Should I use a Clip on Tuner or an App Tuner?

As a beginner to intermediate player tuning your guitar is fundamental to the enjoyment of playing your guitar. A more experienced player can often tune the guitar by ear so lets concentrate on those early on in their journey of learning to tune the guitar.

Both clip-on tuners and app tuners have their advantages, in our experience the better choice for learners is the clip on tuner. The tuner simply clips on the head of the guitar and has a clear visual display. When plucking the string the display clearly shows you if you are sharp or flat so you can adjust the tuning appropriately.

App Tuners are more awkward to use whilst you balance the phone on your knee or have the phone further away on a music stand. This can lead to the app being less accurate and making the whole process of tuning the guitar more frustrating.

Clip-on Tuner:

1. Accuracy: Clip-on tuners are known for their accuracy. They directly detect vibrations from the instrument, making them less affected by ambient noise.
2. Convenience: Clip-on tuners are easy to use and convenient. You simply clip them onto the headstock of your instrument, and they are ready to go.
3. Visibility: They are easy to see while tuning, especially in well-lit environments.

App Tuner: 

1. Accuracy: App tuners can be affected by ambient noise. This in turn makes it more tricky to achieve the perfect tuning
2. Convenience: Using Apps is always convenient as we have our phones. However in our opinion with Clip on Tuners being so small the convenience benefit does not out way the benefit of Simplicity and accuracy that the Clip on Tuner offers.
3. Visibility: Visibility of the tuning app is great due to the large screen of your phone

Other Considerations:

• Battery Life: Clip-on tuners typically have longer battery life compared to the battery drain of using a tuner app on your device.
• Noise Level: Clip-on tuners may be more reliable in noisy environments, as they pick up vibrations directly from the instrument.
• Ease of Use: Many learners benefit from the simplicity and quick access of a clip-on tuner.

We prioritise making learning to be fun and accessible. With this in mind we feel using a Clip on Tuner will help you to enjoy playing your instrument quicker with less complications and physical barriers in place.

Check out our latest Clip on Tuners for sale HERE