How to Use Your Smartwatch for Musical Instrument Tuning

Online Tuner: Tune Your Instrument Online With OnlineTuner.org

Discover our collection of online tuners

Whatever the instrument that you're looking to get in tune, we have got you covered. Our online tuner app covers lets you know of all of its strings or its desired note. Hence, you can hear what each an every one of your strings should sound like and tune your instrument accordingly. We also let you know how far you are from the optimal tuning, so that tuning your instrument is hassle-free.

Further, we calculate frequencies differently according to the specific requirements of all the instruments to provide you with the best tuning experience online. For instance, tuning a violin should not be envisioned the same way as tuning your guitar. Doing so wouldn't sound right.

How to use OnlineTuner.org to tune your instrument online?

We tried to simplify the process of tuning your instrument online without compromising on the accuracy of our online tuning app. To tune your instrument online, follow these simple steps:

1. Click on one of the instruments on the list above, or simply go on OnlineTuner.org and use our generic online tuner that can provide high precision tuning for all sorts of instruments.
2. Take your instrument and prepare to play. Place yourself in front of the device - laptop, smartphone or tablet - you're using to access OnlineTuner.org and make sure that the environment is quiet enough. This is how our online tuner will achieve its best results.
3. Click the Start Tuner button, and allow OnlineTuner.org to access to your microphone. This is a very important step. If you don't allow us to use your microphone, we won't be able to tell you how to tune your instrument.
4. Start playing a note and watch carefully at the meter. Our online tuner will pick the closest note and let you know whether you need to tune up or down to reach it. On our specific instrument tuners, we also let you know how close you are from the closest string(s) or the required note.You can also scroll down to directly hear the strings or the notes that you have to tune!

And that's it! Your instruments should be in tune and ready to play. Many thanks for using OnlineTuner.org. Don't forget to share our website if you appreciate it, and to allow other people to use our online tuner.

What are the settings available on OnlineTuner.org's online tuner?

We wanted to make your online tuning experience as pleasant, easy and as accurate as possible. This is why we filled our online tuner with several settings that will allow you to optimize your tuning experience. Here they are.

Set the frequency of A4 to calibrate the online tuner

The first setting of our online tuner is rather common, but also extremely important. We compute all the notes according to a 440Hz A4. We know that some people prefer to tune their instruments using a 442-hertz A4, or that some others find it more melodious with a 432-hertz A4. Whatever your preferred value, you can set it yourself!

Augment or decrease the sensitivity of the online tuner

There are three ways you can change the sensitivity of our online tuner app. First, by turning up your microphone input volume, second by playing with our algorithm's probability, and third, by setting a noise gate.

Playing with our algorithm's sensibility: Our online tuner uses McLeod's pitch detection method to compute the frequency of the notes that you play. If you click on the "Advanced settings" button, you can increase or decrease the probability threshold of the pitch detection algorithm. The higher it is, the less notes our online tuner will detect, but the results are more likely to be accurate. The lower it is, the more notes it will detect, but the lower the precision will be.

Setting a noise gate:Sometimes, you won't find yourself in the best environment to tune your instrument. Ideally, you'll be in a quiet room, but if there is too much background noise, you may want to set a noise limit under which our tuner won't process the sounds. To do that, click on the "Advanced settings" button and play with the Noise gate slider.

Save OnlineTuner.org as an app

If you like our online tuner, you can save it as an app on your device to access it in only one click. You can only do this on some specific web browsers based on Chromium - i.e., Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. On the top left of the online tuner, there will be a "Save as app" button that you can click on to save our online tuner as an app. It's as simple as that!

Save the settings or the online tuner

Your might want to save the settings of our online tuner so that you can find them back on your next visit on OnlineTuner.org. To do that, simply click on the "Save settings" button. This will create a cookie on your device. We will simply access it to retrieve your settings. Absolutely no personal data will be stored on it. In case you wish to start fresh, click on the "Reset settings" button.

Can I use your online tuner for non-standard tunings?

Of course! OnlineTuner.org's online tuner is not limited to the dreaded standard EADGBE guitar tuning! We also have a wide range of non-standard guitar, ukulele or bass tunings. you may find a list of all of them below.

Instrument Tuner

What is a Tuner?

A tuner is a device musicians use to detect pitch accuracy. It will let a musician know if the note they are playing is sharp (too high), flat (too low), or if it is in tune. The accuracy of a pitch is what musicians call intonation. Tuners work by detecting the frequency of the pitch (sound waves). For example, an A is 440 Hz. If an A is sharp, it will be 441 Hz or higher. If it is flat, it will register as 439 Hz or lower. While tuners work by tracking hertz, musicians measure how close they are to the pitch in measurements of cents. Cents and hertz are not the same things.

How To Use A Chromatic Tuner?

Playing with a tuner will help develop your intonation and an understanding of the tendencies of your instrument. To use this instrument tuner, make sure the built-in microphone has web access.

1. Play any note. You will see the needle move and the strobe rotates until it finds the pitch you are playing. This tuner is tuned to A440. Remember, these notes are shown in concert pitch. If you play guitar, piano, or another instrument pitched in C, then you will see the note name of the pitch you play. If you play an instrument that needs to transpose, like a trumpet or French horn, then you will need to understand how to transpose.
2. Once the tuner recognizes what note you are playing, try to adjust it so that it stays perfectly steady and centered on the dial. If you had to bring the pitch up, you were flat. If you had to bring the pitch down, then you were sharp.
3. Make an adjustment to your instrument, either by adjusting a slide, a peg, or whatever your instrument's equivalent is. Play the note again. If the needle and strobe are centered and steady, then your instrument is tuned.

Granting Microphone Access

This tuner will require mic access through your web browser. If you have disabled it in the past, then the tuner will not work. - Chrome: Go to Settings -> Site Settings -> Microphone and allow this site to access the microphone. - Firefox: Go to Preferences -> click Privacy & Security -> Scroll down to permissions and select Settings. Search this site and select Allow.- Safari: Safari > Preferences, then click Websites. Change the microphone setting to allow this site.

How To Practice With A Tuner

Even if your instrument is in tune, there might still be pitches within a musical passage that just don't sound right. Here is a process to fix any out-of-tune notes.

1. Start by checking to see if your instrument is generally well-tuned.
2. Identify the problem notes by playing through a short passage of music (no more than 15 measures). These might be problem notes that are specific to you or they might be due to tendencies with your instrument. For example, on wind instruments, there are certain fingerings that will naturally be sharp or flat.
3. Once you have found those problem notes, play the passage of music slowly and then stop and hold the problem note and look at the tuner. Try to adjust the note so that it gets in tune (the strobe will stay steady). This might mean changing fingerings, adjusting your embouchure, or playing around with your air support.
4. Remember the adjustment you made and replay the passage. When you get to the problem note, try to hit it with the adjustment in mind. Hold the note and look at the tuner. How did you do?
5. Repeat this process until you can consistently hit the note in tune.
6. Write down what you needed to do in order to make the adjustment in your practice journal or notate it in your music.

What Causes A Note To Be Out of Tune?

1. Temperature can cause an instrument to be out of tune. If an instrument is cold, it will tend to be flat. If it is hot, it will tend to be sharp. This can be challenging if the ambient temperature is extreme and for wind players as instruments heat up as they play due to hot air. Instruments will require periodic tuning after an hour of continuous play.
2. Fingering combinations. Wind instruments change the pitch by making the instrument longer or shorter. An easy example to picture is the trombone. When a trombone player extends the slide, the pitch gets lower. The same is true for all wind instruments. However, many instruments have multiple ways to play the same pitch (For example: on a trumpet, pressing the first and second valve is the same as pressing just the third valve). Some fingerings have natural tendencies to be flat or sharp. You might be able to fix this by finding a different fingering combination.
3. Air support. For wind instruments and vocalists, air support can impact a note's intonation. Not enough air support will make the note flat.
4. What role a note plays in a chord. A major chord is made of three notes (the root, the third, and the fifth). For a chord to sound in tune, the third will need to be lowered (lowered by 14 cents) and the fifth will need to be raised (raised by 2 cents). If the third was to be played perfectly according to a tuner, it would be out of tune with the rest of the chord.

How to Tune Chords?

In the last bullet above, we saw that a chord can sound out of tune even though every member of the chord is showing as in tune on a tuner. This is known as "just intonation." This table is just a guide and not hard rules. Always default to your ear and the ears of those around you. The most common way to discuss chords in a generic way is through numbers which represent the interval relationship to the root of the chord. As an example, the C Major chord has a root of C (it will always be in the name of the chord). The next member of this chord is a third above it, E, so we call it the third. The major third of the chord must be lowered 14 cents in order for it to sound in tune.

Chord	Examples	Root	Third	Fifth	Sixth / Seventh
Major Chord		No Adjustment	-14 Cents	+2 Cents	N/A
Minor Chord		No Adjustment	+16 Cents	+2 Cents	N/A
Diminished Chord		No Adjustment	+16 Cents	-17 Cents	N/A
Augmented Chord		No Adjustment	-14 Cents	-17 Cents	N/A

How-To Geek

Unless you're in an experimental rock band or junior high orchestra, keeping your instrument in tune is a must. Don't pay for expensive physical tuners, though, as these tuning apps work just as well for a fraction of the cost.

There are thousands of musical instruments in the world, each of which falls into one of five categories: keyboard, string, percussion, brass, and woodwind. Every instrument has unique tuning requirements, so it's no surprise there are so many different types of tuners to choose from. Instead of buying a one-size-fits-all tuner at your local music store or spending thousands of dollars on a highly calibrated physical tuner, download a free (or at least inexpensive) digital tuner app that works just as well. Plus, it's one less piece of gear to lug around.

What to Look for in Instrument Tuning Apps

Each of these apps has what it takes to help you tune your instrument in tune, but depending on what that instrument is, you might need additional, more robust tools as well. Here are the most important features to look for in a tuning app, and why they are necessary:

• Visual Feedback: Tuning your instrument should only take a minute or two, and trying to figure out a tuner with a complex or cluttered interface can drag the process out. The best tuning apps should show you exactly what pitch you're playing in, as well as how flat or sharp it is so you can fix it and move on.
• Pitch Pipe Playback: If you prefer to hear a pitch then tune your instrument to it, make sure the app you choose can play chromatic pitches across several octaves, so it can accommodate both low- and high-register instruments.
• Semitone/Cent Accuracy: In addition to showing you what pitch you're playing, the best instrument tuner apps should also show you the accuracy of the pitch down to the exact cent. While guitar players don't need to worry about this as much, it is an important option for orchestras tuning to the European standard of A=442Hz, rather than A=440, for example.
• Multiple Tunings for Guitar: Standard guitar tuning works for most folks, but if you're feeling crazy and want to try drop C or other exotic tunings, find a tuner app that can show you what those notes are and how to tune the strings accordingly.

Best for Guitar and Other Strings: GuitarTuna

From the brilliant minds over at Yousician comes a robust and capable app for tuning your ax: GuitarTuna (Android or iPhone). It's great for other plucked-string instruments as well, like bass, mandoline, ukulele, banjo, balalaika, and even orchestral-stringed instruments. The app is popular with both beginners and advanced musicians because of its simple interface and how fast and accurate its tuning algorithm is (which you can access on iOS and Android devices, as well as online). It has an auto-mode tuner, which automatically detects which instrument and the specific string you're tuning, as well as a chromatic tuner setting. There are even alternative tuning options you can try.

GuitarTuna is also awesome because it offers additional features beyond a tuner, including a metronome, chord library, and six fun musical games that help you train your ear and ensure you're playing chords correctly. The app only needs access to your smartphone's microphone to detect pitches (no cords required, even for electric instruments), and its background noise cancellation ensures the tuner only focuses on your instrument.

Best for Band and Orchestra Instruments: Boss Tuner

Boss has made some of the most popular electronic devices---from pedals to physical tuners---that musicians have relied upon for years. Now, with Boss Tuner (Android or iPhone), older and younger musicians alike can get in tune digitally. The app looks visually similar to Boss's physical TU-3 and TU-3W tuners and pedals, and it still provides easy and accurate chromatic tuning for band and orchestra instruments.

The dial at the top of the app displays the pitch you're playing, and the LED segment meter acts as a visual tuning indicator, moving to the left or right depending on whether you are sharp or flat. The app helps you fine tune down to +1/-1 cent, with a range of A#0 (29.14Hz)-G8 (6,271.93Hz) so it's great for double basses as well as piccolos. It also plays reference pitches as a steady drone until you tell it not to, so you won't have to keep tapping the screen to hear a note. Boss Tuner also has other settings you can tinker with, from customizing the reference pitch, to adjusting the sensitivity and key view type. The app is easy to use and doesn't have any popup ads.

Best for Strobe Tuning: iStrobosoft

Strobe tuners are the oldest type of electronic tuning devices, built in 1936. Strobe tuners are known for having unbeatable mechanical precision, so if fine-tuning is important to you, check out iStrobosoft (iPhone). While physical strobe tuners cost several thousand dollars and lack portability, you can still reap the benefits of a physical model with a digital strobe tuning app, and for a fraction of the price. You can tune by using your device's microphone or by plugging in an external microphone and manually calibrating it to 1/10th cent with the app, and watching the strobe on your display to nail the pitch.

iStroboSoft lets you adjust the note and octave window so you can tune to your intended note and not an octave below or above it. With the press of a button, you can also transpose the tuner up or down an octave if you are using drop tuning or a capo, and you can customize the input frequency if you want to tune to something other than A=440Hz. iStrobosoft's amazing noise filter automatically tunes out other instruments and any background noise, so it can focus on your instrument alone.

Best for Unusual Guitar Tunings: Pro Guitar Tuner

If you are too cool for standard tuning, don't fret: Pro Guitar Tuner (Android or iPhone) is a great chromatic tuning app with a huge library of non-traditional guitar tunings. You can choose from relatively common tunings like drop C, or choose one of the other 106 tuning options like E Modal, Double Drop F, Augmented Fourths, All Fifths, and G Tuning. You can even save your favorite tunings so they're easier to reference in the future.

Once you choose the tuning you want, the tuner adjusts the display accordingly so you can see what you need to tune each of your strings to. If you want to hear what a string sounds like, tap on it to hear. The only weird thing about the guitar tuner is that a few of thee strings were either a few cents sharp or flat, which, while negligible, may require additional fine tuning if you have a good ear. Other than dealing with the occasional ad---which you can resolve with a Premium upgrade for a $9.99 one-time purchase, or as a $0.99/month subscription---Pro Guitar Tuner is a great tuning app for guitar players, and its robust library of creative tunings help keep things exciting.