This online tuner recognizes any note that reaches your microphone, from the low B of a five-string bass to the high E of a violin, and shows the nearest note in big letters, how many cents sharp or flat you are and which way to adjust. Because it's a chromatic tuner, it works with any instrument and any tuning, including open tunings and half step down.
Everything happens on your device: the page uses your browser's Web Audio API to read the microphone and detect the pitch, and no sound is sent to any server. There's no app to download and no account to create.
How to use it
- Tap Turn on microphone and allow access when your browser asks.
- Play an open string (or sing a note) and let it ring. The note appears in big letters and the needle moves.
- Needle left and up arrow (↑): the note is flat, so tighten or tune up. Needle right and down arrow (↓): it's sharp, so loosen or tune down.
- When the number turns green, between −5 and +5 cents, you're in tune. Move on to the next string.
- Playing a transposing instrument (B♭ trumpet or clarinet, E♭ alto sax, F horn)? Choose the Transposition so the tuner shows the note as written in your part.
What cents are and how close is close enough
A half step is divided into 100 cents. Most ears notice the gap between two notes at around 5 to 10 cents, so the tuner calls a note in tune within ±5 cents (green) and nearly there up to ±15 (yellow). Fresh steel strings go slightly sharp right after you pluck them; wait for the note to settle before you correct it.
Reference pitch: 440, 442 or 432 Hz
By default the tuner uses A4 = 440 Hz, the international standard. Many orchestras and chamber groups tune between 441 and 443 Hz, and some players prefer 432 Hz. Change it in Reference A; every note is recalculated and your choice is saved on this device.
Note names and octave numbers
Notes are shown as letters (C D E F G A B) with scientific octave numbers: middle C is C4 and the tuning-fork A is A4. Some keyboards and music software (Yamaha, Ableton, Cubase, Logic) call middle C "C3", so their octave numbers run one lower, but the pitch is the same. If you learned solfège, switch to Do Re Mi in Note names.
Tips
- Tune somewhere quiet and keep the instrument close to the mic; on most phones the mic sits at the bottom edge.
- Pluck once and let the note ring instead of strumming again and again: the reading gets steadier.
- If the reading jumps between octaves, try the 12th-fret harmonic or play more softly. The tuner fixes most octave errors, but heavy distortion fools any pitch detector.
- To tune an electric guitar without an amp, turn its volume all the way up and hold the strings close to the mic, or select your audio interface as the browser's input.
- Always tune up to the note: if you overshoot, drop below it and come back up. The string holds its pitch better.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use an online tuner with my microphone?
Open this page, tap Turn on microphone and allow access. Play one note at a time and follow the arrow until the reading turns green.
What is a chromatic tuner?
A tuner that recognizes all 12 notes of the octave instead of only the open strings of one instrument. That's why it works for any instrument, any alternate tuning and your voice. For a screen with the strings drawn out and automatic string detection, use the guitar tuner.
Does this online tuner work on my phone?
Yes. It runs in the browser on Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac and Linux, with nothing to download. Add it to your home screen to open it like an app.
Why does the tuner show the wrong note or keep jumping?
Background noise, distortion or several strings ringing at once confuse the detector. Play a single string, let it ring, and raise the sensitivity only if your instrument is very quiet.
What do cents mean on a tuner?
A cent is 1/100 of a half step. The number shows how far you are from the nearest note: −20 means 20 cents flat, +8 means 8 cents sharp. Detection uses the YIN algorithm with interpolation, accurate to about 1 cent on steady notes, and anything within ±5 cents counts as in tune.
Should I tune to 440 Hz, 442 Hz or 432 Hz?
Use 440 Hz unless your group says otherwise. Orchestras often ask for 442 Hz, and 432 Hz is a personal preference. Pick the value in Reference A; your choice is saved on this device.
Can I tune a trumpet, clarinet or saxophone with a chromatic tuner?
Yes. The range runs from 25 Hz to 1500 Hz, which covers tuba, bass, voice, flute and violin. For B♭ trumpet and clarinet, E♭ alto sax or F horn, choose the Transposition to read the note as written in your part; tenor and baritone sax have their own + octave settings.
Is my microphone audio recorded or uploaded?
No. Pitch detection runs on your device with the Web Audio API. No audio leaves your browser and nothing is recorded.