Banjo Tuner

Standard 5-string banjo tuning is open G: g – D – G – B – D, from the short 5th string to the 1st string. The short 5th string is a high g (G4), tuned above the 4th string. Press Start tuner and play each string.

Start tuner Other instruments

Press Start and allow the microphone

Your browser will ask to use the microphone. Choose Allow.

Tuning

A4440Hz

Tap a string to hear it and tune only that string. Audio is analysed on this device and never uploaded. How it works →

What it does: Hears each banjo string, shows which one, its note, Hz and cents
What it does not do: Record or upload audio · detect chords
Reference pitch: A4 = 440 Hz, adjustable 415–466 Hz
Tested with: 58 studio recordings of 11 instruments (right note on about 95% of frames at normal volume) and test tones from B0 to C6
Made by: The Appcellent team
Updated: November 2026

Tuner not hearing you?

Allow the microphone. If you blocked it: in Chrome or Edge, click the icon left of the address bar → Microphone → Allow, then reload. In Safari on iPhone, tap aA → Website Settings → Microphone → Allow. In Firefox, click the crossed-out microphone in the address bar. On a Mac, also check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone for your browser.
Open the page in Safari or Chrome. In-app browsers (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) often block the microphone.
Play one note at a time, louder. Hold your phone or laptop close to the instrument and let the string ring. A quiet room helps.
Wrong octave or jumping notes? Let the attack fade for a moment — the reading settles once the note is steady.
No microphone at all? Tap a string button to hear its note and tune by ear.

Banjo string notes and frequencies

Standard banjo tuning is G4 (392.00 Hz), D3 (146.83 Hz), G3 (196.00 Hz), B3 (246.94 Hz) and D4 (293.66 Hz), from the short 5th string to the 1st (A4 = 440 Hz).

String	Note	Frequency
5	G4	392.00 Hz
4	D3	146.83 Hz
3	G3	196.00 Hz
2	B3	246.94 Hz
1	D4	293.66 Hz

How to tune your banjo

Press Start tuner and allow the microphone.
Start with the 4th string (D), then 3rd (G), 2nd (B) and 1st (D).
Tune the short 5th string (high g) last; it should sound an octave above the open 3rd string.
Strum all five strings: open G tuning plays a G major chord.

Other banjo tunings

Double C (g C G C D) is popular for clawhammer and old-time music. Open D (f♯ D F♯ A D) is used for songs in D. Four-string tenor banjos are tuned C – G – D – A, like a viola; Irish tenor banjos use G – D – A – E, an octave below a fiddle. All of them are in the tuning menu.

5-string double C (g C G C D)

String	Note	Frequency
5	G4	392.00 Hz
4	C3	130.81 Hz
3	G3	196.00 Hz
2	C4	261.63 Hz
1	D4	293.66 Hz

5-string open D (f♯ D F♯ A D)

String	Note	Frequency
5	F♯4	369.99 Hz
4	D3	146.83 Hz
3	F♯3	185.00 Hz
2	A3	220.00 Hz
1	D4	293.66 Hz

Tenor banjo (C G D A)

String	Note	Frequency
4	C3	130.81 Hz
3	G3	196.00 Hz
2	D4	293.66 Hz
1	A4	440.00 Hz

Irish tenor banjo (G D A E)

String	Note	Frequency
4	G2	98.00 Hz
3	D3	146.83 Hz
2	A3	220.00 Hz
1	E4	329.63 Hz

Questions

What is standard banjo tuning?

Open G: g D G B D, from the 5th string to the 1st.

Why is the 5th banjo string so short?

The short 5th string is a drone string tuned to a high g. Its peg sits at the 5th fret, so the string is shorter and higher than the others.

How do I tune a tenor banjo?

Choose “Tenor banjo” (C G D A) or “Irish tenor banjo” (G D A E) in the tuning menu and tune each of the four strings.

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