Guitar Tuner Help

This tuner helps you tune your stringed instrument. Here's how to use its features:

1. Select Tuning: Choose your instrument and desired tuning from the "Tuning" dropdown. "Chromatic Tuner" mode will detect any note.
2. Start Microphone: Click the "Start Microphone" button and allow microphone access if prompted.
3. Pluck a String: Play a single string on your instrument clearly.
4. Observe Display:
   • Target Note: Shows the closest musical note (e.g., E4). It turns GREEN when in tune with a note from your selected tuning.
   • Tuning Bar: The line shows if you're flat (left) or sharp (right). Aim for the center. The bar color indicates:
     • RED: Far out of tune.
     • AMBER: Close, but needs adjustment.
     • GREEN: In tune!
   • Cents Offset: Numerically shows how many cents (1/100th of a semitone) you are off. Aim for 0 cents.
   • Arrows (◀ ▶): Indicate sharp (tune down) or flat (tune up).
5. Input Level Meter: Shows microphone input volume. The | marker indicates the current sensitivity threshold for note detection. If the bar is consistently too low, the tuner might not hear you. If it's frequently hitting max (turning red), the sound might be clipping (distorting). Adjust "Input Gain" in Global Settings if needed.
6. String Labels (MIDI Buttons): Below the main display, labels show the notes of your selected tuning. Click one to hear a reference tone for that string. The slider below these labels indicates the pitch of the currently detected note relative to the full range of your selected tuning.

Controls:

• Theme Toggle (☀️/🌙): Switches between light and dark mode.
• Global Settings:
  • Input Gain: Adjusts microphone sensitivity.
    • Manual: Slide to set gain. If the "Input Level" bar frequently hits max (red), reduce gain. If too low, increase it.
    • AGC (Auto): Click "Auto OFF" to toggle Automatic Gain Control. When "Auto ON", the tuner tries to set gain automatically.
  • FFT Size: Affects pitch detection speed and accuracy, especially for low notes. Higher values are more accurate for low notes but slower. The tuner attempts to set an optimal FFT size when you change tunings.
  • Hold Pitch (ON/OFF): When ON (default), the tuner keeps displaying the last confidently detected note, even if the sound fades. Useful for noisy environments.
  • Strobe Mode (ON/OFF): Toggles a visual strobe display. When the pattern appears stationary, the note is in tune. Moves left if flat, right if sharp.
• Compressor / Sustain: (Advanced) Helps even out volume differences. Click the title or "OFF" button to expand/toggle.
  • ON/OFF: Enables or disables the compressor.
  • Threshold: The volume level (dB) above which compression starts.
  • Ratio: How much the sound is compressed (e.g., 2:1 means for every 2dB over threshold, output increases 1dB).
  • Attack: How quickly (ms) the compressor reacts after sound exceeds threshold.
  • Release: How quickly (ms) the compressor stops compressing after sound drops below threshold.
  • Output Gain: Boosts volume after compression to make up for lost level.
• Spectrum Analyzer: Click title or "OFF" button to expand/toggle. Shows a "waterfall" graph of sound frequencies over time.
  • Orange Labels/Lines (Top/Vertical): Show target frequencies for the strings in your selected tuning.
  • White Labels (Bottom): General frequency markers (Hz/kHz).
  • The brightest parts of the waterfall show the loudest frequencies.