Tuners operate on the principle of detecting the frequencies of sound waves. When you play a note on your instrument, the tuner will measure the frequency of the sound wave and compare it to the ideal frequency for that note. If the note is out of tune, the tuner will show you how far it is off. Picture an "A" resonating at 440 Hz—should it venture towards sharpness, it would ascend to 441 Hz or beyond; conversely, should it lean towards mellowness, it would register as 439 Hz or lower. However, musicians measure their proximity to the ideal pitch in "cents".
The most common tuning system used in the world is the equal temperament. This system divides the octave into 12 equal semitones, each of which is 100 cents apart. This means that the difference between any two adjacent notes is always the same. This tuning system allows for playing in all keys with relative clarity, but it has the disadvantage that the specific character of the different keys is completely lost. You have to tune your instrument always to the ideal 0 cent but it doesn’t mean that you always will be in tune. You should constantly listen for pure intervals and adjust your air support, embouchure, tongue position, and fingerings accordingly.
To use the tuner, simply click on the "Activate Microphone" button. The browser will then ask you for permission. Once the site has access to the microphone, you can start tuning.
The international standard for A4 is 440Hz. However, many professional orchestras, mainly in Europe, are using 442Hz and even 443Hz. You can also change the frequency of the concert pitch by clicking on the top left button. The international standard for A4 is 440Hz, however many professional orchestras, mainly in Europe, are using 442Hz and even 443Hz.
Let's be real, tuning your instrument can be boring, and the last thing you want to do is spend hours staring at the screen. If you are looking for our pitch tendency analyzer, move on! 😉