Tongue drum tuner online
This tongue drum tuner listens to each tongue of your steel tongue drum and shows the note, the octave and the cents off. Most tongue drums are tuned to a scale, often pentatonic, and the notes are usually printed or engraved next to each tongue.
How to use it
- Press Turn on microphone and allow access. Place the drum on a soft surface or on your lap.
- Strike one tongue near its tip with a mallet or finger and let it ring.
- Compare the note with the one printed on the drum. Needle right (sharp): a magnet can bring it down.
- Move the magnet toward the tip to lower the pitch more, toward the base to lower it less, and check again.
Help and explanations
Factory tuning is set by the size and shape of the tongues. Some drums come with small tuning magnets: placed on a tongue they add mass and lower its pitch slightly, which lets you correct a sharp tongue or change a note by a few cents.
What magnets can and cannot do
Magnets only lower the pitch, and only by a small amount. A tongue that is flat cannot be raised with a magnet. If several tongues are far off, or a tongue buzzes, contact the maker instead of forcing a fix.
Tips
- Strike the same way every time: a hard hit can make the reading jump to an overtone.
- Check the drum in a quiet room; neighbouring tongues ring along and can confuse the reading.
- Write down the note and cents of each tongue once: it makes it easy to spot changes later.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tune a tongue drum?
Strike each tongue, read the note and cents and, if your drum has tuning magnets, place a magnet on a sharp tongue and move it until the needle is centered.
Do tuning magnets raise or lower the pitch?
They lower it, by adding mass to the tongue. The closer to the tip, the bigger the effect.
Is there a tongue drum tuner app?
You do not need one: this tuner works in the browser of your phone or computer.
Does it work for handpans and kalimbas?
Yes, any instrument with a clear pitch. For kalimba there is also the kalimba tuner with its own layout.