Cello Tuner

Tune your cello to C G D A using your microphone.

  1. Press Start tuner and allow microphone access.
  2. Play one string or note at a time, and let it ring.
  3. Tighten if the needle is left (flat), loosen if it's right (sharp), until it turns green.
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Play a note

Press “Start tuner” to begin.

Quiet room, one string

The tuner can only follow one note at a time. Mute the other strings, and get close to the microphone if the room is noisy.

How the online tuner works

The tuner listens through your microphone and looks for the repeating pattern in the sound wave. The time it takes to repeat gives the pitch in hertz (Hz), which is matched to the nearest note. The needle shows how far off you are in cents: there are 100 cents between neighbouring notes, and most people can't hear a difference of less than about 5 cents, which is when the needle turns green.

In the guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, viola and cello modes, the tuner also picks out which string you're closest to and ticks it off once it's in tune.

Standard cello tuning

Tuners for one instrument: guitar · bass · ukulele · violin · viola · cello. To find any note you sing or play, try the pitch detector.

Tuning tips

  1. Tune up to the note. If you're sharp, go below the note first and then come back up; strings hold their tuning better that way.
  2. Pluck firmly, then wait a moment. The pitch is a little sharp right after the pluck.
  3. Check again at the end. Tuning one string can pull the others slightly.

Frequently asked questions

The C string reads unsteadily.

Low notes take longer to settle. Bow slowly and evenly near the bridge, keep the microphone close to the f-holes, and give the needle a second or two.

What is A4 = 440 Hz?

It's the reference pitch most music is tuned to today. Some orchestras and recordings use slightly different values, such as 442 Hz; change it here to match.

The note jumps around or shows the wrong octave.

That usually means the sound is too quiet, too noisy or has strong overtones. Pluck nearer the middle of the string and move closer to the mic.

Can it tune my voice or a piano?

Yes. Choose Chromatic to see the nearest note for any steady sound.