Singing Start Guide
Short answer: PitchDetector.com is a free, browser-based pitch detector that shows the note, frequency and how many cents sharp or flat you are, from your microphone or from an uploaded audio file. For a singer who wants a quick, no-cost check of whether they are on pitch, it looks like a sensible tool to try first. It is not a singing course and it cannot tell you why you are off pitch. We have not sung into it and we are not claiming to have: what follows is based on reading the site’s own pages on 1 October 2026.
What we did, and what we did not
We are an independent review site run by a marketer, not a vocal coach or audio engineer. On 1 October 2026 we opened the PitchDetector.com home page, About page, Contact page and Privacy policy and read what they say. We did not record our voice into the tool, we did not upload files, and we did not run our own accuracy measurements. Everything in the facts table below is what the site says about itself, with the page we read it on. Where we could not check something, we say so.
Who it is for, and who it is not for
It may suit you if you:
- want a free check of your pitch while you practise a note, a scale or a short phrase
- would rather not create an account or install an app (the site says no sign-up is needed)
- want to look at a recording you already have by uploading an MP3, WAV, M4A or OGG file
- are curious about the numbers: note name, frequency in Hz and cents sharp or flat
It is probably not what you need if you:
- want lessons, a practice plan or feedback on breath, tone or technique, because it is a measuring tool, not a teacher
- want to analyse full songs with chords and a loud backing track, which the site itself says blur single-pitch readings
- need guaranteed lab-grade accuracy in a noisy room
The facts, with sources
| Item | What the site says | Source and date read |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A free online pitch detector with microphone and audio-file input | Home page, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Price | Free; core tools usable without creating an account | Home and About pages, 1 Oct 2026 |
| File upload | MP3, WAV, M4A and OGG, up to 50 MB and 10 minutes | Home page, 1 Oct 2026 |
| What it shows | Note name and octave, frequency in Hz, cents deviation, a tuning needle and a pitch graph | Home page, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Settings | A range lock for different voices and instruments; adjustable A4 reference, default 440 Hz | Home page, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Browsers | Current Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Chromebook | Home page, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Audio privacy | Says audio is analysed on your device and is not recorded, stored or sent to a server | Home and About pages, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Method | McLeod pitch method (a normalised autocorrelation) | Home page, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Own accuracy claim | 484 of 488 readings within 3 cents on steady test tones from C2 to C7; 44 of 46 within 5 cents with background noise | Home page, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Wider site | 34 free browser-based music tools plus guides | About page, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Operator | Contact page names VocalToolLab; About page describes the site as independent | Contact and About pages, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Privacy policy | Last updated 27 September 2026; uses Google Analytics 4; no display ads currently | Privacy page, 1 Oct 2026 |
These are the publisher’s claims. We have not independently verified them, including the accuracy figures.
What it does well, as far as we can tell from the site
The pitch is simple and the page is open about its method and its limits. It tells you the conditions it works best in (a quiet room, with the phone or laptop roughly 20 to 50 cm from your mouth or instrument) and it names what it handles badly: chords, reverb and loud backing tracks. It also explains how it tries to avoid octave errors by accepting only clear repeating frames, smoothing across frames and offering a range lock.
For a singer, the useful parts are probably the cents readout, which says how far off you are rather than just “flat” or “sharp”, and the file upload, which lets you check a recording of your own practice instead of singing live into a laptop.
The privacy claim matters if you are shy about your voice. The site says your audio is processed in the browser and not uploaded. We can read that claim, but we cannot verify it technically, so treat it as the publisher’s statement. The privacy policy says it does use Google Analytics 4 for site usage, which is separate from the audio.
Honest limits
- We did not use it. This review is a reading of the site’s own pages. We cannot tell you how it feels to use, how fast it responds, or how it copes with your voice.
- One note at a time. Pitch detection of this kind follows a single melody line. It will not tell you whether a chord is in tune.
- Numbers are not coaching. Knowing you were 20 cents flat does not tell you whether the cause is breath, tension, hearing or nerves. If you are hoarse, in pain or strained, a measuring tool is not the answer; see a professional.
- Accuracy figures are the site’s own. The 484-of-488 result comes from the publisher’s tests on steady tones, and it says real-world accuracy depends on your room, your microphone and how steadily you sing.
- Things can change. Free tools change. The details above were correct on the dates shown and may not be today.
- Commercial links on their side. The site’s privacy policy says it has affiliate links to a product called 30 Day Singer and may carry advertising in future. We mention it for completeness; we do not have any arrangement with PitchDetector.com.
We have no affiliate link to PitchDetector.com and earn nothing if you use it.
How it compares with other options
A pitch detector answers one narrow question: what note is this, and how close is it? Other things on our site answer different ones.
- A singing app with scoring. Apps such as Yousician give you a backing track, exercises and a score. If you want guided practice rather than a meter, read our Yousician singing review and our list of the best singing apps for beginners.
- Other free apps. If your goal is simply to find something free that is not a trial, see free singing apps, where we separate what is free from what is a teaser.
- Learning to sing in key. If your real problem is that songs feel too high or low, a tool will not fix that; our guides on how to choose a song for your voice and how to find the key of a song cover it without any software.
A reasonable way to combine them is to use a free detector to see what is happening, and a guide or teacher to decide what to do about it.
How to try it sensibly
- Open the site in a current browser and allow microphone access when asked.
- Choose a quiet room and hold the device about 20 to 50 cm away, as the site suggests.
- Sing one steady note at a time, such as a comfortable note held for four seconds.
- Use the range lock if the reading jumps by an octave.
- If the microphone does not work, check the browser permission in the address bar before assuming the tool is broken.
You can open it at the official PitchDetector.com site. We recommend checking the current terms there rather than relying on this page.
Frequently asked questions
Is PitchDetector.com free?
The site says its core tools are free and need no account. We did not see a price on the pages we read on 1 October 2026, but check the site for current terms.
Does it record my voice?
The site says audio from your microphone or file is analysed on your device and is not recorded, stored or sent to a server. We have not tested this independently.
Can I upload a song?
The site says you can upload MP3, WAV, M4A or OGG files up to 50 MB and 10 minutes. It also warns that chords, reverb and loud backing tracks make readings unreliable, so a solo voice or a single instrument will suit it better than a full mix.
Will it teach me to sing?
No. It measures pitch. For technique you would need lessons, a course or a teacher; see how to choose a singing teacher.
How accurate is it?
The site reports that 484 of 488 readings were within 3 cents on steady test tones, and says accuracy depends on conditions. That is its own claim and we have not checked it.
Sources: pitchdetector.com home, About, Contact and Privacy pages, read 1 October 2026. This page has no affiliate links. If anything here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it with a dated note.