Online Banjo Tuner
5-string, tenor or plectrum banjo: choose your tuning, pluck a string, and the tuner recognizes it in the real string order, including the short, high 5th string.
The microphone is only requested when you tap the button. Sound is analysed on your device; nothing is recorded. Open the full app
How to tune a 5-string banjo, step by step
- Select the tuning (open G by default) and place your phone near the head.
- Tune the 4th string, the lowest: D3, 146.83 Hz.
- Then the 3rd string, G3 (196.00 Hz), the 2nd, B3 (246.94 Hz), and the 1st, D4 (293.66 Hz).
- Finish with the short 5th string, which starts at the peg on the side of the neck: G4, 392.00 Hz.
- Pluck firmly and close to the bridge: banjo notes decay fast. The tuner ignores the attack and reads what follows.
- Go around once more: string tension acts on the head and the bridge, and therefore on the other strings.
Notes and frequencies
| String | Note (A4 = 440) | Solfège (La3 = 440) | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G4 | Sol3 | 392.00 |
| 2 | D3 | Ré2 | 146.83 |
| 3 | G3 | Sol2 | 196.00 |
| 4 | B3 | Si2 | 246.94 |
| 5 | D4 | Ré3 | 293.66 |
Strings in physical order, from the lowest in playing position (re-entrant tuning: actual order). Frequencies calculated at A = 440 Hz in equal temperament. Tune to “5-string open G”
| String | Note (A4 = 440) | Solfège (La3 = 440) | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G4 | Sol3 | 392.00 |
| 2 | C3 | Do2 | 130.81 |
| 3 | G3 | Sol2 | 196.00 |
| 4 | C4 | Do3 | 261.63 |
| 5 | D4 | Ré3 | 293.66 |
Strings in physical order, from the lowest in playing position (re-entrant tuning: actual order). Frequencies calculated at A = 440 Hz in equal temperament. Tune to “5-string double C”
| String | Note (A4 = 440) | Solfège (La3 = 440) | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F♯4 | Fa♯3 | 369.99 |
| 2 | D3 | Ré2 | 146.83 |
| 3 | F♯3 | Fa♯2 | 185.00 |
| 4 | A3 | La2 | 220.00 |
| 5 | D4 | Ré3 | 293.66 |
Strings in physical order, from the lowest in playing position (re-entrant tuning: actual order). Frequencies calculated at A = 440 Hz in equal temperament. Tune to “5-string open D”
| String | Note (A4 = 440) | Solfège (La3 = 440) | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G4 | Sol3 | 392.00 |
| 2 | D3 | Ré2 | 146.83 |
| 3 | G3 | Sol2 | 196.00 |
| 4 | C4 | Do3 | 261.63 |
| 5 | D4 | Ré3 | 293.66 |
Strings in physical order, from the lowest in playing position (re-entrant tuning: actual order). Frequencies calculated at A = 440 Hz in equal temperament. Tune to “5-string G modal (sawmill)”
| String | Note (A4 = 440) | Solfège (La3 = 440) | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C3 | Do2 | 130.81 |
| 2 | G3 | Sol2 | 196.00 |
| 3 | D4 | Ré3 | 293.66 |
| 4 | A4 | La3 | 440.00 |
Strings in physical order, from the lowest in playing position (re-entrant tuning: actual order). Frequencies calculated at A = 440 Hz in equal temperament. Tune to “Tenor 4-string (fifths)”
| String | Note (A4 = 440) | Solfège (La3 = 440) | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G2 | Sol1 | 98.00 |
| 2 | D3 | Ré2 | 146.83 |
| 3 | A3 | La2 | 220.00 |
| 4 | E4 | Mi3 | 329.63 |
Strings in physical order, from the lowest in playing position (re-entrant tuning: actual order). Frequencies calculated at A = 440 Hz in equal temperament. Tune to “Irish tenor”
| String | Note (A4 = 440) | Solfège (La3 = 440) | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C3 | Do2 | 130.81 |
| 2 | G3 | Sol2 | 196.00 |
| 3 | B3 | Si2 | 246.94 |
| 4 | D4 | Ré3 | 293.66 |
Strings in physical order, from the lowest in playing position (re-entrant tuning: actual order). Frequencies calculated at A = 440 Hz in equal temperament. Tune to “Plectrum”
The short, reentrant 5th string
On a 5-string banjo, the 5th string is the shortest and the highest, even though it sits on the bass side of the neck, next to the 4th string. This is called reentrant tuning: the notes don't rise steadily from one string to the next.
The app respects this real order: in the display, the 5th string is drawn first, in its actual position, even though it is the highest note. Automatic string detection doesn't confuse it with the 1st string, which sounds a fifth lower. If in doubt, lock the string you are tuning.
The 5th-string peg is often a small geared tuner or a friction peg: turn it very gently, this thin string breaks easily. The anti-breakage alert warns you if you go well above the note.
Open G, double C, open D, G modal
Open G (gDGBD, from the 5th string to the 1st) is the standard tuning for bluegrass and clawhammer: the open strings form a G major chord.
Double C lowers the 4th string from G to C3 (130.81 Hz) and raises the 2nd string to C4 (261.63 Hz): gCGCD. It is widely used in old-time music for tunes in C, or in D with a capo.
Open D gives a D major chord: F♯4 (369.99 Hz), D3, F♯3 (185.00 Hz), A3 (220.00 Hz), D4. G modal, also called sawmill, raises the 2nd string of open G to C4: gDGCD, for a sound that is neither major nor minor.
To switch tunings, change the preset: only the strings whose note differs need adjusting. If you use another variant, create a custom tuning and share it by link.
Tenor banjo and plectrum banjo
The tenor banjo, with four strings and a shorter neck, is tuned in fifths like a mandola: C3, G3, D4, A4. In Irish music, it is usually tuned G2 (98.00 Hz), D3, A3, E4 (329.63 Hz), one octave below the mandolin and fiddle, to play the same tunes with the same fingerings.
The plectrum banjo has the long neck of the 5-string without the short string. Its common tuning is C3, G3, B3, D4.
For the G2 of the Irish tenor, bring the phone closer: phone microphones lose sensitivity below 80 to 100 Hz.
Head tension and intonation
A slack head (humidity, heat) lets the bridge move and pulls the tuning flat. If your banjo keeps going out of tune, check the head tension and the position of the bridge, which is not glued: the note at the 12th fret must be exactly one octave above the open string. Chromatic mode lets you check this.
With a phone microphone, real-world accuracy is about ±2 to 3 cents, enough to play in tune with a band.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of a 5-string banjo in open G?
From the 5th string to the 1st: G4 (392.00 Hz), D3 (146.83 Hz), G3 (196.00 Hz), B3 (246.94 Hz) and D4 (293.66 Hz), often written gDGBD.
Why is the 5th string higher than the 1st?
It is shorter and tuned to a high G: this is reentrant tuning. It acts as a high drone string in picking and clawhammer styles.
How do I go from open G to double C?
Lower the 4th string from G to C and raise the 2nd string from B to C. The other strings stay the same.
How do I tune an Irish tenor banjo?
Choose the Irish tenor tuning: G D A E, one octave below the fiddle. Start with A3 at 220 Hz, which is easier to pick up than the low G.
My banjo sounds out of tune even after tuning. Why?
The floating bridge may have moved. Compare the open string with the 12th fret: they should be exactly one octave apart; if not, move the bridge slightly.
Can I tune in a noisy room?
Bring the phone close to the banjo and lock the string you are playing. The LED or large-number display stays readable from a distance, and vibration can signal when the string is in tune.