How does this online tuner work?

This tuner offers two modes: Reference mode plays a pure sine wave at the exact frequency of each string — listen and match the pitch by ear. Microphone mode uses your device's mic and a YIN autocorrelation algorithm to detect the pitch you're playing in real time, showing how many cents sharp or flat you are.

What instruments can I tune with this tool?

You can tune guitar (6, 7, and 8 string), ukulele (soprano, concert, tenor, baritone), and bass (4, 5, and 6 string). Each instrument comes with multiple alternate tunings including Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, Open D, Open E, Half Step Down, and more.

What is Drop D tuning?

Drop D tuning lowers the 6th (lowest) string of the guitar from E to D, giving you a deeper bass note. The remaining strings stay the same: E B G D A D. It's widely used in rock, metal, and folk for power chords that can be barred with one finger.

What is DADGAD tuning?

DADGAD is an alternate tuning where the strings are tuned D A D G A D from low to high. It creates a suspended, open sound that's popular in Celtic, folk, and fingerstyle guitar. The open strings form a Dsus4 chord.

Do I need to install anything to use the microphone tuner?

No installation needed. The microphone tuner works directly in your browser. Just click 'Enable Microphone' and allow access when prompted. All pitch detection runs locally in your browser — no audio is sent to any server.

How accurate is the microphone tuner?

The tuner uses a YIN autocorrelation algorithm with sub-Hz precision, which is more accurate than standard FFT-based tuners. It detects pitch within ±1 cent accuracy. The green zone on the meter indicates you're within 5 cents of perfect pitch, which is considered in tune for most practical purposes.

Online Tuner — Guitar, Ukulele & Bass

Tune your guitar, ukulele, or bass with this free online tuner. Use Reference mode to hear the exact pitch of each string, or switch to Microphone mode for real-time pitch detection.

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How to Use This Online Tuner

This multi-instrument tuner offers two tuning modes to fit any situation. Reference mode plays a pure sine wave — the gold standard for tuning by ear — at the exact frequency of each string. Simply click the string you want to tune and adjust until the pitch matches. Microphone mode uses your device's microphone to analyze your instrument's sound in real time, showing the detected note, frequency, and how many cents sharp or flat you are from the correct pitch.

Supported Guitar Tunings

The tuner supports the most popular guitar tunings: Standard (EADGBE), Drop D, Half Step Down, Open G, Open D, Open E, DADGAD, Drop C, 7-string, 8-string, and Baritone (B Standard). Each tuning displays the exact frequencies for each string for precise tuning.

Alternate tunings unlock new creative possibilities. Drop D is essential for rock and metal. DADGAD is the go-to tuning for Celtic folk. Open G is the signature tuning for blues slide guitar. Explore guitar scales and guitar chords in each tuning.

Ukulele and Bass Tunings

For ukulele, we support Standard GCEA (re-entrant) tuning, Baritone DGBE, Low G, and D tuning (ADF#B). For bass, we include standard 4-string (EADG), 5-string, 6-string, and Drop D tunings. The detection algorithm is optimized with a 4096-sample FFT to capture the lowest bass frequencies, like E1 at 41.2 Hz.

Pitch Detection Technology

Our tuner uses the YIN autocorrelation algorithm, which provides sub-Hz precision — significantly better than standard FFT-based tuners. FFT tuners have a limited resolution of ~10.7 Hz per bin (at 44.1 kHz with 4096 samples), which is insufficient for low bass notes. The YIN algorithm detects the fundamental frequency with ±1 cent accuracy even on the lowest notes, and a 5-detection median filter smooths out jitter without adding perceptible latency.

Tips for Tuning Your Instrument

For best results with microphone mode, pluck each string individually and let it ring out. Avoid noisy environments. When using reference mode, tune from the lowest to highest strings — this minimizes tension changes on the neck. Always tune up to the note (from below) rather than down to avoid tuning peg slippage.

Once your instrument is in tune, explore our composition tools: scale harmonizer, chord progressions, and the Circle of Fifths.