How to use the online tuner
- Press Start, or the Space bar, and allow the microphone when your browser asks. The sound is analysed on your device and never uploaded.
- Pick your instrument. Guitar, Ukulele, Violin and Bass show their strings in standard tuning; Auto names any note you play.
- Play one string and let it ring. The large letter is the note, the needle shows how far off you are in cents, and the line below says whether to tune up or down.
- Turn the peg slowly until the needle sits in the centre. Held within 3 cents for half a second, the reading locks and the string gets a tick. When every string has one, the tuner says Tuned ✓.
Standard string notes
The note and frequency of each open string in standard tuning. Strings are numbered from the thinnest, the 1st, to the thickest.
| String | Guitar | Ukulele | Violin | Bass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st string | E4 · 329.63 Hz | A4 · 440.00 Hz | E5 · 659.26 Hz | G2 · 98.00 Hz |
| 2nd string | B3 · 246.94 Hz | E4 · 329.63 Hz | A4 · 440.00 Hz | D2 · 73.42 Hz |
| 3rd string | G3 · 196.00 Hz | C4 · 261.63 Hz | D4 · 293.66 Hz | A1 · 55.00 Hz |
| 4th string | D3 · 146.83 Hz | G4 · 392.00 Hz | G3 · 196.00 Hz | E1 · 41.20 Hz |
| 5th string | A2 · 110.00 Hz | None | None | None |
| 6th string | E2 · 82.41 Hz | None | None | None |
Scroll sideways to see every instrument
The ukulele is re-entrant: its 4th string, G4, sits above the 3rd. For low-G, baritone or D tuning, the ukulele tuner takes you through each string with its own targets.
A chromatic tuner for any instrument
In Auto mode this is a chromatic tuner: it names the nearest of all twelve notes in any octave, so it works for anything that holds a steady pitch, from mandolin and cello to flute and saxophone. Choose an instrument and the tuner highlights the string you are closest to; if you are more than a semitone off, it says which way to turn the peg, so a slack string is not mistaken for the one below.
For singing, the Voice chip shows the note you hold. To find your lowest and highest notes and a likely voice type, take the vocal range test. To see the notes of a melody as you sing or play it, with a log of each held note, use the pitch detector.
Getting a clean reading
- Tune in a quiet room, with the phone or laptop microphone within an arm's length of the instrument.
- Pluck or bow firmly, then let the note ring. A pluck reads sharp for a moment before it settles.
- On a guitar or bass, rest a hand on the other strings so only one rings.
Calibration and reference tones
Most music is tuned to A4 = 440 Hz; some orchestras use 442 Hz and some players prefer 432 Hz. Set the calibration below the tuner and every reading, string target and reference tone follows it. Without a working microphone, the reference tones play each string so you can tune by ear. Your instrument and A4 are remembered on this device.
Online tuner FAQ
Is this online tuner free?
Yes. There is no account to create and no app to install. It runs in any current browser on a phone, tablet or computer.
What is a chromatic tuner?
A tuner that recognises all twelve notes of the scale rather than a fixed set of strings. That makes it suit any instrument and any tuning, including drop D, open tunings and instruments that are not on the chips.
Can I tune a violin or a bass guitar with it?
Yes. Choose Violin for G3, D4, A4 and E5, or Bass for E1, A1, D2 and G2. The low E of a bass is 41.2 Hz, which small microphones pick up weakly: play it firmly and close to the microphone, or tune the harmonic at the 12th fret, which reads as E2.
Can I tune a flute, trumpet or saxophone?
Yes, in Auto mode. The tuner shows concert pitch. Flute is in C, so the note you see is the note you play. On a B♭ trumpet or clarinet a written C sounds as B♭, shown as A♯, the same pitch. On an E♭ alto saxophone a written C sounds as E♭, shown as D♯.
How accurate is an online tuner?
This one reads a clean, steady tone to within about 1 cent from 41 Hz to 2,000 Hz, finer than most ears can hear. A reading only locks after it has held within 3 cents for half a second, so a passing wobble is not taken as in tune.
Does the tuner record my audio?
No. The microphone signal is analysed in your browser and is never recorded, stored or sent anywhere. The privacy page lists the little the site does count, such as page views.