Learn to sing in tune: a beginner’s guide

You can start practising pitch with a reference piano and a pitch detector. The piano gives you a note to listen to, and the detector helps you check what you sing back. You can use both on the OnKey Pitch homepage.

This first lesson is about hearing and matching notes. Take your time, choose notes that feel comfortable, and keep your voice relaxed.

1. Hear a half step and a whole step

A half step, also called a semitone, is the distance from one piano key to the very next key. Count both the white and black keys. A to A♯ is a half step. The ♯ symbol means “sharp.”

A whole step is two half steps. A to B is a whole step because A♯ sits between them.

Play A, then A♯. Now play A, then B. Can you hear how the second pair has a wider gap? You may find that wider gap easier to hear at first, but everyone learns at their own pace.

One small detail: there is no black key between E and F, or between B and C. Those pairs are already a half step apart. Also, A♯ is a single note. A minor is the name of a chord or key, not the note next to A.

2. Listen first, then sing it back

1. Listen to A and A♯. Play them one at a time in a comfortable octave. Let the piano fade, then sing the two notes back on a soft “ah.” Look away from the detector for this first try, or close your eyes if you like.
2. Check your pitch. Play the pair again, let it fade, and sing it back while watching the detector. Hold each note briefly so the reading can settle. Did you sing A followed by A♯, or did your voice stay on the same note?
3. Try A and B. Repeat the same exercise with the wider gap. Listen, sing without watching, then try again while checking the display.

If the notes don’t match yet, that’s okay. Listen again and make a small adjustment. If you’re flat, your pitch is a little low. If you’re sharp, it’s a little high. In this context, “sharp” describes your tuning relative to a target note. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re singing a note with ♯ in its name.

The detector pauses while the reference piano plays. Always take turns: piano first, then your voice. Small movements in the reading are normal. You’re practising listening and matching, not trying to freeze the display.

3. What do the numbers in C3 and C4 mean?

The letters repeat as you move along the piano. The number tells you which octave the note belongs to. C3 and C4 share the name C, but C4 is higher. They are one octave, or twelve half steps, apart.

In the notation used here, C4 is middle C. Farther right you’ll find C5, then C6. Each octave up doubles the frequency. C3 is about 131 Hz, C4 about 262 Hz, and C5 about 523 Hz.

Check the number beside the large note readout as well as the letter. If you play A4 and sing A3, you’re singing an octave lower. That may simply be a more comfortable place for your voice. Choose piano notes in that octave and practise there instead of forcing yourself higher.

4. Build a little at a time

Try a few relaxed repetitions, then take a break. When you’re ready, use the three-note exercise on the homepage to practise lip trills, humming and “ah” on the same pattern.

You don’t need to cover your whole range in one session. A few comfortable notes are enough to begin. Aim to recognise the sound before checking the screen, and stop if singing feels strained or uncomfortable.