How to use the vocal tuner
- Tap Start the tuner and allow the microphone.
- Sing a plain "ah" and hold it. The big letter shows the closest note, for example A3 is the A below middle C.
- Watch the bar. If the marker sits left of the centre you're flat (too low), right of centre you're sharp (too high). Green means you're within 15 cents.
- Use the graph to see how steady your note is, and whether you slide into it from below.
What the numbers mean
Each note is divided into 100 cents. Being off by 50 cents means you're exactly halfway to the next note. As a rough guide:
| Distance from the note | How it sounds |
|---|---|
| 0 to 10 cents | In tune to almost everyone |
| 10 to 25 cents | Good. Trained ears may notice |
| 25 to 50 cents | Noticeably sharp or flat |
| Over 50 cents | Closer to the neighbouring note |
Exercises to try with a pitch tuner
- Note matching. Play a reference note above, then sing it and hold the marker in the green for three seconds.
- Straight tone. Hold one note for five seconds and try to keep the graph as flat as possible. This builds breath control.
- Slow slides. Glide from one note up to the next and back, watching the line move smoothly rather than in jumps.
- Scales. Sing do-re-mi up five notes and see which ones drift. Most people go flat on the way down.
Vocal tuner vs. instrument tuner
Guitar and chromatic tuners expect a steady tone, so they flicker when you sing. A vocal tuner smooths over the natural wobble in the voice, ignores breath and background noise, and shows your pitch over time, which is how you actually learn to sing in tune.
SingNest Coach turns this into guided practice: it plays the notes, listens to every one and gives you a specific tip after each exercise. 5 minutes a day.
Start today's free sessionFrequently asked questions
Can I use a guitar tuner for singing?
You can, but most instrument tuners are tuned for steady instrument tones and jump around with a voice. A vocal tuner smooths the natural wobble of the voice and shows a pitch graph so you can see slides and vibrato.
What are cents in singing?
A cent is one hundredth of a semitone. Within about 10 cents sounds perfectly in tune to most listeners, within 25 is good, and beyond 50 cents you're closer to the next note.
Why does the note jump around when I sing?
Voices naturally wobble a little, and vibrato moves the pitch up and down several times a second. Hold a plain "ah" without vibrato to get a steady reading, and watch the graph rather than the number.
Is my voice recorded?
No. The pitch is worked out in your browser, on your device. No audio is uploaded or saved.