Guitar Note Identifier
This guitar note identifier and guitar note detector listens to your playing and shows the string, fret, and note name highlighted on an interactive 22-fret fretboard visualizer. Using the YIN pitch detection algorithm, it identifies notes in real time with ±1–2 cents accuracy across the full standard guitar range (E2–E6). Chord detection, tab notation output, and reference tone playback included. 100% browser-based, private, no downloads — nothing is ever uploaded to a server.
Supports seven common tunings including Standard (EADGBE), Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, and half-step-down tunings. The fretboard updates automatically for each tuning, making it equally useful as a guitar string identifier, a guitar fret finder, an ear training aid, a guitar transcription helper, and a quick intonation check at any fret position. You can also upload a pre-recorded audio file (WAV, MP3, OGG, FLAC, M4A) to analyse notes offline.
Guitar Note Identifier Tool
e|--- B|--- G|--- D|--- A|--- E|---
How to Use the Guitar Note Identifier
-
Select Your Tuning & Start Listening
Choose your guitar tuning from the dropdown (Standard, Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, etc.). Click "Start Listening" and allow microphone access. All processing runs 100% locally in your browser.
-
Play a Note or Strum a Chord
Play any note on your guitar. For single notes, the tool identifies the exact string, fret, and note name via autocorrelation-based pitch estimation. Strum multiple strings quickly to trigger chord detection — the tool matches the detected pitch classes against common major, minor, and seventh chord templates. Hold the note for best accuracy. If you need to confirm the raw frequency in Hz, the pitch detector shows the exact fundamental alongside the note name.
-
Read the Fretboard & Note Display
The detected note appears in the large display with Hz and cents deviation. The fretboard diagram highlights the exact position with a glow effect. String and fret badges show the position (e.g., "String 3, Fret 5 = C4").
-
Use Reference Tones & Tab Output
Click any fret on the interactive fretboard to hear that note played as a reference sine tone using the Web Audio API. Watch the tab notation build as you play. Use Freeze to lock the display on a note you want to study, or export your session as CSV. For a broader reference, use the tone generator to produce any specific pitch by frequency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What guitar tunings does this support?
The Guitar Note Identifier supports 7 tunings: Standard (EADGBE), Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, Open D, Half Step Down, and Full Step Down. The fretboard diagram, string labels, and note calculations all update automatically when you switch tunings.
How does chord detection work?
When you strum multiple strings within a short time window (about 500ms), the tool collects the distinct pitch classes detected and matches them against common chord patterns (major, minor, 7th, etc.). For best results, strum clearly and let the strings ring out. Single-note detection is more accurate than chord detection.
How accurate is the string and fret detection?
The YIN pitch detection algorithm achieves ±1-2 cents accuracy for clear, sustained notes. String and fret identification is highly accurate for standard guitar range (E2 to E6). For best results, play single notes cleanly in a quiet environment with the guitar close to the microphone.
Can I click the fretboard to hear a note?
Yes! Click any position on the interactive fretboard canvas to hear that note played as a reference tone. The tool calculates the correct frequency based on the string's open tuning and the fret position using equal temperament. This is great for ear training or checking if your guitar is in tune at a specific fret.
What does the tab notation output show?
As you play notes, the tool builds a text-based guitar tablature showing which fret to play on which string. This is displayed in standard tab format with 6 lines representing the 6 strings (high e on top, low E on bottom). You can clear and restart the tab at any time.
Is my audio data private?
Your audio is 100% private. All note detection runs entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. No audio is recorded, stored, or transmitted to any server. The tool works completely offline once the page is loaded.
Can I use this tool to identify notes from a guitar recording or audio file?
Yes. Use the Upload Audio File zone to drag and drop or browse for a WAV, MP3, OGG, FLAC, or M4A file. The tool decodes and analyses the file entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API — no upload to a server occurs. Note that polyphonic recordings with heavy distortion, reverb, or background instruments are harder to detect accurately; clean, isolated single-note recordings give the best results.
Why does the tool sometimes detect the wrong string or fret for the same note?
Many guitar notes share the same pitch across multiple strings and frets — for example, the note D4 (293.7 Hz) is playable at string 2 fret 3, string 3 fret 7, and string 4 open in standard tuning. The tool assigns the detected pitch to the lowest-string position by default, which is the most common voicing but not always the one you intended. The interactive fretboard highlights all matching positions so you can identify the one you actually played.
How do I check guitar intonation with this tool?
To check guitar intonation at a specific fret, play the open string and note its cents deviation, then fret the 12th fret (one octave up) and compare. If the 12th-fret reading is sharp, the string saddle needs to move back (increase string length); if flat, move it forward. The cents deviation bar in this tool makes those small tuning differences easy to read. If your playing involves alternate tunings, re-select the matching tuning in the dropdown first so the expected pitch reference is correct for that string.
Related Tools
Chromatic Tuner
Precision chromatic tuner for guitar, ukulele, violin, and any pitched instrument with needle gauge and strobe mode.
Try it →Music Note Detector
Identify any musical note instantly with giant display, piano keyboard, cents deviation, and reference tone.
Try it →Chord Finder
Identify chords from audio input with voicing diagrams and music theory breakdowns.
Try it →