Tuning the piccolo can be difficult, but a drone is a helpful tool. If you want to tune your piccolo but don’t have a drone, just use this on-screen piano keyboard!
Bookmark this page for whenever you need a drone to help tune your piccolo.
How to Use the Piano Keyboard
I’ve set the keyboard to “Use Sustain Pedal” which will hold the note and imitate a drone. It’s also set to produce the sound of a flute, so you can get the instrument to sound more closely to that of a piccolo (a higher flute).
You can use your computer keyboard and type the corresponding letters or numbers based on the key you want to play. Or use your cursor or finger to tap on the key in question.
Feel free to adjust the octave offset based on the flute you want to tune. You can also increase or decrease the volume so that it’s at the level you need to hear the drone.
As you practice, have this piano keyboard play the tonic of whatever key you want. Then, you can play scales or other notes in the key and use the tonic as a reference to stay in tune.
Why Use a Drone
The piccolo can be very hard to tune, and having a reference note helps. Pick the note you need to tune, and listen to it on this piano keyboard.
Then, you can play your piccolo against the note to see if it’s in tune. A tuner, of course, is also useful, but it helps to be able to hear yourself and know when you need to adjust without looking at a tuner.
More Tips and Tricks
Here are some blog posts to help you play your piccolo in tune!