Custom Tuning Generator

This custom tuning generator lets you build alternate guitar tunings with per-string frequency input. Choose from 20+ presets — DADGAD, Open G, Nashville, Drop D, Baritone and more — or design your own from scratch. Per-string playback, fretboard preview, cent offset comparison, save/load, and shareable URLs. Works for 4–12 string instruments including bass and ukulele. As a guitar tuning calculator it computes exact alternate tuning frequencies for every string, showing each note and its precise Hz value. Once you have your target frequencies, use the chromatic tuner to match each string live with your physical instrument.

🔒 100% private — all audio generation runs locally in your browser. No data is ever uploaded or stored.

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String Count

Preset Tuning

String Editor

Comparison to Standard Tuning

Fretboard Preview

Saved Tunings

How to Use the Custom Tuning Generator

Choose a Preset or Set String Count

Select from 20+ preset alternate tunings — DADGAD, Open G, Drop D, Nashville, Baritone, and more — or set your string count (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 12) and build a custom tuning from scratch.
Edit Each String

Use the note dropdown and fine-tune Hz input for each string. The cent offset from standard tuning updates automatically. Visual string thickness shows low to high pitch.
Preview and Compare

Click Play on any string to hear its reference pitch, or Play All Strings for an arpeggiated strum. The fretboard preview shows note names across 12 frets. The comparison panel shows cent offsets from standard EADGBE tuning, helping you understand interval relationships across your new voicings. For a sustained reference drone while you tune by ear, the online tone generator can hold any frequency steady.
Save, Share, or Export

Save tunings to your browser's localStorage for quick access between sessions. Copy a shareable URL that encodes your entire custom string tuning in query parameters — ideal for sending drop-tuned or open-tuning setups to bandmates. Export as a text file for printed reference sheets or recording session notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What alternate tunings are included as presets?

The generator includes 20+ presets: Standard EADGBE, Drop D, Drop C, Drop B, DADGAD, Open G (DGDGBD), Open D (DADF#AD), Open E (EBEG#BE), Open A (EAEAC#E), Nashville (high strung), New Standard Tuning (CGDAEG), Half Step Down, Full Step Down, Baritone (BEADF#B), 7-String Standard, 8-String Standard, Bass 4-String, Bass 5-String, and Ukulele (GCEA).

How do I create a completely custom tuning?

Set the string count you need, then use the note dropdown and Hz input for each string to set the exact pitch. You can select any note from C0 to B8 and fine-tune the frequency. Save your creation with a custom name for future use.

What does the cent offset comparison show?

The comparison panel shows how many cents each string differs from standard EADGBE tuning. One cent is 1/100th of a semitone. This helps you understand the pitch relationship between your custom tuning and standard tuning — useful for transposing chord shapes or understanding interval changes.

Can I share my custom tuning with someone else?

Yes! Click "Share URL" to copy a link that encodes your entire tuning in URL query parameters. Anyone who opens the link will see your exact tuning loaded automatically — no account or login required.

How accurate is the tone playback?

The tones are generated using the Web Audio API's OscillatorNode, which produces mathematically precise sine waves at the exact frequency specified. The accuracy is limited only by your audio hardware — typically sub-cent precision.

Are my saved tunings stored securely?

Saved tunings are stored in your browser's localStorage — they never leave your device. No data is transmitted to any server. Clearing your browser data will remove saved tunings, so use the Export feature for permanent backups.

Why do guitarists use DADGAD and other open tunings?

Alternate tunings like DADGAD and Open G make certain chord voicings and drone strings far more accessible. DADGAD is popular in Celtic and fingerstyle guitar because the open strings form a suspended fourth chord, enabling lush resonant arrangements without complex fretting. Open D and Open G let you play a full major chord by barring a single fret — a cornerstone technique in slide guitar and blues. These tunings also unlock unique extended-range voicings not practical in standard EADGBE.

Can I use this tuning generator for bass guitar or ukulele?

Yes. The tool includes presets for 4-string and 5-string bass (EADG and BEADG) as well as Ukulele (GCEA). You can also set a 4-string instrument with any custom note and frequency values for drop-tuned bass, piccolo bass, or tenor uke configurations. The fretboard preview adapts to show note names for whatever string count and pitches you enter.

What is Nashville tuning and why is it used?

Nashville tuning (also called high-strung tuning) replaces the four low strings of a standard 6-string guitar with the octave-higher strings from a 12-string guitar set. The result is a guitar tuned EADGBE but one octave higher on strings 3–6. When recorded alongside a normally tuned guitar, it creates a shimmering, 12-string-like texture. The preset in this generator lets you hear each string's reference pitch before you restring your guitar.

How do I tune a 7-string or 8-string guitar to a custom tuning?

Select 7 or 8 strings from the String Count dropdown. Standard 7-string adds a low B (30.87 Hz) below standard EADGBE; 8-string adds a further low F# (23.12 Hz). You can then modify any string to suit extended-range metal tunings such as all-fourths or drop-A. Use the per-string playback to confirm each reference pitch against a chromatic tuner before tightening strings, especially on the low extended strings where tension varies significantly.

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