Banjo Tuner
Tune your 5-string banjo to open G (g D G B D) using your microphone. The tuner below is already set for banjo — press Start Recording and pluck a string.
Auto-select string
Switches to string automatically
Target 392.00 Hz
Action Required
Start tuner and pluck highlighted note.
Peg Rotation & Offset
Standby
Headstock Alignment
Tap a peg to tune that string specifically.
Instrument
Tuning Preset
Reference Pitch
Concert pitch for A4. 440 is the standard; many orchestras use 442.
Quick Tuning Guidelines
- 1.Tap the Start Recording button at the top to initialize your microphone.
- 2.Pluck one string cleanly at a time. Let it vibrate naturally to get a continuous frequency reading.
- 3.Adjust your tuning pegs until the dial centers in the green zone (around 0 cents).
- 4.Watch indicators: amber is the currently selected note, green is the automatically detected audio feed.
String-by-String Frequency Chart
These are the exact target frequencies this tuner listens for, at A4 = 440 Hz equal temperament. String 5 — the short string with its peg partway up the neck — is not the lowest: it is a high G4, the highest open note on the banjo. String 1 is the D nearest the floor when you play.
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | G4 | 392.00 Hz |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1 | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
How to Use This Banjo Tuner
- Press Start Recording on the tuner above and allow microphone access.
- The 5-String Banjo instrument is already selected.
- Tune the four long strings first: 4th string D (146.83 Hz), 3rd string G (196.00 Hz), 2nd string B (246.94 Hz), and 1st string D (293.66 Hz).
- Tune the short 5th string last, to G (392.00 Hz). Its peg is on the side of the neck near the fifth fret.
- Strum all five open strings. You should hear a clean G major chord. Run a second pass if anything sounds sour.
Banjo notes decay quickly, so pluck firmly and read the needle in the first second or so of each note. If it does not settle before the note fades, pluck again rather than waiting.
The Short 5th String
The 5th string is the defining feature of the 5-string banjo, and the one that confuses most new players. It is shorter than the others, starting at the fifth fret rather than at the nut, and it is tuned to a high G4 — an octave above the 3rd string.
Its tuning peg sits on the side of the neck, which means it is easy to knock out of tune when you put the banjo in its case. Check it every time you pick the instrument up.
With a capo:when you capo the four long strings, the 5th string has to go up by the same amount. Players either retune it with the peg or hook it under a small “railroad spike” at the right fret. Capo at the 2nd fret for the key of A and the 5th string goes to A4; capo at the 3rd for B♭ and it goes to B♭4.
Other Common Banjo Tunings
- Double C — g C G C D. Lower the 4th and 2nd strings a whole step. Popular for old-time clawhammer in C.
- G modal (“sawmill”) — g D G C D. Raise the 2nd string from B to C. A haunting, unresolved sound used in old-time music.
- Open D — f♯ D F♯ A D. A bigger retune, used for songs in D without a capo.
This tuner’s preset measures cents against open G only. For the other tunings, the display still names the note you are playing, so lower or raise a string until the right note name appears, then fine-tune it by ear against a fretted note on a neighbouring string.
Troubleshooting
Open strings are in tune but fretted notes are not. The banjo bridge is not fixed; it is held on the head by string pressure and can be knocked out of position. The correct spot puts the 12th-fret note exactly an octave above the open string.
The 5th string keeps going flat.Geared 5th-string pegs can loosen over time. A small tightening of the screw on the peg’s end usually fixes it.
Also available: our mandolin tuner, open G guitar tuner, and the online metronome.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is standard 5-string banjo tuning?
Open G: g D G B D, from the 5th string to the 1st. The pitches are G4, D3, G3, B3, and D4. Strummed open, the strings sound a G major chord, which is why it is called open G.
Why is the 5th string so high?
The 5th string is a short string that starts at the fifth fret, and it is tuned to G4 — higher than every other open string. It works as a drone: in bluegrass rolls the thumb keeps returning to it, and that high, ringing G is a big part of the banjo's sound. Tunings like this are called reentrant, the same idea as a ukulele's high G.
How do I tune to double C?
Double C (g C G C D) is open G with the 4th string lowered from D3 to C3 and the 2nd string lowered from B3 to C4. This page targets open G, so tune to open G first, then match the two changed strings by fret: the 2nd string is right when its open note matches the 3rd string at the 5th fret, and the 4th string is right when its 7th fret matches the open 3rd string.
Does this work for a 4-string tenor banjo?
No. A tenor banjo usually tunes C G D A (like a viola) and an Irish tenor banjo G D A E (like a mandolin, an octave lower). This page is set for the 5-string banjo in open G. A tenor banjo in C G D A uses exactly the same pitches as a viola, so the viola tuner works for it.
Does tightening the banjo head change the tuning?
It changes the tone more than the pitch, but because the bridge sits on the head, a slack head lets the bridge sink and alters the string height and intonation. If your banjo suddenly sounds dull and won't stay in tune, the head tension is worth checking.