Online Saxophone Tuner (All Saxes)
Every saxophone is a transposing instrument, so a plain chromatic tuner shows a different letter from the one on your part: an alto's written G reads as concert B♭, a tenor's written G reads as concert F. This saxophone tuner fixes that. Pick your sax in the Transposition menu and the screen shows the note exactly as you read it, with cents and a needle that tells you whether you are flat or sharp.
How to use it
- Play for a couple of minutes to warm the horn up, then tap Turn on microphone.
- In Transposition, choose E♭ for alto, B♭ for tenor or soprano, or E♭ + octave for baritone.
- Play your tuning note with a relaxed, full sound: on alto that is written G (concert B♭); on tenor, written C (concert B♭).
- Needle left (flat): push the mouthpiece further onto the cork. Needle right (sharp): pull it out a little.
- Check a low note and its octave as well; if only the upper one is sharp, loosen your embouchure before moving the mouthpiece again.
Help and explanations
It opens set to E♭, the alto saxophone, which is the most common. Tenor and soprano use B♭; baritone uses E♭ + octave, so the octave number matches too. If you only ever play one horn, the dedicated pages for alto sax, tenor sax, soprano sax and baritone sax open with the right setting every time.
Which transposition is my sax?
Alto and baritone are in E♭: the alto sounds a major sixth below what is written, the baritone a major sixth plus an octave. Tenor and soprano are in B♭: the tenor sounds a major ninth below written pitch, the soprano a major second. The rare sopranino (E♭, sounding a minor third above) and bass sax (B♭, two octaves and a tone below) have their own menu options too. Whatever the horn, you only have to set the menu once: the tuner remembers it on this device.
The mouthpiece is your tuning slide
A saxophone has no tuning slide: you tune by sliding the mouthpiece along the neck cork. Pushing it in shortens the instrument and raises the pitch; pulling it out lowers it. Grease the cork so it moves smoothly and mark the spot that works with a pencil. Biting raises the pitch, especially in the upper register, so always tune with the same relaxed embouchure you play with, and keep the air steady while the needle settles.
Tuning notes for band and orchestra
Concert bands usually tune to concert B♭ and orchestras to concert A. On an E♭ sax, concert B♭ is written G and concert A is written F♯; on a B♭ sax, concert B♭ is written C and concert A is written B. Some ensembles tune to A = 442 Hz instead of 440: choose it under Reference A and every note on the screen moves with it. Tune one note in the middle of the horn, then check a low note and a high one: if the low note is in tune and the high one is sharp, the mouthpiece is fine and the embouchure is tightening.
Tips
- Tune after warming up: a cold saxophone plays flat and you will end up pushing the mouthpiece in too far.
- Move the mouthpiece a couple of millimetres at a time, then play the note again.
- If the screen shows the wrong letter, check the Transposition menu before touching the mouthpiece.
- Practise long tones with the tuner to learn which notes on your horn lean sharp or flat.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tuner work for alto, tenor, soprano and baritone sax?
Yes. Choose the transposition for your sax: E♭ for alto, B♭ for tenor and soprano, E♭ + octave for baritone. The note on screen then matches your part.
Why does a normal tuner show B♭ when I play G on alto sax?
Ordinary tuners show concert pitch, and an alto sax sounds a major sixth lower than written. This page adds the sixth back, so your written G reads as G.
Which note should I tune a saxophone on?
Alto and baritone: written G (concert B♭) or F♯ (concert A). Tenor and soprano: written C (concert B♭) or B (concert A). Then check one low and one high note.
Do I push the mouthpiece in or pull it out?
Flat (needle to the left): push it in. Sharp (needle to the right): pull it out a little.
Can I use this saxophone tuner on my phone?
Yes. It works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge on phones, tablets and computers, with no app and no account. The sound is analysed on your device and never uploaded.
Why is my sax sharp in the upper register?
Usually a tight embouchure or too much mouthpiece in the mouth. Relax the jaw, keep the air steady and play long tones while watching the needle.