Online guitar tuner

Choose Guitar and the tuning you need, then press Start tuning and allow microphone access. Pluck one open string and let it ring. A negative cents reading means the string is flat, so increase the string tension. A positive reading means it is sharp, so reduce the tension. Make small adjustments and pluck again after each one.

For standard EADGBE tuning, work from the thick sixth string to the thin first string: E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4. When every string is close to zero cents, check them again in the same order. Adjusting one string changes neck and bridge tension slightly, so the first strings you tuned may have moved.

For an acoustic or classical guitar, place the phone or laptop near the sound hole without touching the instrument. For electric guitar, use a clean amplifier at moderate volume or select an audio interface as the system microphone. Turn off distortion, chorus, delay, and heavy reverb because added harmonics can make pitch detection less stable.

Bass notes need more time to settle, especially the B0 string on a five string bass. Use a firm but controlled pluck and let the note sustain. For ukulele, select High G or Low G before tuning: both use GCEA note names, but the fourth string is in a different octave.

Drop D is D2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4. Drop C is C2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4. Open D is D2 A2 D3 F sharp 3 A3 D4, Open G is D2 G2 D3 G3 B3 D4, and DADGAD is D2 A2 D3 G3 A3 D4. Half step down and whole step down lower all six strings by one or two semitones.

Select the preset before moving any tuning peg. Lower pitch gradually when moving to a drop tuning, then approach the target from below. If your setup is not listed, save a custom six string tuning with an exact note and octave for every string.

A cent is one hundredth of an equal temperament semitone. Negative cents mean the measured pitch is below the target; positive cents mean it is above the target. Cents describe the same musical interval in every register even though the difference in hertz is larger on a high string than on a low one.

This tuner labels a reading Close within eight cents. It shows In tune only after the pitch remains within three cents for at least 250 milliseconds. That short hold keeps a passing needle from looking like a settled result. For normal playing, aim for a stable reading near zero rather than chasing every tiny fluctuation after the attack.

Auto mode compares the detected pitch with every open string in the active tuning and selects the nearest target. It is the quickest option when you tune each string in order in a reasonably quiet room.

String mode locks the tuner to one selected target. Use it when another string is resonating, when background sound makes Auto switch targets, or when two strings in an alternate tuning are easy to confuse. Select a string to enable its reference tone. Microphone analysis pauses while that tone is playing.

A browser tuner is convenient for practice because it works with a device you already have and can show exact cents, alternate tunings, and reference notes. Its microphone also hears the room, so speech, music, fans, and other instruments can interfere with the reading.

A clip-on tuner reads vibration through the headstock and is usually the better choice on a noisy stage or in a rehearsal room. A calibrated strobe tuner is better for repair work and intonation setup. Use this microphone tuner for everyday open string tuning, not as a claim of laboratory or strobe-grade accuracy.

Pluck one open string with a clean, moderate attack, mute the other strings, and let the pitch settle. If the note jumps by an octave, pluck closer to the middle of the string and use less pick attack; a strong overtone may be louder than the fundamental. Move closer to the microphone if the input meter barely moves.

If there is no reading, allow microphone access for this site, confirm the correct input is enabled in the operating system, and close another app that may be using the microphone. Microphone capture requires HTTPS on a published site. If the room cannot be made quiet, select a string manually or use a clip-on tuner.

Most modern instruments use A4 = 440 Hz as concert pitch. Keep the calibration at 440 Hz for ordinary guitar, bass, and ukulele tuning. Some orchestras, recordings, historical instruments, and fixed pitch instruments use another reference such as 442 Hz.

Changing A4 shifts every target frequency while preserving all interval relationships. Match the reference used by the other musicians or the recording. Do not change calibration to correct one string because it moves every string target together.

After you press Start tuning, the browser reads short microphone samples and looks for a repeating waveform period. That period is converted to frequency, then compared with the selected tuning target. A stable single note creates a clearer repeating pattern than speech, handling noise, or several strings sounding together.

The detector analyzes one sustained note at a time and filters readings across consecutive samples to reduce jumps from brief harmonics. Audio is not recorded or uploaded by this tuner. The page keeps only the pitch, confidence, and input level values needed to update the current display.