signal, until the fundamental frequency propagated through the instrument body by the vibration of the musical instrument string is within a predetermined tolerance of a reference frequency. In an illustrative example, the undesired signal may be actuator vibration. In some embodiments, actuator vibration spectral content may vary as a function of actuator torque, and, the noise removal filter may be adapted in real time. Various examples may advantageously provide faster and more accurate stringed musical instrument tuning.