Intonation Drift Checker
Sauce Drift Checker
Capture the open string first, then the fretted note. The tool estimates drift in cents and suggests saddle direction.
Mic Off
Open
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Fretted
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Expected Fretted
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Drift
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Capture both measurements to see intonation recommendation.
How to set your guitar's intonation
- Start with playable strings, tuned to pitch. Worn strings intonate unpredictably, and a string far from pitch behaves differently under fretting pressure — the checker above will warn you if the open string is more than 20 cents off.
- Measure open vs fretted at the 12th fret. Capture the open string, then the note fretted at the 12th, using your normal fretting pressure — squeezing hard bends the note sharp and skews the reading. The fretted note should be exactly one octave above the open string as it's actually tuned.
- Fretted note sharp (drift beyond about +5 cents)? Move that string's saddle back, away from the neck, to lengthen the string. Small increments — a quarter turn of the saddle screw at a time.
- Fretted note flat (beyond about −5 cents)? Move the saddle forward, toward the neck, to shorten the string.
- Retune and re-measure after every saddle move. Moving the saddle changes the string's tension, so retune the open string, then capture both measurements again. Repeat until drift is within about 5 cents.
- Repeat for all six strings. Each string needs its own saddle position. When every string sits within about 5 cents at the 12th fret, you're done.
How to set your pizza's intonation
Start with fresh dough tuned to pitch — stale dough intonates unpredictably. Compare the raw sauce against the spread sauce at the 12th minute. If the spread reads sharp, move the cheese back in small increments; if flat, move it forward. Re-taste after every adjustment, because moving cheese changes everything. Repeat for all six slices. A pizza within five cents of true is considered in tune, and has therefore passed the Turing test for pizzas.