# Bagpipe Tuner

> Highland bagpipe tuner with note and drone detection, frequency display, and microphone support. (iPhone/iPad app by Murray Blair.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bagpipe-tuner/id480445177 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Murray Blair](https://appshunter.io/developer/480445180)
- Category: Music, Utilities
- Price: $11.99
- Rating: 3.60/5 from 14 App Store ratings · 63 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 23 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2011-11-22
- Data updated: 2026-09-09
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bagpipe-tuner/id480445177/reviews.md

## What is Bagpipe Tuner?

The Bagpipe Tuner App allows precision tuning of Highland bagpipes. Simply sound a note and start tuning. It's easy and accurate.

Bagpipe Tuner App for Highland Bagpipes accurately detects your pipe chanter notes, drones and displays the note, frequency and pitch position. Detection is via the inbuilt microphone, or in noisy environments an external microphone like the HBT clip mic can be attached. 

Bagpipe Tuner features both digital and analog style meters, waveform input monitor and auto gain limiter. Simply press the Learn button and start tuning, or turn horizontal to access a larger meter display.

Using a Bagpipe Tuner can really make tuning less stressful, listening more pleasant and playing more enjoyable. You can quickly check your pipes at anytime to maintain good tone– before a gig, practising or competition. And, non-pipers can easily use it to help out with tuning.

Why a Bagpipe Tuner? Highland bagpipes are incredibly hard to tune and unlike standard chromatic instruments, the intervals between each note continue to vary. Bagpipe Tuner correctly displays the scale and takes the guesswork out of using a chromatic tuner. 

Bagpipe Tuner compliments the standalone BLAIR tuners and Bluetooth clip. 

Features:
• Auto detection and display of notes and drones
• Analog style meter
• Large horizontal display
• Frequency display meter
• Input waveform meter
• Frequency position bar
• Learn function for calibration setting
• Auto input limiter
• Internal microphone
• External microphone support (HBT clip mic)
• Large frequency detection range
• Special Bluetooth mic/ sensor for Bagpipes supported

## Key features

- Auto note and drone detection
- Frequency and pitch display
- Analog and digital meters
- Waveform input monitor
- External microphone support
- Large horizontal display

## What do users think of Bagpipe Tuner?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎯 Accurate tuning
- 💰 Good value for money
- 🎶 Great for band tuning
- 📱 Convenient mobile app
- 🚀 Works well with Bluetooth mic
- 💡 Brilliant for beginners
- ✨ Polished presentation
- 💯 Replaces physical tuners

**Cons**

- 🐛 Crashing on latest iOS
- 🐛 Won't open on devices
- 🐛 Not working on iPhone X
- 🐛 Crashing with tuning clip
- 🐛 Expensive for basic features
- ❓ Lacks documentation/instructions
- 🤔 Learn mode not useful
- 🔋 High battery usage
- ⚙️ Manual calibration needed
- ⚠️ Clumsy pitch setting

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App won't open
- App crashes on launch
- App crashes when using tuning clip
- App not working on latest iOS versions
- App not working on iPhone X

**Most requested features**

- Add documentation/help file
- Implement manual calibration option
- Improve learn mode functionality
- Add watch app support
- Allow manual pitch setting within app
- Re-center analog meter on set pitch
- Add screen lock button
- Improve readability of help window font
- Rename 'learn' button to 'calibrate' with reset option

## Recent user reviews (10 of 63)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bagpipe-tuner/id480445177/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Was a great app..

*2021-02-01*

Was my go to tuning app but for the longest time now it won’t even open across multiple iOS devices.

### 5/5 — App not working in latest iOS

*2021-01-01*

Fantastic app, have used it to tune the band to competition success several times. 
However, it’s just crashing as soon as it opens in the latest iOS version. 
Any forthcoming updates due?

### 1/5 — Not Working!

*2020-12-31*

Used this for years, now it won’t open on my iPhone X.  Please fix!

### 1/5 — Not working on iPhone

*2020-12-19*

For some reason this app is not working on my iPhone X. Is there a reason?

### 4/5 — BagpipeTuner

*2020-11-09*

Worked last week but not this weekend on my iPhone XR. 
Is it me, my phone or the app??????

### 1/5 — Terrible

*2020-01-05*

This app doesn’t work properly at all.  Don’t be fooled by the name.

### 1/5 — Not working with iPad os

*2019-10-04*

Does not work with latest upgrade for iPad and iPhone. 
Up until iOS 13 worked fine.

### 5/5 — Buzzing!!! 🎶

*2018-10-25*

Unbelievably amazing! One of the hardest things I find to do myself is tuning my drones as I’m getting back into piping after being in a band a long time ago and someone else doing it for me, this is brilliant! So so easy to use! Download and go! Play chanter over it at low A, then hold phone next to drones to match, couldn’t be easier really! Happy piping all!

### 5/5 — An amazing app for the money

*2018-06-27*

An amazing app for the money   Easy to calibrate   You can tune a whole band in no time   It’s so easy anyone can use it to tune or learn to tune themselves   Overall the best app for the money    I just wish it did not use so much battery Other than that - a great app for a Piper or band at any level

### 4/5 — Good App

*2018-02-17*

It’s a good and accurate tuner.  I really like the fact that you can pair it with a Bluetooth microphone. 

However, I would give it five stars if you could manually calibrate it.  It tends to learn too quickly and often not to the steady frequency that you need it tuned to, especially when self-calibrating to your own pipes.  

Please update the app with that capability to make this app top notch.

## Frequently asked questions about Bagpipe Tuner

### What does the Bagpipe Tuner app do?

The Bagpipe Tuner app is designed for the precise tuning of Highland bagpipes. It accurately detects and displays the notes of your pipe chanter and drones, along with their frequency and pitch position. This helps users achieve and maintain good tone.

### What are the key features of the Bagpipe Tuner app?

Key features include automatic detection and display of notes and drones, both analog and digital style meters, an input waveform monitor, and an auto gain limiter. It also supports external microphones for noisy environments and offers a large horizontal display for better visibility.

### Is the Bagpipe Tuner app free to use?

Yes, based on the provided information, the Bagpipe Tuner app is free to use. There are no mentions of in-app purchases or subscription models.

### What devices is the Bagpipe Tuner app compatible with?

The app utilizes the device's inbuilt microphone for detection. It also explicitly supports external microphones, such as the HBT clip mic, and special Bluetooth microphones or sensors for bagpipes, suggesting compatibility with devices that have these input capabilities.

### How does this app help with tuning bagpipes specifically?

Highland bagpipes have unique tuning challenges due to varying intervals between notes. This app correctly displays the scale and takes the guesswork out of using a standard chromatic tuner, making the tuning process less stressful and more enjoyable for players.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.4.4 — 2017-03-20

This update from Apple will improve the functionality of this app. No new features are included.

Fixed crash problem when pairing with Bluetooth Clip sensor.

### 1.4.3 — 2016-11-18

Fixed crash problem on iOS 10.x when using Bluetooth Clip Microphone.

### 1.4.2 — 2015-04-19

Fixed a bug when switching to bluetooth microphone.

### 1.4.1 — 2014-10-08

Fixed issue on iOS8

### 1.4 — 2014-01-09

- Large widescreen needle display
- Optimized for iOS7 and Retina display
- Option to choose large needle or small
- Supported Bluetooth Bagpipe Clip Microphone
- Make sure to allow access to your internal mic when asked!

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-09.*