Web tuner Instructions

Using the Online Tuner

This web tuner is similar in function to the actual, real-life N-Tune onboard tuner that is designed to live under the volume knob of your guitar. Get yours today and never be without a tuner... ever!

The chromatic tuner allows you to easily tune any string to any note, so you can set up special tunings. The display ring is marked: ABCDEFG.

Your computer should be set up with a microphone. If it does not have an internal microphone, try connecting a standard external microphone. Alternatively, if you are using a guitar amp, connect the line-level audio outputs to a line in on your computer's sound card. You can plug your guitar directly into a sound input on your computer as well, though this will likely require that you have a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter or cable. Verify that the microphones or line-level inputs are working by looking at the level meter on the Web tuner.

  1. Play your guitar and make sure the input level meter moves when you strike a note.
  2. Pluck a string, and its closest note will light up.
  3. Tune the string until the desired note lights up.
  4. If the flat symbol is flashing red, then tighten the string. It will flash faster as you get closer to tune. Once you are perfectly tuned, the green tuned symbol (in the middle) will light with happiness.
  5. If the sharp symbol is flashing red, then loosen the string. It will flash faster as you get closer to tune. Again, once you are perfectly tuned, the green tuned symbol lights up. If you tighten/loosen the strings too much, the flashing red lights will tell you.
  6. Repeat this for the other strings.
  7. If you are trying to tune to a sharp, such as F sharp, then tune up until both the green tuned light and the tuned-sharp light come on.
  8. That's it -- you're done. Jam on!

Getting the Best Results

You can tweak a few settings on your computer to make the N-Tune Web tuner work even better.

Windows Users

Select Start -> Control Panel and double click on the "Sound and Audio Devices" icon. Click on the Audio tab and click the Volume button under the "Sound Recording" section. This will open up a new window with a Volume slider. Click the "Advanced" button (if you don't see this, go to the Options menu and select "Advanced Controls" - you should see it then). This will open yet another new window (thanks for making computers so easy to use, Microsoft). In that window, make sure the AGC (automatic gain control) box is checked. Close all windows, restart your browser and the Web tuner should be working better than ever.

Macintosh Users

Go into your System Preferences and select the Sound applet. Select the Input tab and then select "Use ambient noise reduction".
A Note About Sound Cards
Our testing has found that not all sound cards are created equal. In some sound cards, especially those found in laptops, the reference clock used for capturing and playing back audio does not run at the reported rate. Therefore, when our Web tuner asks your computer's sound card to capture audio at 44.1kHz, it might actually be capturing at a slightly different rate (say, 44.0 or 44.2kHz). The difference between the requested capture rate and the actual capture rate is what causes inaccurate tuning results.

If you have further questions about N-Tune, or if you'd like to give us feedback, please visit our online forum. We'd love to hear from you.