How to use the banjo tuner
- Choose your banjo and tuning and press Start tuner, then allow the microphone.
- Pluck the 4th string (the thick D) and tune it first.
- Tune the 3rd string to G, the 2nd to B and the 1st to D.
- Last, tune the short 5th string to the high g.
- Go round the strings again: banjo strings drift quickly with changes in heat and humidity.
- Open G tuning is g D G B D: strumming the open strings gives a G major chord.
- The 5th string is the short thumb string, and it is tuned higher than the string beside it.
- A tenor banjo has four strings tuned C G D A, like a viola.
Banjo tuning chart
5-string open G (g D G B D)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | G4 | 392.00 Hz |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2nd | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1st | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
5-string double C (g C G C D)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | G4 | 392.00 Hz |
| 4th | C3 | 130.81 Hz |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2nd | C4 | 261.63 Hz |
| 1st | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
5-string sawmill / mountain minor (g D G C D)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | G4 | 392.00 Hz |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2nd | C4 | 261.63 Hz |
| 1st | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
4-string tenor (C G D A)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | C3 | 130.81 Hz |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2nd | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
| 1st | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
4-string plectrum (C G B D)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | C3 | 130.81 Hz |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2nd | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1st | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
Tips for an accurate reading
- Pluck one string at a time and let it ring. Muted or buzzing strings are hard to read.
- Use a quiet room. Background music or voices can confuse any tuner.
- Hold the device close to the instrument's sound hole or body.
- Tune up to the note. If you overshoot, go below the note and tighten up to it again.
- Re-check every string once you have finished, as adjusting one affects the neck tension.
How the tuner works
Every note is a vibration with a frequency: A4 is 440 vibrations per second, or 440 Hz. The tuner listens through your microphone and uses a pitch-detection method called YIN to find how often the sound repeats. It compares that frequency with the one the string should have and shows the gap in cents, where 100 cents is one semitone (the step between two neighbouring piano keys). Within 5 cents of the target the note turns green: that is far finer than most listeners can hear.
Troubleshooting
- "The microphone is blocked": open your browser's site settings, allow the microphone for this page, and reload.
- The needle jumps around: let the note ring for a second, mute the other strings and move away from noise.
- It shows the wrong octave or note: pluck more gently, and check the right tuning and instrument are chosen above.
- Nothing happens on iPhone: tap Start tuner yourself; browsers only allow the microphone after a tap.
Frequently asked questions
What is standard banjo tuning?
For a 5-string banjo, open G: G4, D3, G3, B3, D4, listed from the short 5th string through the 4th (D) to the 1st string.
How do I tune to double C?
Choose double C: g C G C D. Lower the 4th string from D to C, the 2nd from B to C, and keep the 5th at g.
What is the difference between tenor and plectrum banjo?
Both have four strings and no short string. A tenor is tuned C G D A, a plectrum C G B D like the top four strings of a guitar.
What if the tuner cannot hear my instrument?
Allow the microphone, get closer to the sound, pluck one string clearly in a quiet room and let it ring. If it still struggles, tune by ear with the reference notes (the ▶ buttons).
More tuners and tools
Guitar tuner, Ukulele tuner, Bass tuner, Violin tuner, Mandolin tuner, Chromatic tuner. Once you are in tune, learn the chord shapes in the guitar chord library or the ukulele chord library, find the easiest capo position with the capo calculator, or look up what any set of notes is called with the chord finder.