5-string banjo Tuning Chart
4 tunings for the 5-string banjo, all measured against standard gDGBD, with the target note and the exact frequency in hertz for every string.
| Tuning | Notation | Category | Notes | Frequencies (Hz) | Strings changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open G | gDGBD | standard | G4 D3 G3 B3 D4 | 392.00 · 146.83 · 196.00 · 246.94 · 293.66 | reference |
| Double C | gCGCD | open | G4 C3 G3 C4 D4 | 392.00 · 130.81 · 196.00 · 261.63 · 293.66 | 2 of 5 |
| Sawmill (mountain modal) | gDGCD | modal | G4 D3 G3 C4 D4 | 392.00 · 146.83 · 196.00 · 261.63 · 293.66 | 1 of 5 |
| Open D | f#DF#AD | open | F#4 D3 F#3 A3 D4 | 369.99 · 146.83 · 185.00 · 220.00 · 293.66 | 3 of 5 |
The last column is the number of strings that move relative to standard tuning, which is the fastest way to judge how disruptive a tuning is to reach and to undo.
What each 5-string banjo tuning is for
Open G (gDGBD)
The reference tuning for a 5-string banjo. The lowercase g in gDGBD marks the short 5th string, which is the highest pitch on the instrument despite its number. The open strings spell a G major chord, so the whole instrument rings as a chord before you fret anything, and a sour open strum immediately tells you which string has drifted. This is the tuning bluegrass technique was built around.
Common in bluegrass, clawhammer, old-time. Tune to Open G
Double C (gCGCD)
From open G, lower the 4th string a whole step from D3 to C3, and raise the 2nd string a semitone from B3 to C4. Two strings now sound C an octave apart, which is where the name comes from, and the open strings give a C chord with an added second rather than a plain triad. Old-time players often capo this up to D rather than retuning again.
Common in old-time, clawhammer. Tune to Double C
Sawmill (mountain modal) (gDGCD)
Open G with the 2nd string raised a semitone, from B3 to C4. Raising the third of the chord to a fourth removes the major third entirely, so the open strings sound Gsus4 and the tuning is neither major nor minor. That ambiguity is exactly what modal old-time tunes need, and it is why the tuning is also called mountain modal.
Common in old-time, modal fiddle tunes, clawhammer. Tune to Sawmill (mountain modal)
Open D (f#DF#AD)
From open G, lower the 5th string a semitone to F#4, the 3rd string a semitone to F#3 and the 2nd string a semitone to A3. The 4th and 1st strings keep D. The open strings sound a D major chord, giving the same one-finger chording as open G but in a key that matches a fiddle playing in D, which is where a great many old-time tunes sit.
Common in old-time, clawhammer, fiddle tune accompaniment. Tune to Open D
Use the data
These tunings are part of the open TuneStand dataset: /api/tunings.json, CC BY 4.0, no key required. See the dataset page for the schema and licence terms.
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: .