Live pitch detection
Works for any voice or instrument — singing, guitar, ukulele, violin, piano, wind instruments, and more. Pick a reference pitch, allow microphone access, then play or sing a single clear note.
Any note, any instrument
Not locked to one instrument's strings — detects the full chromatic scale, so it works for voice, guitar, violin, piano, and more.
Adjustable reference pitch
Switch A4 between 440, 442, 415, or 432 Hz to match your orchestra, ensemble, or preferred tuning standard.
Vocal & instrument range tracker
Automatically logs the lowest and highest note you hit in a session — great for finding your singing range.
Fully private
Pitch detection runs locally in your browser. Nothing is recorded or uploaded.
What Makes This Pitch Detector Different
Most free online tuners are built for one instrument, so they only recognize a handful of preset notes. This pitch detector recognizes any note across the full chromatic scale, in any octave, which makes it useful well beyond a single instrument:
- Singers can check exact pitch while practicing scales, warm-ups, or a difficult passage, and see their vocal range grow over time using the session tracker.
- Guitarists and ukulele players can tune any string, in any tuning (standard, drop D, open G, and beyond) without hunting for a preset.
- Wind and brass players can check embouchure pitch accuracy on individual notes.
- Music teachers can use the note history strip to review whether a student is landing consistently on pitch across a short passage.
- Anyone tuning to a non-standard reference (early music at 415 Hz, or an orchestra tuning to 442 Hz) can switch the reference pitch instead of mentally re-calculating every note.
Tip: for the cleanest reading, play or sing one note at a time, fairly close to your microphone, in a quiet room.
Understanding Cents, Notes & Reference Pitch
- A cent is 1/100th of a semitone — the gauge shows how many cents sharp (+) or flat (−) you are from the nearest note.
- Within about ±5 cents is considered "in tune" for most practical purposes; the gauge turns green in that range.
- Reference pitch (A4) is the frequency every other note is calculated from. At 440 Hz, A4 = 440 Hz exactly, and every other note follows the standard 12-tone equal temperament scale from there.
- Raising the reference pitch (e.g. to 442 Hz) shifts every target note slightly higher; lowering it (e.g. to 415 Hz) shifts them slightly lower — useful for period-instrument ensembles or orchestras with a house tuning standard.
- The vocal/instrument range tracker compares each new note's pitch to your session's lowest and highest so far — sing or play across your full range once, then check the two range cards for your span.
How to use the pitch detector
Set your reference pitch
Leave it at 440 Hz for standard tuning, or switch to match your ensemble's standard.
Start listening
Click "Start listening" and allow microphone access when your browser asks.
Play or sing a note
Hold one clear note near your mic and watch the needle, note name and cents update live.
Check your range & history
Glance at the range cards for your session's lowest/highest note, and the strip for your recent notes.
Frequently asked questions
What does a pitch detector do?
It listens to your microphone, works out the fundamental frequency of the sound, and matches it to the nearest musical note, telling you how many cents sharp or flat you are so you can adjust.
Does this work for any instrument, not just one?
Yes. Unlike a single-instrument tuner, this detects any note across the full chromatic scale — guitar, ukulele, violin, piano, wind instruments, and singing voice all work the same way.
What is reference pitch and why would I change it from 440 Hz?
Reference pitch is the frequency assigned to the note A4. 440 Hz is the modern standard, but some orchestras and early-music ensembles use 442 Hz for a brighter sound or 415 Hz / 432 Hz for historical or alternate tunings. Changing it here shifts every note's target frequency to match.
What is the vocal range tracker?
While you sing or play, the tool automatically records the lowest and highest note detected during your session, so you can find your comfortable vocal range or an instrument's playable range without writing anything down.
How accurate is the pitch detection?
It analyzes microphone input in real time using autocorrelation and estimates pitch to within a few cents in a quiet room. Background noise or multiple simultaneous notes can reduce accuracy, so it works best with one clear note at a time.
Is my audio uploaded anywhere?
No. All pitch detection happens locally in your browser using the Web Audio API. Nothing is recorded, uploaded, or stored on a server.