A microtuner or microtonal tuner is an electronic device or software program designed to modify and test the tuning of musical instruments (in particular

synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis ...

s) with microtonal precision, allowing for the design and construction of microtonal scales and just intonation scales, and for tuning intervals that may differ from those of common Western equal temperament. The term also indicates a high-precision mechanical tuning device found on some vintage Conn brand brass and reed instruments (mostly cornets and

alto saxophones The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than t ...

). These were first introduced with their 1918 catalog and manufactured until about 1954. Such devices were also offered with some vintage

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

s manufactured in Europe by Beaugnier, Dolnet, Hüller, Keilwerth and other famous makers in the same period.

See also