Practice tools · tuner and reference pitch
Online Tuner & Tuning Notes
Tap Listen and play: the tuner shows the note and how many cents sharp or flat you are — written for your instrument, with the concert pitch beside it. Or sound a steady concert B♭ and tune by ear. No signup, nothing recorded.
How to tune to a reference note
Play your note at the same time as the reference and listen past the pitch to the beats — a slow pulsing in the sound where two close frequencies interfere with each other. The bigger the gap between the pitches, the faster the pulsing. Adjust until the beats slow down and disappear; silence in the wobble means the two pitches have locked together.
Tune warm. A wind instrument rises in pitch as it warms up, so a chilly instrument tuned straight out of the case will be sharp ten minutes later. Play for a minute first, then tune, then check once more after the first piece.
Concert pitch versus what you read
“Tune to concert B♭” means everyone should produce the same sounding pitch — but the note on the page differs by instrument. A B♭ clarinet and B♭ trumpet read C, an E♭ alto sax reads G, and a flute reads B♭ because it is not a transposing instrument. Selecting your instrument above puts both pitches on screen at once, which is the part most tuner apps leave you to work out yourself.
The same relationship runs through every chart on this site — see the clarinet fingering chart for written and concert pitch on every note.
Using the microphone tuner
Press Listen and allow the microphone when the browser asks. Play one long, steady note at a comfortable volume, a little way from the phone or laptop. The big name is the nearest note; the needle shows how far off it you are, in cents (100 cents is one semitone). Inside five cents either side it turns green and says In tune.
Choose your instrument under Written for and the tuner names the note as you read it — play concert B♭ on a clarinet and it shows C, with B♭ alongside as the concert pitch. It works for any instrument, including guitar, violin and bass, as long as you play one note at a time.
Sharp means push in or lower the pitch; flat means pull out. Then check again with the tuning note: a needle tells you where you are, but tuning by ear is what teaches you to hear it next time.
Frequently asked questions
Does the tuner record or upload what I play?
No. When you press Listen, the browser asks for the microphone; the sound goes straight into a pitch detector running on your device, and only the note it hears is kept, for a fraction of a second. Nothing is recorded or uploaded, and the microphone switches off when you press Stop or leave the page.
How do I tune by ear against a reference note?
Play your note at the same time as the reference and listen to the 'beats' — the slow wobble in the sound where the two pitches interfere. The further apart the pitches, the faster the wobble. Adjust your instrument until the beats slow right down and stop; when the wobble disappears entirely, you are in tune. This is more accurate than a needle for most players, because your ear resolves very small differences the display rounds away.
Why does my clarinet read a different note from the tuning pitch?
Because it is a transposing instrument. When the director calls for concert B♭, a B♭ clarinet or trumpet player reads and fingers a C, and an E♭ alto sax player reads a G. Pick your instrument above and the tool shows both pitches side by side: the concert pitch everyone is tuning to, and the note you actually read.
What is A 440, and should I change it?
A 440 Hz is the modern standard pitch for the A above middle C, and it is what almost every band, school and recording uses — leave it alone unless you have a reason. Some orchestras tune slightly higher, commonly 441–443 Hz, for a brighter sound, and period ensembles go much lower. The slider covers 430–446 Hz for those cases.
Why does my instrument go sharp as I play?
Warm air raises the pitch of a wind instrument, so a cold instrument starts flat and drifts sharp over the first few minutes. Always play for a minute before tuning, and expect to check again after a long rest. If you are consistently sharp once warm, pull out slightly at the barrel, mouthpiece or tuning slide rather than fighting it with your embouchure.