The Tool Shed / Online Guitar Tuners

The "Ear vs. Machine" Tuning Duo.

Not all tuners are created equal. Most online tools make you a lazier musician by doing the listening for you. I use a two-step method to keep my gear in check and my ears sharp. Here is the philosophy behind my two favorite online guitar tuners.

Step 01: The Ear Trainer

"Click to Pick" Reference Tuner

This is the natural way. By using reference tones, you develop the ability to tune in any environment without a screen. It forces you to listen for the "sound waves" in the frequency until they disappear.

Simple as it sounds — just click any string below to hear its reference pitch, then tune your guitar to match.

Select Tuning
Standard 440
Roady Hint: The Heavy Hand The pressure of your fretted hand changes the pitch. If you squeeze too hard, you’ll pull the note sharp and get a "false" reading from the tuner. Practice "hand independence"—hit the string firmly with your pick, but keep your fretted hand light and gentle.
Step 02: The Validator

"Perfect Pitch" Precision Tuner

When "close enough" isn't an option. Use this professional-caliber tuner to validate your ear or perform high-precision setups. Select a string, play it, and watch the live Hz reading update in real time.

Roady Hint: About Calibration Perfect Pitch has been carefully calibrated for accuracy. That said, readings can vary slightly depending on your device's microphone, your string brand and age, your guitar type, and your room acoustics. This is the nature of any sensitive pitch detector — even hardware tuners aren't immune. When in doubt, trust your ear. That's one more reason why you should be comfortable with the Click to Pick method.
Select Tuning
Standard 440

👇 Select appropriate string below before playing a note

Target
— Hz
select a string
Your Guitar
— Hz
—
♭ Flat — In Tune — Sharp ♯
Play any string to begin
Mic offline
Roady Hint: Fresh Steel Brand-new strings need to be manually stretched to tension or they will never hold their pitch. Conversely, very old strings lose their elasticity and will never sound great regardless of what the tuner says. If you want to rock on, make sure your set is fresh and stretched.

All tuned up but still sounding off?

If your strings are perfectly in tune but chords still sound "sour" as you move up the neck, your intonation likely needs a tweak.

Check your intonation →

The Luthier's Manifesto: Don't Get Lazy

It is easy to stare at a digital needle until it turns green, but a great guitarist can hear a flat G-string without looking at a screen. Use Perfect Pitch to verify your work, but live in Click to Pick to grow your musicality. Your ears are the most important tools in the shed.