Steel pan tuner online
This steel pan tuner lets you check every note of your pan with your phone or computer. Strike a note softly with the stick, and the tuner shows the note, its octave and how many cents it is off from the reference.
How to use it
- Press Turn on microphone and allow access. Hold the phone a short distance above the pan.
- Strike one note at its sweet spot with normal force and let it ring.
- Read the needle on the steady part of the sound. Write down the notes that are more than a few cents flat or sharp.
- Go around the whole pan, then repeat with the octave and the notes you use most in your arrangements.
Help and explanations
Retuning a steel pan means reshaping the metal with hammers, a job for an experienced pan tuner. What you can do at home is find out which notes have drifted, so the tuner's visit is quicker and nothing is missed.
Why each note sounds rich
A well-tuned pan note has a fundamental and harmonics tuned with it, usually the octave and often the next harmonic above. That is why the tuner may occasionally jump to the octave: strike a little more softly, or read the needle once the attack has passed.
Pans also drift with transport, heat and hard playing. If many notes move together in the same direction, it may be the reference: check whether your band tunes to A440 or A442.
Tips
- Keep the same stick and the same striking force while checking, so that the readings are comparable.
- Check the pan in the place where you play: sun and heat change the pitch of the metal.
- Do not try to hammer the notes yourself without training: you can damage the note area permanently.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tune my steel pan with this tuner?
You can check the tuning note by note. The retuning itself is done by a pan tuner who reshapes the metal; this page helps you know which notes need it.
Is there a steel pan tuner app?
You do not need one: the tuner opens in your browser, uses the microphone and works on phones, tablets and computers.
Why does a note show the octave above?
Pan notes have tuned harmonics. Strike softer and read after the attack; if it still shows the octave, compare with the neighbouring notes.
How often does a steel pan need tuning?
It depends on how hard and how often it is played and how it is transported. Checking regularly tells you when a visit to the tuner is due.