You left your clip-on tuner at home, and your friends are already plugging in for a jam. Penguin Tuner is a guitar tuner with a cartoon penguin on it. It listens to the note you play and shows you how far off you are.
Quick facts
- Price: free
- Input: your computer's microphone
- Made by: 123 Guitar Tuners
- Listed version: 1.0
Key features
See the note you are playing without choosing a string
Play a note and Penguin Tuner automatically displays the musical note it hears. You don't need to pick a string first.
Know whether you are flat or sharp
The needle points left or right to show how far you are from being in pitch.
A green glow when the note is right
The needle is a fish on the penguin's belly. When you hit the correct note it turns bright green and glows, so you can tell at a glance that you're in tune.
No batteries and no hardware
It runs online and uses your microphone, so there's no small tuner to buy or keep charged. The site also lets you embed the tuner on your own website.
How to use it
- Place your computer's microphone close to your guitar.
- Choose "Allow" when the tuner asks for microphone access. If you chose "Deny" by accident, refresh the page.
- Strum a note and read the needle.
Who it's for
It suits beginners who want a simple, friendly tuner. It also suits anyone who wants a backup tuner on a laptop when the usual one isn't around. The vendor describes it as good for all ages.
Pros and cons
- Pro: free, with nothing to buy.
- Pro: it detects the note automatically.
- Pro: the green glow is easy to read.
- Con: it needs a working microphone and permission to use it.
- Con: the vendor describes a single tuning view, with no tuning-mode options.
- Con: a noisy room can make microphone tuning harder.
FAQs
Is Penguin Tuner free?
Yes. The vendor says the tuner is absolutely free.
Do I need to install anything?
The vendor's page describes an online tuner that uses your microphone.
Why won't it hear my guitar?
Check that you chose "Allow" on the microphone prompt. If you chose "Deny", refresh the page and try again.
Can it tell me if I'm flat or sharp?
Yes. The needle points left or right to show how far off you are.
System requirements
You need a computer with a microphone. The vendor lists no other requirements.