User Manual
Overview
Q-Tune is a DIY chromatic guitar tuner pedal built around an ESP32-S3 microcontroller. It features a 2.8" capacitive touch color LCD, multiple tuning display styles, true bypass and buffered bypass options, customizable standby screens, internal storage for images and set lists, and upgradable firmware via USB-C or over-the-air Wi-Fi updates.
The pedal operates in two primary modes: Standby (signal passes through, screen shows an idle animation or custom image) and Tuning (signal is muted via relay, screen shows pitch detection). Switching between modes is done with the footswitch.
Controls
Standby Mode
- Footswitch press — Enter Tuning mode (mutes signal)
- Footswitch long press — When viewing a JPEG/GIF image, advances to the next image. When viewing a set list, advances to the next set list file.
- Tap screen — Interact with the current standby screen (if applicable)
Tuning Mode
- Footswitch press — Return to Standby mode (unmutes signal)
- Footswitch long press — Open Settings menu
- Tap Q logo — Open Settings menu
Settings Menu
- Tap a button — Select or cycle through the button's options
- Footswitch press — Advance to the next button
- Footswitch double press — Go back to the previous button
- Footswitch long press — Simulate tapping the highlighted button
Power-On
- Hold footswitch while powering on — Enter USB Drive Mode
Tuning Display Styles
Q-Tune includes seven main tuning display styles. You can select your preferred style in Settings.
| Style | Description |
|---|---|
| Meter | Classic analog meter with a needle that sweeps left/right to indicate pitch offset. |
| Strobe | Scrolling strobe bars — bars stop moving when in tune. Direction indicates sharp or flat. |
| Biggie | Large, bold note name display with a simple sharp/flat indicator. Easy to read from a distance. |
| Attitude | A tuning display inspired by an airplane's attitude indicator. The UI replicates a similar instrument-style interface to show pitch offset. |
| Needle | A clean, minimal needle-style tuner display. |
| Orbital | A dot orbits a central note display. It rotates clockwise when sharp and counter-clockwise when flat, and is stationary when in tune. The orbit widens when flat and narrows when sharp — a perfect circle means in tune. |
| Record Time | A vinyl record that spins when a signal is detected. A slider control indicates how close the note is to being in tune. |
Utility Tuners
Two additional tuning styles are available after enabling them in the Advanced settings:
| Style | Description |
|---|---|
| Quizzer | Tests your knowledge of the fretboard by indicating a note you should play and the next note coming up. A helpful practice tool for fretboard note location drills. |
| Techie | A diagnostic-style display showing raw frequency, cents offset, and other technical details. |
Bypass Modes
The bypass mode determines how your signal is routed when the tuner is in Standby (not actively tuning). Change the bypass mode in Settings.
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| True Bypass | Signal is routed directly from input to output via a mechanical relay, completely bypassing all electronics. This is the default. |
| Buffered | Signal passes through a buffer circuit when bypassed. Useful for preserving tone on long cable runs or large pedalboards. |
| BB + Monitoring | Buffered Bypass with Monitoring. The tuner continues to detect pitch even when in Standby, so you can see your current note without muting. |
Standby Screens
When the tuner is in Standby mode, the LCD shows one of the following screens. You can select your preferred standby screen in Settings.
| Screen | Description |
|---|---|
| Blank | A blank, dark screen — minimal distraction on stage. |
| Q | The Q-Tune logo. This is the default standby screen. |
| Bouncy | An animated bouncing Q-Tune logo. In Buffered Bypass mode, the bounce reacts to the frequencies you play. |
| Corner Quest | A playful take on the classic DVD logo screensaver. Tap the screen to control a paddle for a fun mini-game — or in Buffered Bypass mode, use your guitar: low strings move the paddle left, high strings move it right. |
| Maze Runner | A maze-generation game that creates and solves random mazes. |
| Plasma | A colorful, animated plasma effect. |
| Q-Spawn | Spawns a swarm of moving Q-Tune logos. In Buffered Bypass mode, tap the screen to launch a fun fretboard quiz game. |
| Reactor | An animated reactor core visual effect. |
| Spectrum | A spectrum analyzer visualization. In Buffered Bypass mode, it reacts to your played notes in real time. |
| Image | Displays custom JPEG and animated GIF images from internal storage. See Internal Storage for details. |
| Set List | Displays a set list loaded from a text file. Long press the footswitch to advance to the next set list. See Internal Storage for details. |
Settings Menu
Open the Settings menu by tapping the Q-Tune logo or long pressing the footswitch while in Tuning mode. Settings are organized into multiple pages. Tap buttons to navigate and cycle through options. See Controls for footswitch navigation shortcuts.
Tuner Settings
| Setting | Options | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Select the style of tuner (Meter, Strobe, etc) | Meter |
| In-Tune Range | ±1 to ±6 cents | ±3 cents |
| Bypass Type | True Bypass, Buffered, BB + Monitoring (Monitoring allows you to still see the tuner in Standby) | True Bypass |
| Reference Pitch | 400–480 Hz (in 1 Hz steps) | 440 Hz |
Display Settings
| Setting | Options | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Main Color | 8 color options | White |
| Brightness | 10%–100% (in 10% steps) | 80% |
| Rotation | Normal, Left, Right, Upside Down | Normal |
| Standby Screen | Select the standby screen (Blank, Q, Bouncy, etc) | Q |
| Initial Screen | Standby, Tuning | Standby |
Advanced Settings
| Setting | Options | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Utility Tuners | Enabled, Disabled | Disabled |
| Display Cents | Enabled, Disabled — shows a ± cents readout while tuning | Disabled |
| Wi-Fi Server | Enter Wi-Fi Server mode to upload set lists and images | — |
| Factory Reset | Reset the entire tuner to default settings | — |
Internal Storage
Q-Tune has 8MB of internal storage for custom standby images and set list files. Files can be managed via USB Drive Mode or the Wi-Fi Server.
Custom Images
- Place JPEG and animated GIF files in the
standby/folder - Supported resolutions: 320×240 (landscape) or 240×320 (portrait)
- Smaller file sizes mean faster load times — keep images optimized for the best experience
- The Image Tools page can resize and convert your images, and includes a GIF optimizer that reduces the color palette and file size
- This is a DIY tuner — experimentation is encouraged! Try different images and GIFs to make your pedal your own
Set Lists
- Place plain text
.txtfiles in thesetlists/folder - One song title per line
- The display automatically adjusts the font size based on how many songs are in each file
- Experiment with the number of lines per file for the best results on your screen
USB Drive Mode
USB Drive Mode lets you access Q-Tune's internal storage directly from your computer, just like a USB flash drive. Use it to add or remove custom images and set list files.
- Hold the footswitch while plugging in the USB-C cable (or while powering on the pedal via USB).
- The screen will display a USB Drive Mode indicator.
- The pedal will appear as a removable drive on your computer.
- Copy files to the
standby/andsetlists/folders as described in the Internal Storage section. - Eject the drive and unplug the cable. The pedal will restart with the new files loaded.
Wi-Fi Server
Q-Tune can run a built-in Wi-Fi server that lets you manage images, set lists, and settings from any device with a web browser — no cables required.
- Open Settings and navigate to the Advanced page.
- Tap Wi-Fi Server to start.
- The pedal will create a Wi-Fi access point. The screen will display the network name and password.
- Connect your phone or computer to that Wi-Fi network.
- Open a web browser and go to the address shown on the pedal's screen.
- Use the web interface to upload/delete images, manage set lists, and adjust settings.
- When finished, tap Wi-Fi Server in Settings to set it to Stop. The tuner will reboot with all your changes to images and set lists ready to use.
Firmware Updates
Q-Tune firmware can be updated directly from your browser using a USB-C data cable. No special software is required.
- Go to the Install page on this website and follow the instructions.
- Connect your Q-Tune to your computer with a USB-C data cable.
- Click the Install button and follow the on-screen prompts.
- The firmware will be flashed to your pedal. Once complete, the pedal will restart automatically.
Your settings, custom images, and set lists are preserved during firmware updates unless you select the Erase option.