What does a chromatic tuner measure?

It names the nearest equal-tempered note and how many cents you are sharp or flat. 0¢ is in tune with that target; 100 cents is a semitone.

Do I need to install an app just to check pitch?

Not for a quick tune. Open the tuner in Safari or Chrome, allow the mic, and play. Use the iPhone app when you want record, journal, and written transposition.

What are cents on a tuner?

A cent is 1/100 of a semitone. Positive is sharp, negative is flat. There is a short guide: What are cents?

Is a phone mic good enough for band?

For steady tones and rehearsal tuning, yes for most students. Use performance volume when you can, and cross-check with a drone for intonation habits.

practice cents · guide

Pitch & tuning

What a chromatic tuner is (and why cents matter)

A chromatic tuner hears all twelve notes and shows how many cents you’re sharp or flat. How to use one well — and when a phone mic is enough.

Open the tuner Open the metronome HYKOM samples

What “chromatic” means

A chromatic tuner listens across all twelve notes in an octave — not only open guitar strings. Play any pitch; it names the nearest note and how far you are from in-tune, in cents (1/100 of a semitone).

That is why the same needle works for trumpet, violin, voice, and guitar. You are matching a pitch grid, not a six-string diagram.

How to use one well

Quiet the room, hold the phone near the instrument, and play a steady tone. Watch the needle settle — don’t chase every flicker. For winds and strings, tune at performance volume when you can; soft pitches can read flat on phone mics.

Allow microphone permission when prompted
Aim for near 0¢ on the target note
Use written transposition in the iPhone app if you play Bb, Eb, or F
Cross-check with a drone or piano when you are learning intonation, not only the needle

Browser vs an installed app

A tab is enough for a five-minute check: open the link, allow the mic, play. Students on a shared Chromebook do not need an App Store step first.

When you want record, a journal, written transposition, and theory paths, that is the iPhone app — same product, not a different tuner brand.

On practice cents

The tuner at /tuner is the live tool. This page is the explainer. Band transposition and MM Mode live in the iPhone app, next to metronome, journal, and HYKOM.

FAQ

What does a chromatic tuner measure?: It names the nearest equal-tempered note and how many cents you are sharp or flat. 0¢ is in tune with that target; 100 cents is a semitone.
Do I need to install an app just to check pitch?: Not for a quick tune. Open the tuner in Safari or Chrome, allow the mic, and play. Use the iPhone app when you want record, journal, and written transposition.
What are cents on a tuner?: A cent is 1/100 of a semitone. Positive is sharp, negative is flat. There is a short guide: What are cents?
Is a phone mic good enough for band?: For steady tones and rehearsal tuning, yes for most students. Use performance volume when you can, and cross-check with a drone for intonation habits.

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