How to use this ukulele tuner
Choose the tuning that matches your instrument, start the microphone, and pluck one open string at a time. Let the note ring before turning the peg so the display can settle. If you prefer tuning by ear, play the matching reference tone first.
- Use Auto when the ukulele is already close to pitch, or lock a string when the room is noisy or the string is far out.
- If the display says flat, tighten that string slowly. If it says sharp, loosen it slowly and pluck again.
- Stop when the marker reaches the center and the direction reads “In tune,” then repeat for the other strings.
Standard and baritone ukulele tuning
Most soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles use re-entrant standard tuning. A baritone ukulele normally uses a lower, linear tuning equivalent to the four highest guitar strings.
What the live pitch display means
The large note is the selected target string. The cents value measures the logarithmic distance from that target: a negative reading is flat and a positive reading is sharp. The frequency line shows the detected fundamental before it is compared with the selected tuning.
Automatic mode chooses the closest string in the active tuning. String lock keeps one target fixed. If background noise keeps triggering the display, press Calibrate room and stay quiet briefly; the engine measures that room's live noise floor and raises its input gate for the current session.
How microphone pitch detection stays on this device
After you grant permission, the browser supplies short microphone buffers to the page. The reusable tuner engine removes the signal offset, compares delayed copies of the waveform to find its repeating period, and converts that frequency to a note and cents offset. It creates no recording and sends no microphone audio to a server.
| Stage | What happens | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Listen | The browser opens an audio-only microphone stream after permission. | MDN getUserMedia |
| Detect | Normalized waveform correlation estimates the repeating period locally. | MDN time-domain data |
| Compare | The detected pitch is compared with the selected ukulele string. | Ukulele Society handbook |
Ukulele tuner questions
These answers cover microphone permission, reference tones, baritone tuning, room calibration, and readings that move while a note decays.
Does this online ukulele tuner record me?
No. The page uses the live microphone signal only while the tuner is running. It does not create an audio file or upload the signal.
Can I tune without microphone permission?
Yes. Use the reference-tone buttons and match each open string by ear. The microphone is needed only for the live note and cents display.
Why does the note move after I pluck?
A string changes slightly as its attack fades, while room noise and sympathetic vibration add other frequencies. Pluck once, avoid touching the other strings, and read the stable middle of the note.
What does Calibrate room do?
It measures the current background level locally and adjusts the input gate for this session. Use it before tuning when a fan, traffic, or conversation keeps waking the display.
When should I lock a target string?
Lock the string when the instrument is far out of tune or when nearby sounds make Auto jump between targets. Return to Auto for a quick check after all strings are close.
Can I tune a baritone ukulele here?
Yes. Select Baritone to change the target strings to D3, G3, B3, and E4 before starting the microphone.
Microphone analysis stops when you press Stop or leave the page. No microphone audio leaves this device.