Ocarina tuner and tuning test

Updated 2026-10-27

The Play Ocarina tuner listens to your ocarina through your microphone and shows the note you are playing and how many cents sharp or flat it is. It also runs a short test, one note at a time, that ends in a report on each note of your ocarina. We are building it now. Until it is ready, this page explains how ocarina tuning works, so you know what the numbers will mean.

What does in tune mean for an ocarina?

Tuning is measured in cents. A semitone, the step between two neighbouring notes on a piano, is 100 cents. A note that is 20 cents flat is a fifth of a semitone below where it should be.

Ocarina maker Pure Ocarinas gives a useful scale: "5 to 10 cents is not normally noticeable", while "30 or more will be difficult to compensate for". The tuning test grades each note with those bands: up to 10 cents reads as fine, 10 to 30 cents as a note to watch, and 30 or more as hard to play in tune.

Why does breath change an ocarina's pitch?

An ocarina has no keys or strings that fix its pitch. The note depends on which holes are covered and on how hard you blow: more air makes the note go sharp, less makes it go flat. Pure Ocarinas puts the size of the effect plainly: "Better quality instruments will overblow above the named pitch of any fingered note at least a semitone without screeching". That is 100 cents from breath alone.

So a tuner reading is always your ocarina plus your breath today. A beginner who blows a little harder on the high notes can make a well-made ocarina look out of tune, and a careful player can make a poor one look fine. The test treats every result as provisional: a note outside the band first reads as "check this note again with a steady, soft breath", not as "your ocarina is out of tune".

How do you test whether an ocarina is in tune?

Pure Ocarinas describes a method that separates the instrument from the player: hold one note exactly in tune, then lift the next finger without changing your breath, and note how many cents the new note lands from its target. On a well-tuned ocarina those steps are regular from note to note. A note that jumps out of the pattern points at the instrument rather than at you.

The Play Ocarina test uses a simpler default that suits beginners: you play each note of your ocarina as a soft, steady tone for about three seconds, and the tuner measures the stable middle of it. The breath-curve method above will be available as an advanced mode.

What range does my ocarina play?

Ocarinas come in several hole systems and sizes, and each plays a different range of notes. The tuner asks which one you have, so it listens in the right place. These are the sounding ranges makers publish for the most common types:

If you are not sure which ocarina you have, the tuner will help you find out before the test starts.

Does temperature change ocarina pitch?

Yes, a little. Pure Ocarinas says the pitch changes "at about 1 cent per degree Celsius", that ocarinas "are tuned to play at a given temperature, such as 20 °C", and that "plus or minus 15 °C" from that is normally fine. A cold ocarina plays flat, so play for a minute to warm it up before you test it.

Which reference pitch do ocarinas use?

Most ocarinas are tuned to concert pitch, A4 = 440 Hz, and the tuner uses that by default. Pure Ocarinas notes that "Ocarinas tuned to A442 are relatively common in Asia", so the tuner will also offer A442 and a custom value.

What will the Play Ocarina tuner do?

• Ask which ocarina you have: 12-hole alto, soprano or bass, 6-hole, 4-hole, or "I don't know".
• Show the note, its octave and a numeric cents reading, with a green zone around in tune.
• Run the note-by-note test and end with a report card for your ocarina, which you can save as numbers or share as an image.
• Play reference notes if you would rather tune by ear or have no microphone.
• Work on a phone or a laptop, in Safari, Chrome or Firefox.

Does the tuner record me?

No. The tuner works out the pitch inside your browser. Your microphone turns on only when you press start, and the sound is never recorded, stored or sent anywhere: not to us and not to anyone else. Our privacy page has the details.

Is my ocarina bad, or is it me?

It is the most common worry for new players, and the test is built to answer it fairly. Until it is ready: warm the ocarina up, blow softly and steadily, and compare a few notes with any chromatic tuner app. Our guide Is my ocarina out of tune, or is it me? walks through a fair check, and our guide to choosing an ocarina covers which ones players trust.