5-string open G · g D G B D, the short 5th string high
Banjo tuner
Pluck one string at a time and see which note it is, and how many cents sharp or flat. Tap a string to hear its note and tune by ear. Standard 5-string tuning, open G: g D G B D, with the short 5th string tuned high.
How to use it
- Tap Listen and allow the microphone. Pluck one open string and let it ring: the tuner names the note and shows how far off it is.
- Turn that string's tuning peg until the needle sits in the middle and it says In tune, then the next string. The short 5th string has its own peg, partway up the neck. Tap a string to hear its note, if you'd rather tune by ear.
Open G tuning
A 5-string banjo is usually tuned to open G, so the open strings ring a G major chord. The 5th string is short, starting at the 5th fret, and tuned to the highest note, a high G that rings through rolls as a drone. Written from the 5th string to the 1st, the tuning is g D G B D, the small g for the high one.
| String | Note | Hz at A440 |
|---|---|---|
| 5th (short) | G4 | 392.00 |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 |
| 2nd | B3 | 246.94 |
| 1st | D4 | 293.66 |
Tuning a banjo by ear
Tune the 3rd string, G, to a reference, then fret each string to find the next: the 4th string at the 5th fret gives the open 3rd, G; the 3rd string at the 4th fret gives the open 2nd, B; the 2nd string at the 3rd fret gives the open 1st, D; and the 1st string at the 5th fret gives the short 5th string's high G.
The bridge, the head and other tunings
A banjo's bridge isn't glued: the strings hold it on the head. If notes up the neck sound off though the open strings are in tune, the bridge has probably shifted. A head that has gone slack also makes the tuning less steady.
Old-time players often use other tunings, such as double C (g C G C D). Pick Chromatic in Settings and the tuner names any note you play.
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Questions
What are the notes of a 5-string banjo?
In open G, g D G B D, from the short 5th string to the 1st: G4, D3, G3, B3 and D4. The open strings make a G major chord.
Why is the 5th string shorter?
It starts at the 5th fret, so it can be tuned to a high G and ring as a drone above the other strings, the sound of rolls in bluegrass.
How do I tune a banjo without a tuner?
Tune the 3rd string, G, to a reference. Then the 4th string at the 5th fret gives the open 3rd, the 3rd at the 4th fret the open 2nd, the 2nd at the 3rd fret the open 1st, and the 1st at the 5th fret the 5th string.
How do I tune a 4-string tenor banjo?
A tenor banjo is usually tuned C G D A, like a viola: pick Viola in Settings, or go to the viola tuner. Irish players often tune it G D A E instead, an octave below a mandolin: pick Chromatic in Settings for that.
Is my playing recorded?
No. The microphone opens only when you tap Listen, your banjo's pitch is worked out on this device, and nothing is recorded, kept or sent.
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