5-String Banjo tuner – G Minor (gDGBbD)
G-D-G-A#-D · Alternative
Press “Start tuner” – the browser will ask for microphone access. Sound is analysed on this device and never uploaded.
This free online tuner listens through your microphone and shows how close each string of your 5-String Banjo is to G Minor (gDGBbD) tuning (G-D-G-A#-D). Play a string, watch the needle, and turn the peg until the meter glows green. If you prefer tuning by ear, tap any string card to hear its reference tone.
About G Minor (gDGBbD) tuning
Compared with Standard / Open G (gDGBD), G Minor (gDGBbD) moves 1 string. Every change is downward, the largest by 1 semitone, so the instrument sits at lower tension than in Standard / Open G (gDGBD).4 strings stay exactly where they were.
| String | Standard / Open G (gDGBD) | G Minor (gDGBbD) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | B3 | A#3 | down 1 semitone |
Played open, the strings sound G-D-G-A#-D – from D3 at the bottom to G4 at the top, a span of 1 octave and 5 semitones.
G Minor (gDGBbD) is re-entrant: the strings do not rise steadily in pitch, so the string nearest your thumb is not the lowest note available. That is deliberate, and it is a large part of why the instrument sounds the way it does.
Left open, the strings together spell Gm. That is a by-product of how the intervals are laid out rather than the point of the tuning, but it does mean some chords need very few fingers here. See Gm shapes in this tuning →
History
Where the G Minor (gDGBbD) tuning comes from
G minor (gDGB♭D) is the minor version of the standard open G tuning, used for minor-key tunes in old-time and folk music. It has no specific originator.
Other 5-String Banjo tunings
Chords for this tuning
How do I tune my 5-String Banjo to G Minor (gDGBbD)?
Allow microphone access, pluck a string, and the tuner will detect it automatically. The needle shows whether the string is flat or sharp – adjust until the reading is within ±5 cents (G-D-G-A#-D).
Which notes are used in G Minor (gDGBbD) tuning?
G Minor (gDGBbD) tuning for 5-String Banjo uses the notes G-D-G-A#-D, listed from the lowest string to the highest.
Can I tune without a microphone?
Yes. Every string card plays a reference tone – tap it and match your string to the sound by ear.