B standard Tuning on 6-string guitar
B standard tuning is B1 E2 A2 D3 F#3 B3, written BEADF#B. Standard tuning transposed down a perfect fourth. Every interval between strings is unchanged, including the major third between the 3rd and 2nd.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) | MIDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | B1 | 61.74 | 35 |
| 5th | E2 | 82.41 | 40 |
| 4th | A2 | 110.00 | 45 |
| 3rd | D3 | 146.83 | 50 |
| 2nd | F#3 | 185.00 | 54 |
| 1st (highest) | B3 | 246.94 | 59 |
Every frequency is computed from the MIDI number, not typed in. Each one links to its own reference page.
TuneStand needs microphone access to detect pitch. Audio is analysed on your device and never uploaded. Your browser will ask for permission next; nothing is recorded and nothing is sent to a server.
Tune by ear, no microphone needed
Play a reference pitch and match your instrument to it. This uses the same oscillator as the tone generator and needs no permission at all.
Why guitarists use B standard tuning
This is the tuning baritone guitars are normally built for, with a longer scale length that keeps B1 under proper tension. On a standard-scale guitar it is the same pitch set as Drop A without the dropped 6th, so ordinary chord shapes still apply.
Where you will hear it: baritone guitar, doom metal, progressive metal. That list is deliberately limited to genres and playing traditions. Attributing a tuning to specific songs or players is the kind of claim that needs a source, and this page does not make claims it cannot back up.
B standard compared with standard EADGBE tuning
This is the table that tells you how far to turn each peg, in semitones and in hertz. A negative semitone value means the string goes down.
| String | Standard | Standard (Hz) | B standard | B standard (Hz) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | E2 | 82.41 | B1 | 61.74 | -5 semitones (-20.67 Hz) |
| 5th | A2 | 110.00 | E2 | 82.41 | -5 semitones (-27.59 Hz) |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 | A2 | 110.00 | -5 semitones (-36.83 Hz) |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 | D3 | 146.83 | -5 semitones (-49.17 Hz) |
| 2nd | B3 | 246.94 | F#3 | 185.00 | -5 semitones (-61.94 Hz) |
| 1st (highest) | E4 | 329.63 | B3 | 246.94 | -5 semitones (-82.69 Hz) |
Notice that equal semitone steps are not equal hertz steps: the same whole step is worth about 9 Hz down at the bottom string and far more at the top. That is why tuners report cents, which are proportional, rather than hertz.
How to tune to B standard, string by string
- Play the 6th (lowest) open and adjust until the tuner reads B1 at 61.74 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 5th open and adjust until the tuner reads E2 at 82.41 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 4th open and adjust until the tuner reads A2 at 110.00 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 3rd open and adjust until the tuner reads D3 at 146.83 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 2nd open and adjust until the tuner reads F#3 at 185.00 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 1st (highest) open and adjust until the tuner reads B3 at 246.94 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
Retune in two passes. Changing the tension on one string changes the pull on the neck, so the strings you set first will have drifted slightly by the time you finish the last one. That effect is larger the further the tuning sits from standard, so a tuning that moves four or more strings almost always needs a third pass.
Frequently asked questions
What notes is B standard tuning on a 6-string guitar?
B standard is B1, E2, A2, D3, F#3, B3, written BEADF#B. Standard tuning transposed down a perfect fourth. Every interval between strings is unchanged, including the major third between the 3rd and 2nd.
What are the frequencies of B standard tuning?
B1 is 61.74 Hz, E2 is 82.41 Hz, A2 is 110.00 Hz, D3 is 146.83 Hz, F#3 is 185.00 Hz, B3 is 246.94 Hz, all in twelve tone equal temperament with A4 at 440 Hz.
How many strings change compared to standard tuning?
6 of 6. the 6th (lowest) goes from E2 to B1 (down 5 semitones), the 5th goes from A2 to E2 (down 5 semitones), the 4th goes from D3 to A2 (down 5 semitones), the 3rd goes from G3 to D3 (down 5 semitones), the 2nd goes from B3 to F#3 (down 5 semitones), the 1st (highest) goes from E4 to B3 (down 5 semitones).
What is the lowest note in B standard tuning?
B1 at 61.74 Hz, MIDI note 35. Low notes take longer for a pitch detector to lock onto, so play the string firmly and let it ring before trusting the cents reading.
Other 6-string guitar tunings
More tuning references
Frequencies on this page are computed at build time from twelve tone equal temperament with A4 = 440 Hz, using the twelfth root of two (about 1.059463) per semitone. Nothing is typed in by hand. See the full method and sources. Maintained by FusionStudios. Last reviewed: .