5-String Bass tuner – High C (EADGC)
E-A-D-G-C · 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 Bass is to High C (EADGC) tuning (E-A-D-G-C). 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 High C (EADGC) tuning
Compared with Standard (BEADG), High C (EADGC) moves 5 strings. Every change is upward, the largest by 5 semitones, so the strings pull tighter than in Standard (BEADG).
| String | Standard (BEADG) | High C (EADGC) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B0 | E1 | up 5 semitones |
| 2 | E1 | A1 | up 5 semitones |
| 3 | A1 | D2 | up 5 semitones |
| 4 | D2 | G2 | up 5 semitones |
| 5 | G2 | C3 | up 5 semitones |
Played open, the strings sound E-A-D-G-C – from E1 at the bottom to C3 at the top, a span of 1 octave and 8 semitones. Step by step across the neck the intervals are a fourth, a fourth, a fourth, a fourth, and that is what decides how chord shapes fall under the hand.
EADGC keeps standard four-string tuning and adds a high C on top instead of a low B. Solo and chordal players choose it: the extra string sits where melodies and chord voicings live rather than where the low end does.
It is the tuning of much of the modern jazz and fusion bass vocabulary, where the instrument is asked to play lines rather than only foundations.
The strings are pulled above their normal pitch, so a lighter set reduces the risk of breaking a string or over-loading the neck.
History
Where the High C (EADGC) tuning comes from
E-A-D-G-C, with an extra high C instead of a low B, is the older five-string idea: it was the tuning of the Fender Bass V of 1965, the first production five-string bass. It is still preferred by some jazz and solo bassists for chords and melody playing.
Other 5-String Bass tunings
Standard
Drop
Chords for this tuning
How do I tune my 5-String Bass to High C (EADGC)?
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 (E-A-D-G-C).
Which notes are used in High C (EADGC) tuning?
High C (EADGC) tuning for 5-String Bass uses the notes E-A-D-G-C, 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.