5-String Banjo Tuner
Tune a 5-string banjo to standard Open G tuning gDGBD with a free mic tuner that shows note, Hz and cents for every string.
Values use equal temperament with A4 fixed at 440 Hz. Play one open string at a time and match it against the tuner below.
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The most common tuning for a 5-string banjo is Open G: G4, D3, G3, B3, D4. The short fifth string is a drone tuned higher than the fourth string, so like a ukulele, the string order is not a simple climb from low to high.
Understanding the short drone string
The fifth string is shorter than the other four, starting partway up the neck, and is tuned to G4 at 392 Hz, the highest pitch on the instrument despite being labelled the fifth string. The remaining strings run D3 at 146.83 Hz, G3 at 196 Hz, B3 at 246.94 Hz and D4 at 293.66 Hz, spelling out a G major chord when strummed open, which is where Open G gets its name.
Because playing all five open strings sounds a full G chord, banjo players use this as a quick tuning check: if the open strum sounds sour, one string is off. Tune the fifth string last and be gentle with it, since its short scale length and thin gauge make it more prone to snapping if overtightened.
Frequently asked questions
What is Open G banjo tuning?
G4, D3, G3, B3, D4, commonly written gDGBD with a lowercase g marking the short fifth string. It is the standard tuning for bluegrass and clawhammer 5-string banjo.
Why is the fifth string tuned higher than the fourth?
The fifth string is a short drone string that starts partway up the neck rather than at the nut, and in Open G it is tuned to G4, higher than every other string except the first.
Why is it called Open G?
Strumming all five open strings sounds a G major chord, since the tuning is built from the notes G, B and D. That open-chord property gives the tuning its name.