Recorder Tuner
This recorder tuner shows the note you are playing as written for soprano, alto or tenor recorder, and whether it is flat or sharp. On recorder, breath is the main way to stay in tune, and the tuner helps you hear it.
Play a tuning note
The microphone is only used while the tuner runs. Sound is analysed on your device and never recorded or sent anywhere.
Recorder tuning notes
The recorder is a transposing instrument, so the note you read is not the concert pitch the band tunes to. These are the usual tuning notes as you read them and as the tuner hears them, at A = 440 Hz.
| Written (Soprano, baroque) | Concert pitch | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| A4 | A5 | 880.00 Hz |
| G4 | G5 | 783.99 Hz |
Not sure of a fingering? The recorder fingering chart shows every note and plays it at the right pitch.
How to tune a recorder
- Warm the recorder in your hands or by breathing gently through it; a cold recorder plays flat and can clog.
- Play A (second space) with gentle, steady air.
- If you are sharp with relaxed breath, pull the head joint out a millimetre or two. If you are flat, push it back in.
- Play a low note like low D. If it is flat while A is fine, you are using too little air for the high notes or too much for the low ones.
Breath is the tuning slide
Every recorder note goes sharper as you blow harder. That is why recorder groups sound out of tune when everyone plays loudly. Practise a slow scale with the tuner and keep the needle centred by matching your air to each note: softer air low, a little more high.
Soprano, alto and tenor
The soprano sounds an octave above the music, so the tuner shows the written note when Soprano is selected. Alto and tenor sound as written. The recorder notes page has the first notes to learn and some easy songs to practise in tune.
Recorder Tuner FAQ
Can you tune a recorder?
A little. Pulling the head joint out slightly makes the recorder flatter. You can't make it sharper than fully pushed in, so most tuning comes from your breath: blowing harder raises the pitch and softer lowers it.
Why does the tuner show a different octave on soprano recorder?
The soprano recorder sounds an octave higher than written. With Soprano selected, the tuner shows the written note, so the B on the middle line reads as B4.
Why does my recorder sound sharp?
Usually you are blowing too hard. Recorders go sharp with more breath pressure and flat with less. Play with gentle, steady air and check the tuner; low notes need the softest air of all.
Do soprano and alto recorders tune the same way?
Yes, both by breath and the head joint. They are pitched in different keys (soprano in C, alto in F), so pick yours in the menu and the tuner shows the notes as you read them.
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