Data Security

This page explains exactly how OnlineViolinTuner.com handles data when you use the tuner and other tools — specifically what happens to the audio captured through your microphone, what the reference tone mode captures (nothing), and how other data such as contact form submissions is handled.

Why This Page Exists

OnlineViolinTuner.com uses your microphone when you use the microphone tuning mode. That is a reasonable thing to want to understand clearly — not with reassuring marketing language, but with a specific, honest explanation of what actually happens to your audio at each step.

Part 1 — Microphone Audio: What Happens Step by Step

When you use the microphone-based tuning mode, the following happens:

Step 1 — Your explicit permission. When you click Start, your browser displays its standard microphone permission prompt — the same prompt used by video call applications, voice recording tools, and any other site that accesses audio. OnlineViolinTuner.com cannot access your microphone without your explicit approval at this prompt. If you click Block or dismiss the prompt, the tuner cannot function in microphone mode.

Step 2 — Local audio capture. If you grant permission, the browser opens a real-time audio stream from your microphone into the Web Audio API — a standard technology built into modern browsers for processing audio locally on your device.

Step 3 — In-browser pitch analysis. Your violin’s sound is analysed entirely within your browser tab using the Web Audio API. The audio signal is processed using pitch detection algorithms (FFT and YIN) to identify the fundamental frequency of each string. This analysis happens on your device — not on any server operated by OnlineViolinTuner.com.

Step 4 — Result display. The detected frequency is converted to a note name and cents deviation and displayed on screen. This is the only output of the audio processing — a note name and a number.

Step 5 — Session end. When you stop the tuner, close the browser tab, or navigate away, the audio stream is terminated and all audio data in browser memory is cleared. No audio persists in any form after the session ends.

What OnlineViolinTuner.com never does with your audio

Does not record — no audio file is created at any point
Does not store — no audio data is saved on any server
Does not transmit — no audio is sent over the internet to this site or any third party
Does not identify — your playing is never connected to any personal identifier, user profile, or browsing history
Does not share — your audio is not accessible to Google AdSense, Google Analytics, or any other service integrated into this website

Advertising cookies, analytics systems, and all other tracking technologies on this site operate entirely separately from the audio processing that occurs during tuning. Your violin playing and your browsing behaviour are never connected.

Revoking microphone permission

You can revoke microphone permission at any time through your browser settings without affecting your ability to use the reference tone mode or access any educational content on the site. Instructions for the most common browsers are in the Violin FAQ.

Part 2 — Reference Tone Mode: No Audio Captured

The reference tone mode — which plays the correct pitch of each string as an audio reference — does not use your microphone and captures no audio from your device.

When you click a string button in reference tone mode, the Web Audio API’s OscillatorNode generates a sine wave tone and plays it through your device’s speakers or headphones. Audio flows outward from your device — it does not flow inward. Nothing from your environment, your instrument, or your room is captured.

There is no audio data handling consideration for reference tone mode — no audio enters the browser, so none can be processed, stored, or transmitted.

Part 3 — Contact Form Data

If you contact OnlineViolinTuner.com through the Contact page, we receive:

Your email address
Your name (if included)
The content of your message

This information is used only to respond to your inquiry. It is not shared with any third party for marketing purposes, not added to any mailing list, and retained only as long as necessary to resolve the inquiry.

Part 4 — Analytics and Advertising Data

OnlineViolinTuner.com uses Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site and Google AdSense to display advertisements. Both services may set cookies on your device.

Neither Google Analytics nor Google AdSense has access to your microphone, your audio input, or your tuning session data. The audio processing that occurs during tuning is entirely isolated from the analytics and advertising systems.

For full details on cookies and advertising data, see the Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.

Part 5 — HTTPS and Transmission Security

All pages on OnlineViolinTuner.com are served over HTTPS. The connection between your browser and this website is encrypted, protecting any data transmitted during your visit — including contact form submissions.

Because microphone audio is processed entirely within your browser and never transmitted over the network, HTTPS encryption is not relevant to audio data specifically. It protects other information exchanged during your visit.

Part 6 — Reporting a Security Concern

If you discover a security issue or a data handling practice that does not match what is described on this page, please report it via the Contact page.

Please include a description of the issue, the page or tool where you encountered it, and your browser and device type. All security reports are reviewed personally by Mason and responded to within 48 hours.