This free 5-string banjo tuner shows an interactive headstock — including the short 5th string's peg mounted on the side of the neck. Supports Open G, Double C, and Sawmill tuning.
RUNS ENTIRELY IN YOUR BROWSER · YOUR AUDIO IS NEVER RECORDED OR SENT ANYWHERE
Last updated: · Reviewed for accuracy against current browser APIs
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Choose your tuning below, then click "Start Tuning."
Pick Open G (standard), Double C, or Sawmill / Mountain Minor.
Click "Start Tuning."
Allow microphone access when your browser asks.
Tune the 4th string first.
Start with the thickest, lowest string, then work through the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st.
Watch the meter.
Turn the tuning peg slowly — left means flat (tighten), right means sharp (loosen).
Tune the short 5th string last.
Its peg sits on the side of the neck near the 5th fret, not in the headstock — tune it to the high G drone note last.
How this tuner detects pitch
When you pluck a string, this tool analyzes the sound through your microphone using an autocorrelation algorithm — it compares the waveform against slightly delayed copies of itself to find the point where they line up most closely, and that lag reveals the exact frequency you're playing. This runs entirely in your browser via the Web Audio API; your microphone audio is never recorded, uploaded, or sent anywhere, and it disappears the instant you close the tab.
The banjo, and its distinctive short 5th string
The banjo traces back to instruments like the West African kora, brought to the Americas through the transatlantic slave trade, and it went on to become foundational in early African American traditional music before spreading into folk, country, Appalachian, and bluegrass. The classic, most recognizable style has five strings — and it's the 5th string that gives the banjo its unmistakable ringing character.
Unlike the other four strings, the 5th string doesn't run the full length of the neck. It's physically shorter, anchored partway up the neck — typically right around the 5th fret — rather than at the nut. Because it starts partway up rather than at the headstock, its tuning peg is mounted directly on the side of the neck at that point, not alongside the other four pegs. This short, high-pitched drone string is exactly what gives Scruggs-style bluegrass picking its signature ringing, chiming quality.
Standard tuning: Open G (gDGBD)
The overwhelming standard for 5-string banjo is Open G. It's called an "open" tuning because the five strings, played together without fretting anything, already ring out a complete G major chord.
String
Note
Frequency
5th (short drone)
g4
392.00 Hz
4th (thickest)
D3
146.83 Hz
3rd
G3
196.00 Hz
2nd
B3
246.94 Hz
1st (thinnest)
D4
293.66 Hz
This is the tuning behind most bluegrass banjo playing, Scruggs-style three-finger picking, and the large majority of beginner banjo songs.
Double C and Sawmill: old-time alternate tunings
Tuning
Strings (5th to 1st)
Common use
Double C
g C3 G3 C4 D4
Rings an open C chord — a staple of old-time and clawhammer playing
Sawmill (Mountain Minor)
g D3 G3 C4 D4
A modal tuning for minor-key old-time and mountain tunes
Both tunings are deeply rooted in old-time and clawhammer traditions, offering different open chords and modal colors than bluegrass-standard Open G. This tool covers all three directly. For anything beyond these, our Chromatic Tuner listens for all 12 notes rather than a fixed set of strings.
Tuning by ear
Assuming Open G tuning, tune the 4th string to a reference first — this tool, a tuning fork, or a piano all work. Then fret the 4th string at the 5th fret, which should sound like a G, and match it to the open 3rd string. Continue the same idea upward: fret the 3rd string to match the open 2nd, and so on, working your way through all the strings by comparing a fretted note on one string to the next open string.
Getting a clean reading
Banjo strings ring with bright, complex overtones, and a banjo's head resonates readily, so other strings vibrating in sympathy can make a tuner's reading jump around unpredictably. Muting the strings you aren't currently tuning with your picking-hand palm gives the tuner a much cleaner signal to lock onto, especially useful when tuning the short 5th string, which sits closest to the other strings' vibration.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tune my banjo with this tool?
Choose your tuning, click Start Tuning, then pluck a string. The closest peg highlights automatically, and the needle shows sharp or flat until the peg turns green.
What is standard 5-string banjo tuning?
Standard tuning is Open G, written gDGBD: the short 5th string is a high G drone, followed by D3, G3, B3, and D4. The open strings form a G major chord.
Why does the 5th string have its own separate peg?
The 5th string is physically shorter than the other four — it starts partway up the neck, usually around the 5th fret, rather than at the nut. Its tuning peg is mounted directly on the side of the neck at that point instead of in the headstock.
What are Double C and Sawmill tuning used for?
Double C (gCGCD) rings an open C chord and is a staple of old-time and clawhammer banjo playing. Sawmill, also called Mountain Minor (gDGCD), is a modal tuning used for minor-key old-time tunes.
Which string should I tune first?
Most players tune the 4th string first as their reference, work through the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings next, and tune the short 5th string last.
How do I tune a banjo by ear?
Tune the 4th string to a reference first. Then fret the 4th string at the 5th fret, which should sound like a G — match it to the open 3rd string. Continue working upward.
Can this tool tune a 4-string or 6-string banjo?
This tool is set up for the classic 5-string banjo. For a 4-string tenor or plectrum banjo, our Chromatic Tuner listens for all 12 notes rather than a fixed set of strings.
Why does my banjo sound harsh or jangly when I try to tune it?
Banjo strings ring with bright, complex overtones, and other strings vibrating in sympathy can make a reading jump around. Muting the strings you aren't tuning with your palm gives the tuner a cleaner signal.
Is my audio recorded or sent anywhere?
No. All detection happens locally in your browser using the Web Audio API. Nothing is uploaded, recorded, or stored.
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