Guitar Tuner
Tune your guitar quickly and accurately with this browser-based chromatic tuner. Uses your device microphone to detect pitch in real time via autocorrelation analysis, displaying the detected note name, octave, and cents deviation on a visual gauge. Supports standard tuning (EADGBE), Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, Open D, and Half Step Down presets, with a reference tone playback for each string. The tuning meter shows green within 5 cents of perfect pitch, yellow within 15 cents, and red beyond — giving you instant visual feedback as you turn the pegs.
Click "Start Tuner" to begin. Allow microphone access when prompted.
Play a single string and the tuner will detect the pitch.
String Reference
Click any string to hear its reference tone
How to Use
- 1
Grant Microphone Access
Click "Start Tuning" and allow microphone access when prompted. The tuner uses your device microphone to listen to each string in real time.
- 2
Select a Tuning Preset
Choose from Standard (EADGBE), Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, Open D, Half Step Down, or enter a custom tuning. The string reference display updates to show each target note.
- 3
Play a String and Read the Meter
Pluck a single string and watch the tuning meter. The needle shows cents deviation from perfect pitch — green within ±5 cents means you are in tune, yellow within ±15, red beyond.
- 4
Use Reference Tones
Click any string in the reference panel to hear its target pitch played through your speakers via a pure sine tone. Tune by ear or use both the mic and reference together.
Examples by Niche
Select Standard tuning and pluck each open string from low E to high E. The tuner highlights which string is closest to your detected pitch so you always know which string you are adjusting.
Choose Drop D tuning to quickly verify your low string is tuned down a whole step. The meter shows precise cents deviation so you can nail the D2 at 73.42 Hz.
Switch to Open G (DGDGBD) for slide guitar. Use reference tones to hear each target note before adjusting your strings, especially useful when tuning down multiple strings.
Use the chromatic detection mode backstage — pluck any string and the tuner identifies the nearest note and shows how far off you are, no preset selection needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the browser-based guitar tuner detect pitch?
The tuner uses the Web Audio API to access your microphone, then applies an autocorrelation algorithm to the time-domain audio data. Autocorrelation finds the fundamental frequency by detecting repeating patterns in the waveform. This method works well for monophonic instruments like guitar and gives accurate results within 1-2 cents for standard guitar frequencies (80Hz to 1200Hz).
What tuning presets are available?
The tuner includes six presets: Standard (E A D G B E), Drop D (D A D G B E), DADGAD (common in folk and Celtic music), Open G (D G D G B D — used by Keith Richards), Open D (D A D F# A D — popular for slide guitar), and Half Step Down (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb — used by Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan).
What do cents mean in tuning?
A cent is 1/100th of a semitone. When the tuner shows 0 cents, the string is perfectly in tune. Positive cents mean the note is sharp (too high), negative means flat (too low). Most people cannot hear a difference of less than 5 cents, so the green zone (within ±5 cents) indicates an acceptably tuned string.
Can I use this tuner for instruments other than guitar?
Yes — this is a chromatic tuner, meaning it detects any pitch and shows the nearest note. It works for bass guitar, ukulele, violin, viola, cello, mandolin, banjo, and any other acoustic instrument. The reference tone playback generates any note frequency, so you can tune to any target pitch.
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