Tune up, then train your ear

Two things, every day

1. TuneA chromatic tuner for any instrument. Reference pitch A4 is adjustable from 430 to 450 Hz.
2. Train your earEach session plays ten pairs of notes; name the interval. Choose which intervals — a minor third, a perfect fifth, an octave, or all twelve.
3. Learn from the missesA wrong answer comes with a reminder — "that was a perfect fifth: Twinkle, Twinkle" — and your accuracy is kept per interval.

What it looks like

Cents, and what "in tune" means

A semitone is divided into 100 cents. A tuner's needle — or here, the flower — shows how many cents sharp or flat the note is. A few cents off is inaudible to most listeners in isolation; ten or more starts to beat against other instruments.

Orchestras and bands do not all tune to the same A. 440 Hz is the common reference, but ensembles tune a little higher or lower, which is why the reference is adjustable.

Honest about the limits

• Quiet rooms tune best. Background noise and other instruments confuse any microphone tuner.
• Listening only while you tune. Audio is analysed on the iPhone and never recorded.
• No account. Your practice log stays on your iPhone.

Get PitchGarden on the App Store