True Temperament Tuner: How to Tune a TT Guitar with StroboPro

True Temperament?

A True Temperament tuner dials the sweetened open-string offsets a True Temperament neck needs. In practice, StroboPro ships those offsets as ready-made presets, on iOS, Android, and the web at strobopro.se. Of course, you don’t tune a True Temperament (TT) guitar to plain 0-cent chromatic; instead, you tune each open string a few cents sharp or flat so the curved frets land correctly. As a result, StroboPro handles that per-string offset for you.

This article explains what True Temperament actually is, why a TT neck needs offset open strings, what makes StroboPro’s TT presets stand out, and, finally, how to tune your TT guitar step by step.

What True Temperament actually is

First, True Temperament is a physical fret-layout system, not a tuning method. On a standard guitar, every fret forms a straight line that meets all six strings at one shared position. By contrast, on a TT neck, each fret curves or bends (the famous “squiggly” frets) so that every string meets the fret at the mathematically correct point for its own mass and tension. Therefore, the thick low E and the thin plain G no longer share a single compromise fret position.

Typically, TT necks approximate a well temperament. As a result, this layout gives common chords less beating and sweeter major thirds than standard 12-tone equal temperament (12-TET), while still remaining playable in every key and compatible with bandmates on standard instruments.

For the authoritative explanation of the temperament, the offset tables, and the player rationale, see the official source: truetemperament.com. In addition, supplementary explainers include Strandberg (a major OEM that ships TT necks), Stringjoy, and Johannes Möller. For a visual walkthrough, moreover, watch True Temperament frets explained by a musicologist.

Key distinction: you cannot make a standard guitar True Temperament by tuning alone. Because the frets sit physically in the wrong place, no tuner app, StroboPro included, turns a standard neck into a TT neck. Instead, what a TT-capable tuner does is tune the open strings of an already-built TT guitar to the offsets its maker designed.

The tuning catch: a TT neck needs offset open strings

Here’s the part that trips up new TT owners. Because the frets curve to follow a specific temperament, you must tune the open strings to sweetened offsets, not to plain 12-TET pitches. For example, tune every string to 0 cents on a generic chromatic tuner and the fretted notes will sound off; consequently, plain 0-cent tuning defeats the whole point of the curved frets.

A luthier typically builds a TT guitar around a specific tuning and string gauge, and the prescribed open-string offsets form part of that design. Therefore, you can find the canonical offset values for your specific TT neck on truetemperament.com.

How StroboPro handles True Temperament

Fortunately, StroboPro ships ready-made True Temperament presets so you don’t dial offsets by hand. Specifically, each preset forms a set of named open-string notes, and each note carries its own cent offset; StroboPro then targets that string’s TT offset, not plain 0 cents.

The named TT presets in the app include:

• True Temperament Open String
• True Temperament Drop-D
• True Temperament Drop A
• True Temperament Drop E

Each preset suits a specific instrument. For instance, True Temperament Open String spans 6-, 7-, and 8-string guitar and 4-, 5-, and 6-string bass; meanwhile, True Temperament Drop-D covers 6-string guitar, Drop A covers 7-string guitar, and Drop E covers 8-string guitar. Furthermore, StroboPro’s offset values match True Temperament’s recommendations; for the canonical, official offset tables for your specific neck, however, always cross-reference truetemperament.com.

Because the presets live in StroboPro’s shared instrument code, they’re available on both mobile (iOS and Android) and the web/PWA. In other words, you get the same TT presets whether you tune with your phone on a gig or with the PWA on a laptop.

Step-by-step: tune a TT guitar with StroboPro

1. First, open StroboPro at strobopro.se (web) or in the iOS/Android app.
2. Next, pick your instrument (Guitar → 6-String or 7-String, or the relevant Bass config).
3. Then, select the matching TT preset: True Temperament Open String for standard tuning (guitar or bass), True Temperament Drop-D for 6-string dropped D, Drop A for 7-string guitar, or Drop E for 8-string guitar.
4. Now tune each open string. StroboPro targets each string’s preset offset automatically; consequently, the strobe stops when that string reaches its TT offset, not plain 0 cents. As a result, you don’t have to remember which string sits sharp or flat.
5. After that, verify with the strobe display. The multi-harmonic strobe lets you confirm the fundamental and harmonics agree per string. (For reading the display in depth, see our guide to the multi-harmonic strobe display.)
6. Finally, re-check after a few minutes. Because new offsets settle as strings stretch, re-tune once after playing in.

How StroboPro compares (differentiated, not exclusive)

Notably, StroboPro ranks among the few phone and web tuners with built-in True Temperament presets and per-string cent offsets, which means a TT owner gets correct offsets without manual arithmetic. Pro hardware strobe tuners, such as Peterson, also offer sweetened and tempered tunings; so if you already own one, you have a capable tool. Ultimately, StroboPro’s pitch is simple: the TT presets already live in your pocket or browser, with 0.1-cent strobe accuracy (see why cent accuracy matters) and no extra gear.

FAQ

Is there a tuner app for True Temperament?

Yes. StroboPro ships ready-made True Temperament presets: Open String, Drop-D, Drop A, and Drop E, on iOS, Android, and web. Specifically, the Open String preset spans guitar and bass, while the Drop presets stay guitar-specific. As a result, StroboPro tunes each open string to its TT offset automatically.

Can I make my normal guitar True Temperament with a tuner?

No. Because True Temperament is a physical fret layout, the frets themselves curve and sit per string. Therefore, a tuner can only tune the open strings of an already-built TT guitar to the offsets its maker designed.

What offsets do I tune a True Temperament guitar to?

The canonical open-string offsets for your specific neck come from truetemperament.com. Accordingly, StroboPro’s TT presets match those recommendations and apply the offsets per string automatically.

Does StroboPro support True Temperament on bass?

Yes. In fact, the True Temperament Open String preset covers 4-, 5-, and 6-string bass. (Note that the Drop A and Drop E presets target 7- and 8-string guitar, not bass.)

Do I need a capo-friendly TT setup?

Generally, makers optimize True Temperament necks without a capo in mind. Because a capo shifts the string’s zero point, it can fight the curve compensation. So check the official TT guidance for your specific neck.

Is True Temperament the same as inharmonicity?

No; they are different problems. Specifically, TT is a temperament choice about how the 12 notes per octave space out, achieved through fret layout. By contrast, inharmonicity is a physics effect where a real string’s overtones run slightly sharp. (Pianos care a lot about inharmonicity; see our inharmonicity guide.)

Does StroboPro work on web and mobile for TT tuning?

Yes. Because the TT presets live in shared code, they stay identical on iOS, Android, and the PWA at strobopro.se.

Why do my fretted notes sound off after tuning to 0 cents?

Because a TT neck expects sweetened open-string offsets. Therefore, plain 0-cent chromatic tuning defeats the curved frets. So use the matching TT preset, and each open string lands at its prescribed offset.