Start tuning for free
Always-listening chromatic, standard guitar and ukulele tuning, with notes, cents, Hz and automatic string targeting.
FOR THE RIFF. THE SAMPLE. THE NEXT IDEA.
PulseKeyTuner
Find the key. Get in tune.
A musical second opinion, right in your pocket. Find a song's likely key, check a note and tune your instrument on iPhone.
PulseKey Tuner 1.2 is live. iPhone. iOS 16+.
Free to start. Optional lifetime Pro. No subscription.
Song-key detectionNotes, cents & HzAudio-file analysisOn-device processing
LESS GUESSING. MORE PLAYING.
One app.
Two ways to listen.
A song has a harmonic centre. A string has a pitch. PulseKey gives each a mode of its own.
Version 1.1 example screens; the live 1.2 release updates the mode selector and adds free/Pro access. Advanced tunings, pitch trace and saved measurements require Pro. Key and pitch readings are estimates, not guarantees. Your ears still have the final say.
Try five keys
Five successful microphone key analyses in total, not per day. Failed or canceled analyses do not use the allowance.
Keep going with Pro
One purchase adds unlimited keys, custom and alternate tunings, pitch trace, file analysis, musical context and saved measurements. Previous paid customers keep lifetime Pro.
Hear it in the room
Use the iPhone microphone to analyse music or a single note. Live listening needs microphone permission.
Bring your own audio
Load an audio file for analysis instead of playing it through a speaker. Useful for your own loops and samples.
A starting point for a mix
Camelot and Open Key notation give DJs familiar ways to read the result. Always audition the transition: a matching key isn't the whole story.
GO A LITTLE DEEPER
Keep the idea.
Explore the details.
Choose a section of audio, explore its musical context and save the result for your next session.
Your tuning, your reference
Create custom tunings, lock a target note, play a reference tone and adjust A4 from 415 to 466 Hz.
Save the useful bit
Keep measurements with titles and notes in a local library. Saved analyses retain the results, not the source audio.
Explore drum resonance
Hold a reference and compare lug measurements. These tools are experimental: readings may reflect overtones rather than a drum's fundamental.
THE LITTLE NUMBERS THAT MATTER
Almost in tune?
Meet cents and Hz.
The note tells you where you are. Cents tell you how far off you are. Hz is the frequency underneath it all.
- 0 cents is the target.
- Negative means flat; positive means sharp. There are 100 cents in a semitone.
- 440 Hz is a common A4 reference.
- A note's frequency changes as you move above or below its reference pitch.
PITCH EXPLORER
0 cents
-50 / FLAT0+50 / SHARP
On the reference pitch.
A4 = 440 Hz
An educational calculator, not a live tuner. No microphone access. Equal-temperament reference: UNSW Music Acoustics.
THE PRACTICE NOTES
A little knowledge.
A better session.
Practical answers for the moments before you hit record, play along or start a mix.
FIND YOUR WAY IN
How to find a song's key on iPhone
Why a note isn't a key, what to listen for, and how to make sense of an uncertain result.
Read the guideCHOOSE YOUR TOOL
Which iPhone tuner fits your music?
PulseKey, GuitarTuna, Fender Tune and TonalEnergy: different strengths for different sessions.
Compare the appsGOOD TOOLS. DIFFERENT JOBS.
There isn't one best tuner
for every musician.
Start with what you want to do. Here's where each app deserves a look.
| App | Consider it for | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| PulseKey Tuner | Checking a song or sample's likely key, then tuning individual notes. | Key analysis and tuning, custom tunings, audio regions, a local library and mixing-key notation. App Store details |
| GuitarTuna | A guided string-instrument tuning workflow. | Automatic and manual string selection, multiple instruments and alternate tunings. GuitarTuna tuning options |
| Fender Tune | Guitar-focused tuning and learning resources. | Chromatic tuning alongside Fender's guitar-practice tools. Fender Tune features |
| TonalEnergy | A broader practice routine and detailed intonation work. | Tuner, tone generator, metronome, recording and analysis tools. TonalEnergy features |
Features and purchase options can change. Competitor names belong to their respective owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.
Read the full comparisonYOUR MUSIC. YOUR DEVICE.
Keep the session
to yourself.
PulseKey analyses audio on your iPhone. No account, advertising, tracking or third-party analytics in the app.
Microphone audio is processed in memory, not saved as a recording or uploaded. Imported audio is temporarily copied to your device for analysis and playback.
Read the app privacy policyBEFORE THE FIRST NOTE
A few good
questions.
Does PulseKey identify song titles or artists?
No. It estimates musical keys and detects notes. It isn't a Shazam-style song-recognition service.
Can I tune a guitar, bass or ukulele?
Standard guitar, ukulele and chromatic tuning are free in 1.2. Pro adds alternate guitar, bass, low-G ukulele, violin, mandolin and custom tunings. Play one clear note at a time; mute the other strings and let the initial attack settle.
Why can a song's key estimate change?
Different sections can emphasise different notes, and some music changes key or has an ambiguous tonal centre. Noise, percussion and short excerpts can make the result less useful. Try a clear melodic section and check against your instrument.
Can I analyse a file instead of using the microphone?
With Pro, import an audio file, select and loop a region, and inspect key estimates across sections. Use files you can access on your device; PulseKey does not download tracks from streaming links.
Which version and iPhones does this page describe?
This page describes PulseKey Tuner 1.2, which requires iOS 16 or later. It is designed for iPhone, not as a native iPad app. The example screenshots show 1.1. Microphone permission is needed for live analysis.
Do I need a subscription?
No. PulseKey is free to download with optional one-time lifetime Pro. Check the in-app price in your region. Customers who bought the previous paid app keep Pro at no extra charge; use the same Apple Account and Restore Purchases if needed.
Your next idea
starts with a note.
Find its pitch. Explore its key. Get back to playing.
Made for iPhone. iOS 16 or later.