This free guitalele tuner shows an interactive headstock — tap a peg to target that string, or let Auto mode detect it for you. Works for standard A tuning, E tuning, and requinto guitars too.
RUNS ENTIRELY IN YOUR BROWSER · YOUR AUDIO IS NEVER RECORDED OR SENT ANYWHERE
Last updated: · Reviewed for accuracy against current browser APIs
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Choose your tuning below, then click "Start Tuning."
Pick Standard A Tuning (most common) or E Tuning, matching the strings on your guitalele.
Click "Start Tuning."
Allow microphone access when your browser asks.
Pluck your lowest string first.
Start with the thickest string, closest to you when playing, then work toward the thinnest.
Watch the meter.
Turn the tuning peg slowly — left means flat (tighten), right means sharp (loosen).
Repeat for all 6 strings, more than once.
Tightening one string slightly loosens the others, so go through all six strings a few times until every one holds steady.
How this tuner detects pitch
When you pluck a string, this tool analyzes the sound through your microphone using an autocorrelation algorithm — it compares the waveform against slightly delayed copies of itself to find the point where they line up most closely, and that lag reveals the exact frequency you're playing. This runs entirely in your browser via the Web Audio API; your microphone audio is never recorded, uploaded, or sent anywhere, and it disappears the instant you close the tab.
Troubleshooting a jumpy or inaccurate reading
The needle won't settle, or jumps between notes
Background noise is the most common cause — a fan, a TV, or other instruments ringing nearby all confuse pitch detection. Mute any strings you're not testing and play a single, clean note rather than a chord.
It picks the wrong string
In Auto mode, a string that's very badly out of tune can land closer to a neighboring string's target pitch than its own, so the tuner locks onto the wrong one. Switch to manual string selection until it's roughly in range, then Auto mode will track it correctly from there.
Nothing registers at all
Check that microphone permission was actually granted — look for a blocked-mic icon in your browser's address bar — and confirm you're playing firmly enough for the microphone to pick up a clear signal above any background noise.
What is a guitalele?
The guitalele — sometimes called "kīkū" in Hawaiian — is a genuine hybrid: it combines the full chord vocabulary and sound of a classical guitar with the compact, ukulele-sized body that makes it so easy to carry around. That combination makes it a favorite for travelers, small-space players, and anyone who wants a real guitar's range of chords without a full-size guitar to haul along.
Standard guitalele tuning
Most guitaleles ship with nylon strings built for A tuning — the same interval pattern as standard guitar tuning, just five semitones higher:
String
A tuning (standard)
E tuning
6th (thickest)
A2 — 110.00 Hz
E2 — 82.41 Hz
5th
D3 — 146.83 Hz
A2 — 110.00 Hz
4th
G3 — 196.00 Hz
D3 — 146.83 Hz
3rd
C4 — 261.63 Hz
G3 — 196.00 Hz
2nd
E4 — 329.63 Hz
B3 — 246.94 Hz
1st (thinnest)
A4 — 440.00 Hz
E4 — 329.63 Hz
E tuning is identical to a regular six-string guitar's standard tuning. If you're not sure which your guitalele takes, tune to E first — the lower string tension makes it very unlikely you'll damage anything. If the strings sound loose, buzzy, or floppy at E tuning, they're almost certainly built for A tuning instead, and you can retune up five semitones from there using the note list above.
Can you play guitar chords on a guitalele?
Yes, and this is one of the biggest reasons people pick up a guitalele in the first place. Every chord shape you already know from a six-string guitar works exactly the same way. In E tuning, it sounds identical to playing those chords on a regular guitar. In A tuning, the same shapes still work perfectly — it just sounds five semitones higher, exactly like playing a normal guitar with a capo clipped onto the 5th fret.
If you're tuned to A and want the song's actual key to match a regular guitar's chord chart, transpose the chords down five semitones — for example, "Am, F, C, G" becomes "Em, C, G, D." Otherwise, just play the chart as written and let it ring out a fourth higher.
Can you play ukulele chords on a guitalele?
Also yes, with one small catch. When a guitalele is tuned to A, its top four strings — D, G, C, E... more precisely G3, C4, E4, A4 — line up exactly with a ukulele's standard G-C-E-A tuning. That means standard ukulele chord shapes transfer directly, as long as you avoid touching the two thickest strings (the 5th and 6th) while playing, since a ukulele simply doesn't have those extra low strings at all.
Guitalele vs. requinto guitar
In Latin American countries like Mexico and Ecuador, a closely related instrument called the requinto guitar uses this exact same tuning. The main difference is size: a requinto typically has a body around 53 cm long, noticeably larger than a guitalele's roughly 43 cm, giving it more projection and resonance. Requintos are a staple of guitar ensembles and trío románticos, playing pasillos and boleros. Since the tuning matches exactly, this tool works just as well for tuning a requinto as it does a guitalele.
Why all six strings shift when you tune just one
This trips up a lot of first-time guitalele owners: tighten or loosen one string, and the tension balance across the whole neck shifts slightly, nudging every other string a little out of tune too. It's not a sign anything is wrong — it's simply how a tensioned neck under multiple strings behaves. The fix is patience: work through all six strings, then go back and check them all again, and repeat that full pass two or three times until every string holds steady even after adjusting its neighbors.
How often to tune a new guitalele
Fresh nylon strings stretch constantly for at least their first couple of weeks of use, so don't be surprised if your guitalele sounds noticeably out of tune just minutes after your last tuning session — that's completely normal for new strings, not a fault with the instrument. Expect to retune often during this settling-in period; it tapers off significantly once the strings have fully stretched in.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tune my guitalele with this tool?
Choose A or E tuning to match your strings, click Start Tuning, then pluck a string starting with the lowest. The closest peg on the headstock highlights automatically, and the needle shows sharp or flat until the peg turns green.
What is standard guitalele tuning?
Most guitaleles ship with nylon strings designed for A tuning: A2, D3, G3, C4, E4, A4 from thickest to thinnest — the same intervals as a guitar's standard E tuning, just five semitones higher.
Should I tune my guitalele to A or E?
It depends on your strings. If unsure, tune to E first — the lower tension makes it very unlikely to damage anything. If the strings sound loose or buzz at E tuning, they're likely meant for A tuning instead.
Can I play regular guitar chords on a guitalele?
Yes. The same chord shapes work exactly whether tuned to A or E. In A tuning it just sounds five semitones higher, like playing a normal guitar with a capo on the 5th fret.
Can I play ukulele chords on a guitalele?
Yes, when tuned to A. The top four strings of an A-tuned guitalele match a ukulele's GCEA tuning exactly, so ukulele chord shapes work if you avoid touching the two thickest strings.
Why do all my strings go out of tune when I only adjust one?
Tightening or loosening one string shifts the tension balance across the whole neck, very slightly detuning the others. This is normal — go through all six strings a few times until each one holds steady.
What's the difference between a guitalele and a requinto guitar?
A requinto guitar uses the same tuning as a guitalele but has a larger body, giving more projection and resonance. Requintos are common in Latin American ensembles like trío románticos. This tool works for tuning either instrument.
How often should I tune a new guitalele?
New nylon strings stretch for at least the first couple of weeks, so expect to retune frequently at first, even just minutes after your last tuning session. This settles down as the strings age in.
Is my audio recorded or sent anywhere?
No. All detection happens locally in your browser using the Web Audio API. Nothing is uploaded, recorded, or stored.
More tools on ProDeviceTest
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