Dizi tuner online
This dizi tuner shows the real sounding pitch of your Chinese bamboo flute: note, octave, frequency and cents. The key printed on the flute, its bottom note with all holes covered (tongyin) and the jianpu number you read are three different things. A D-key dizi with the tongyin read as 5 sounds A when all holes are covered.
How to use it
- Confirm the model, the target note and its octave.
- Choose the reference A agreed with your group: 440 Hz by default, or 442 Hz if your ensemble uses it.
- Tap Turn on microphone and measure one note at a time in a quiet place.
- Wait until the tone settles after the attack, then compare the frequency and cents.
- After any adjustment, measure again and finish by listening to the ensemble.
Help and explanations
The microphone is analyzed on your device. The exact target notes and octaves come from your teacher, your flute's fingering chart or the score: the page does not force every model to the same absolute pitch just because a note name is written here.
Key, tongyin and jianpu
Chinese bamboo flutes come in different lengths and keys, from the lower qudi to the higher bangdi, and method books distinguish fingerings with the tongyin read as 5, 2 or 1. Changing the fingering system does not change the physical bottom note of the same flute: a D-key qudi still sounds A with all holes covered, whether you call it 5 (key of D) or 1 (key of A). A G-key dizi sounds D, read as 5 in G or as 2 in C. The letter on the tuner always comes from the real frequency, and it is written with sharps, so B♭ shows as A♯.
How to tune a dizi
A dizi's scale is fixed by its holes, so tuning means adjusting the whole flute and your playing. On a two-piece dizi with a metal joint, pulling the joint out a little lowers every note and pushing it in raises them; a one-piece dizi has no joint. Warm the flute up first, because a cold flute plays flat. Blowing angle and air speed also bend the pitch, so judge with your normal tone instead of spoiling it to keep the needle in the middle.
Steady readings and octaves
Read the cents once the air stream is steady; do not treat the attack or deliberate vibrato as the fixed pitch. If a high note shows an octave lower, or the tongyin shows an octave higher, the tuner may have picked up a different harmonic: check the real frequency and the expected range at the same time. For the Vietnamese bamboo flute, see the sáo trúc tuner.
Tips
- Stop any speaker reference tone before measuring.
- Do not treat readings with the same note name in different octaves as the same target.
- Keep a natural, steady volume.
- After moving the joint, check several notes, not only the tongyin.
Frequently asked questions
How do you tune a dizi?
Check the tongyin and a few notes against your targets. On a two-piece dizi, pull the joint out to go lower or push it in to go higher, then measure again.
How do I find my dizi's key with the tuner?
In the usual tongyin-as-5 convention, the key is a perfect fourth above the tongyin: a tongyin of A means a D-key dizi, D means G. Confirm with the marking on the flute.
Is there a dizi tuner app?
No install is needed. Once the browser can use the microphone, it measures on your device and does not upload any audio.
440 Hz or 442 Hz?
Ask your group or teacher first. It is the frequency of A4, not a value every note should reach.
Why does the tuner show another octave?
Sometimes it picks up a harmonic. Check the target range and the frequency, not just the letter.