5-string bass guitar Tuning Chart
2 tunings for the 5-string bass guitar, all measured against standard BEADG, with the target note and the exact frequency in hertz for every string.
| Tuning | Notation | Category | Notes | Frequencies (Hz) | Strings changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | BEADG | standard | B0 E1 A1 D2 G2 | 30.87 · 41.20 · 55.00 · 73.42 · 98.00 | reference |
| Tenor (high C) | EADGC | raised | E1 A1 D2 G2 C3 | 41.20 · 55.00 · 73.42 · 98.00 · 130.81 | 5 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 bass guitar tuning is for
Standard (BEADG)
A standard 4-string bass with an extra string a perfect fourth below the low E. The added B0 reaches five semitones below the 4-string floor, which covers the low end of a modern synth bass line without transposing. It is also close to the lower edge of what a normal bass rig reproduces as a fundamental rather than as harmonics.
Common in metal, gospel, session and modern pop playing. Tune to Standard
Tenor (high C) (EADGC)
Instead of adding a string below the low E, add one a perfect fourth above the G. The bottom four match a standard 4-string exactly. It extends the instrument upward rather than downward, which suits soloing and chordal playing where the top of a 4-string runs out of range. Bass sets are sold for both layouts, so which one a 5-string uses is a choice, not a property of the instrument.
Common in jazz, fusion, solo bass. Tune to Tenor (high C)
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: .