Auto-Tune Settings for a Detuned Beat (Detune in Hz, Explained)

October 7, 2026 · 6 min read

A lot of beats - especially trap, pluggnb and anything built from pitched samples - are not tuned to the standard A = 440 Hz. Auto-Tune is, by default. Record over a beat that sits 12 cents sharp and every note Auto-Tune lands will be 12 cents flat against the music: close enough to pass in the booth, off enough to sound "cheap" in the mix. The fix takes ten seconds once you know the number.

Step 1: Measure the Beat's Tuning

Paste the beat into the Key Finder (a YouTube link or a file) or download it with BeatDL. Next to the key you will see the offset, for example F# minor (+12¢). No offset shown means the beat is within 10 cents of standard tuning and needs no change.

Step 2: Turn Cents Into Hz

Most pitch correctors want the reference pitch in Hz rather than cents. The conversion is Hz = 440 × 2^{cents / 1200}. Common values:

Or skip the maths: the 🎚️ Auto-Tune settings button in BeatDL does it for you and animates where each control is.

Step 3: Set It in Your Plugin

Auto-Tune Pro, Pro X and Artist

Set Key and Scale, then turn the Detune knob to the value - for +12 cents, 443.1 Hz. Detune covers ±100 cents and can show Hz or cents; switch it under Settings → Detune Display.

Auto-Tune Access and Auto-Tune EFX+

These editions have no Detune control - they always tune to 440 Hz. Set the key and scale; for beats more than about 10 cents off, a plugin with a reference control will sit better.

FL Studio Pitcher

Set Key and Scale, then the A3 (Hz) control to the value. Image-Line labels the reference note A3; it is the same 440 Hz A.

Logic Pro Pitch Correction

Set Root and Scale, turn Use Global Tuning off, and enter the offset in cents as Ref. Pitch - for this example, +12.

Melodyne

Choose the scale from the menu at the top left, then type the value into the tuning-fork field beside it: A4 = 443.1 Hz. Its "Detected" option should land near the same number.

Waves Tune Real-Time and others

Look for a control called Reference, Calibrate, A4, Tuning or Detune, and set it to the Hz value - or to the cents value if it counts in cents.

The Half-Semitone Case

Some beats sit almost exactly between two semitones, at 30-50 cents off. The same pitch can then be described from either neighbouring note - -40 cents from one is +60 from the next - so BeatDL shows both readings. Try the first; if the vocal still sounds slightly off, keep the key and switch to the second.

Key and Scale: Which of the Two?

BeatDL shows a key and its relative - for example F# minor and A major. They contain the same notes, so in Auto-Tune either setting gives the same result. Sharps and flats are the same notes too: G# is Ab, so pick whichever spelling your plugin's menu uses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does +12 cents mean on a beat?

The beat is tuned 12 cents - 12 hundredths of a semitone - above standard A = 440 Hz. Set your pitch correction's reference to 443.1 Hz so the vocal lands in tune with it.

How do I convert cents to Hz for Auto-Tune?

Hz = 440 × 2^(cents/1200). +10 cents is 442.5 Hz, +12 is 443.1 Hz, -20 is 434.9 Hz. BeatDL's Auto-Tune settings button calculates it for you.

Does Auto-Tune Access have a Detune setting?

No. Auto-Tune Access and Auto-Tune EFX+ have no Detune control and always tune to 440 Hz. Auto-Tune Artist, Pro and Pro X do.

Where is the tuning reference in FL Studio Pitcher?

It is the A3 (Hz) control. Set it to the Hz value for the beat - Image-Line names the reference A3, but it is the standard 440 Hz A.

Is A minor the same as C major in Auto-Tune?

They use the same seven notes, so Auto-Tune corrects to the same pitches with either setting.