5-String Banjo tuner – Guitar (gDGBE)
G-D-G-B-E · 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 Guitar (gDGBE) tuning (G-D-G-B-E). 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 Guitar (gDGBE) tuning
Compared with Standard / Open G (gDGBD), Guitar (gDGBE) moves 1 string. Every change is upward, the largest by 2 semitones, so the strings pull tighter than in Standard / Open G (gDGBD).4 strings stay exactly where they were.
| String | Standard / Open G (gDGBD) | Guitar (gDGBE) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | D4 | E4 | up 2 semitones |
Played open, the strings sound G-D-G-B-E – from D3 at the bottom to G4 at the top, a span of 1 octave and 5 semitones.
Guitar (gDGBE) 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 G6. 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 G6 shapes in this tuning →
History
Where the Guitar (gDGBE) tuning comes from
Guitar tuning (gDGBE) makes the four long strings of the banjo match the top four strings of a guitar. It has long been used by guitarists doubling on banjo, especially in the early 20th century.
Other 5-String Banjo tunings
Chords for this tuning
How do I tune my 5-String Banjo to Guitar (gDGBE)?
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-B-E).
Which notes are used in Guitar (gDGBE) tuning?
Guitar (gDGBE) tuning for 5-String Banjo uses the notes G-D-G-B-E, 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.