https://brendan-power.com/TuningChecker.php
The latest version of the tuner tool is now online. The biggest addition is the ability to check the tuning of your harmonica against the tunings you create in the main reference table. To do this you will need to give the webpage access to your microphone when it asks for it.
Other changes include the addition of preset temperament (justified, compromise etc), the ability to alter the reference frequency (more on these items below), the addition of cents (1 cent = 100th of a semitone) as the fine tuning unit, and some visual improvements.
All feedback very welcome. Any questions, issues, bugs, requests for features - just let me know.
This tool will be FREE to use on Brendan's website, but if you find it useful please do consider donating to support development:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/cyberlionuk
The PayPal link can also be found on the tuner tool page.
The tool can be used in phone browsers but due to the amount of screen elements, it is best used on a laptop/desktop.
I am also exploring the possibility of creating phone app (Android, iOS) versions with an inteface more suitable for phone usage.
Thanks to Edvin, André, Brendan and others for their very useful input and advice so far.
Please see the attached image, with the main areas of the tool number 1-4.
These areas are as follows:
1. Presets
In the dropdowns you can alter the following:
- Tuning (Richter, PowerBender etc)
- Key
- Fine Tuning (Temperament) - This is about getting the optimum sound for melodies and/or chords (read about that here).
There are three presets available but you can tinker with this yourself using the Cents dropdown available on each reed.
https://www.patmissin.com/tunings/tunings.html
https://ohw.se/hca/tuning-theory/
- Reference Frequency - Standard is 440 for A4 note, but popular harmonicas are often tuned to 442 or 443 to make harmonicas sound better with other instruments.
2. The Tuning Table
Here is the representation of the harmonica reeds. 10 Chambers with upper (blow) and lower (draw) reedplates.
You can hear the notes, change the notes, fine tune the notes in cents and see the current notes frequency in Hertz. There is also a radio button
to show which note is currently selected for tuning with your harmonica (see section 4).
3. Playing chords
You can check how chords (three notes together) sound all the way up the reedplates. Simply select the notes to play in the dropdown and click the play button.
4. My Harmonica
Here you can use your devices's microphone to play your harmonica and check the tuning agains the target notes. The current target note is fetched from the the tuning table (whichever radio button is currently selected). The Input frequency section will change from red to green when the frequency is less than 0.5 cents away from the target.
There is also a microphone sensitivity control which you can adjust to best pick up your harmonica sound (useful if there are other sounds in your environment).