The short answer to this is: no, phone guitar tuners aren’t good, as your phone isn’t meant for tuning guitars.
The long answers is:
The biggest challenge with phone tuners is background noise. Built-in mics are great for capturing voice calls, but they’re not designed for the nuanced world of musical frequencies. In a noisy environment, like a band practice space or a crowded bar, the mic can struggle to isolate your clean guitar signal. This can make it difficult for the tuner app to accurately identify the pitch.
Another potential hurdle is the low-end frequency response of phone mics. They tend to be less sensitive to lower tones. This can be a real problem for bassists. The low B string on a bass guitar vibrates at a much slower rate than the high E string on a guitar. A phone mic might not pick up those low vibrations effectively, making it frustratingly difficult to tune the bass accurately.
Don’t get me wrong, phone tuners can be a great tool, especially for beginners or for quick on-the-go adjustments. But if you’re a serious musician who needs pinpoint accuracy, especially in noisy environments or for bass guitar, a dedicated electronic tuner might be a better option.
Pros and Cons of Phone Guitar Tuners
Even though phone tuning is not ideal, there are some cases they can turn out useful.
Pros
Phone tuners have revolutionized the way guitarists keep their instruments in tune. Here’s what makes them so popular:
- Always in your pocket: Forget lugging around bulky tuners! A phone tuner is the ultimate in convenience. It’s there whenever you need it, whether you’re at home, at practice, or backstage before a gig. No more scrambling to find that misplaced electronic tuner.
- Feature-packed powerhouses: Many tuner apps go beyond just tuning. They offer a variety of features that can be incredibly useful for guitarists:
- Multiple tuning modes: Whether you’re a standard tuning traditionalist or want to experiment with dropped tunings or open tunings, most apps have you covered.
- Metronomes: Built-in metronomes help you develop your timing and rhythm skills. No need for a separate device.
- Chord libraries: Stuck on a tricky chord progression? Some apps offer visual chord libraries to help you find the right fingering.
- Ear training games: Sharpen your ear training skills with interactive games that help you identify intervals and chords by sound.
Cons
- Noise can be a nightmare: As mentioned earlier, background noise can wreak havoc on a phone tuner’s accuracy. In a noisy environment, the microphone can pick up extraneous sounds, making it difficult for the app to distinguish your guitar’s clean signal. This can lead to frustrating tuning struggles.
- Battery dependence: A dead phone equals a dead tuner. While most tuning sessions are quick, relying solely on your phone’s battery can be risky, especially for gigs or long practice sessions. Consider keeping a dedicated tuner on hand as a backup.
- Not ideal for low frequencies: Phone mics often have a limited low-end frequency response. This can make it challenging to tune the lower strings on a bass guitar or guitars with particularly thick strings. The app might struggle to pick up the subtle vibrations of these low notes.
- Distraction potential: Some tuner apps have flashy interfaces or additional features that might be distracting, especially for beginners. Plus, not to mention all the in-app adds that free phone tuners have as a way to monetize themselves. A dedicated tuner with a simple, no-frills interface might be a better choice if you find yourself getting sidetracked by your phone’s other functionalities.
Alternatives to Phone Tuners
If you don’t want to buy a pedal tuner, but instead prefer a portable solution, you should check some of the clip-on tuners I covered in this article.
Good clip-on tuners attach directly to the headstock of your instrument, vibrating along with the strings. This isolates the sound from your guitar, eliminating the problems background noise poses for phone mics. You can tune accurately even in a loud band practice space or on a noisy stage.
Moreover, Clip-on tuners are specifically designed to pick up the vibrations of guitar strings. This makes them much more adept at handling low frequencies compared to phone mics. Bass players will especially appreciate the accuracy clip-on tuners offer for their low B and E strings.