How to use the pitch checker
- Press Start and allow the microphone. Your browser asks once. Bud only listens while the checker is running.
- Sing or hum a steady note. The big letters show the nearest note, and the key lights up on the keyboard. The number after the letter is the octave: C4 is middle C.
- Watch the needle. In the middle, you're on the note. Left of centre, you're flat (a little low). Right of centre, you're sharp (a little high).
What the needle means
The needle measures cents, hundredths of a semitone. A semitone is the step between two neighbouring piano keys. Within about 10 cents, the needle turns teal: that sounds in tune to most listeners. At 50 cents you're halfway to the next note, and the note name flips over.
Every voice wobbles a little, so don't chase a perfectly still needle. A steady, gentle wobble around the middle is a held note.
Three ways to practise with it
- Match a key. Tap a key to hear it, then sing it back and bring the needle to the middle. Start with keys that feel easy, not high.
- Slide slowly. Start below a note and glide up until it lights. Sliding teaches your voice what "in tune" feels like.
- Hold for five. Pick a note and keep the line flat for five seconds. Steadiness matters more than range.
How close do you land?
Bud plays five notes and you sing them back. A friendly result in about a minute.
Questions
How do I find out what note I'm singing?
Press Start, allow the microphone and sing or hum a steady note. The pitch checker shows the nearest note name, such as A3, and lights the matching key on the keyboard. The needle shows whether you're a little sharp (above the note) or flat (below it).
What are cents?
Cents measure small differences in pitch. A semitone, the step between two neighbouring piano keys, is 100 cents. Within about 10 cents of a note sounds in tune to most listeners; 50 cents is halfway to the next note.
How accurate is an online pitch checker?
On a clear, steady note in a quiet room it's accurate to a few cents. Background noise, a far-away microphone and breathy or very low notes make any pitch detector less steady, and it may sometimes read a note an octave out.
Is my voice recorded?
No. The microphone feeds a pitch detector inside your browser tab. Nothing is recorded, stored or uploaded.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. It works in current versions of Safari, Chrome, Edge and Firefox on phones and computers. You'll be asked to allow the microphone the first time.
Last reviewed October 2026.