Tuba Tuner
A free tuba tuner that reads your low notes through the microphone and shows whether to pull the main tuning slide out or push it in.
Your microphone is analysed on this device and is never recorded or sent.
Keyboard: Space starts and stops the tuner.
How to use the tuba tuner
This tuba tuner online is made for low notes. Press Start tuner and allow the microphone. Your microphone is analysed on this device and is never recorded or sent. Play your tuning note at a medium volume and hold it. The tuba tuner shows the nearest note and octave, the cents, and a needle that says Flat: tune up or Sharp: tune down. Low notes take a moment longer to read than high ones, so hold each note for a second or two.
Tap Bb2 or A2 under Tuning notes to hear a reference, or pick an octave under Reference tone and tap any note. On a computer, Space starts and stops the tuner. If your band or orchestra tunes above 440 Hz, set the A4 box to match.
Tuning with the main tuning slide
To tune a tuba you move the main tuning slide: the lowest and thickest slide, usually the one with a water key. If the tuner says you are sharp, pull the slide out a little; if you are flat, push it in. Move it a small amount each time, play again, and check the needle.
A band tuning guide from the American Fork school band program gives a simple routine. Warm up for at least five minutes first. Play the tuning note with your best tone at mezzo forte. Walk up to it from F (F, G, A, Bb) so the pitch is centered, and do not fix the note with your lips or air: move the slide until the note is in tune while you play it naturally. Keep the first, second, third and fourth valve slides pushed most of the way in, and adjust them only if particular valve combinations are out of tune on your tuba.
Which note to tune to
Concert bands usually tune to a concert Bb, because most band instruments are pitched in Bb. On the tuba that is the Bb on the second line of the bass clef staff, Bb2. Orchestras tune to an A given by the oboe, so in an orchestra you may tune to A2 instead. Tuba parts in orchestras and concert bands are written at concert pitch in bass clef, so the note on the tuner is the note on your part.
In British-style brass bands, tuba parts are written in treble clef as transposing parts: an Eb tuba sounds an octave and a major 6th below the written note, and a Bb tuba two octaves and a major 2nd below. The transposition chart converts between the two.
Valve combinations that play out of tune
Once the main slide is set, some valve combinations still lean. The same guide lists these tendencies for most tubas:
- 1-2: moderately sharp.
- 2-3: moderately flat.
- 1-3: very sharp; use the 4th valve instead if your tuba has one.
- 1-2-3: extremely sharp; use 2-4 if available.
Loud playing also pushes the pitch up and soft playing lets it drop, so crescendos go sharp and decrescendos go flat. Relax the embouchure to bring a sharp note down and firm it up to lift a flat one. Each tuba is a little different, so spend time with the tuner on a slow scale to learn yours. The tuba fingering chart shows the valve combination for every note.
Tuba range and frequencies
The range from F1 to middle C (C4) is easily playable on any size of tuba, and solo music reaches down into the pedal range to at least Bb0 and up to at least C5. This tuner listens from below Bb0 to above C5.
| Note | What it is | Frequency at A4 = 440 Hz |
|---|---|---|
| Bb0 | Pedal Bb | 29.14 Hz |
| F1 | Bottom of the easy range | 43.65 Hz |
| Bb1 | Low Bb | 58.27 Hz |
| F2 | Start of the tuning walk-up | 87.31 Hz |
| A2 | Orchestra tuning note | 110.00 Hz |
| Bb2 | Band tuning note | 116.54 Hz |
| C4 | Middle C, top of the easy range | 261.63 Hz |
| C5 | High solo range | 523.25 Hz |
Frequencies this low are hard to judge by ear, which is why a tuner helps: even 5 cents off is well under half a hertz at Bb1.
More for tuba: Tuba Fingering Chart
Questions
Do I pull the tuning slide out if I am sharp?
Yes. Pulling the main tuning slide out lengthens the tuba and lowers the pitch. If you are flat, push it in.
What note does a tuba tune to?
Usually concert Bb (Bb2, second line of the bass clef staff) in a band, and A in an orchestra.
Why does the tuner jump around on low notes?
Low notes have long, slow waves, so the tuner needs a moment to read them. Hold the note steady at a medium volume and keep the microphone a little away from the bell.
Does this work for sousaphone or euphonium?
Yes. The tuner is chromatic, so it reads any note. Euphonium parts in bass clef are usually at concert pitch; in treble clef the euphonium sounds a major 9th below the written note.