Cello tuner – 5-String (CGDAE)
C-G-D-A-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 Cello is to 5-String (CGDAE) tuning (C-G-D-A-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 5-String (CGDAE) tuning
5-String (CGDAE) uses 5 strings where Standard (CGDA) uses 4, so the two are not compared string by string.
Played open, the strings sound C-G-D-A-E – from C2 at the bottom to E4 at the top, a span of 2 octaves and 4 semitones. Step by step across the neck the intervals are a fifth, a fifth, a fifth, a fifth, and that is what decides how chord shapes fall under the hand.
History
Where the 5-String (CGDAE) tuning comes from
C-G-D-A-E adds a high E string. Bach's Sixth Cello Suite (around 1720) was written for a five-string instrument of this kind, and some modern cellists use five-string cellos.
Other Cello tunings
Standard
Alternative
How do I tune my Cello to 5-String (CGDAE)?
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 (C-G-D-A-E).
Which notes are used in 5-String (CGDAE) tuning?
5-String (CGDAE) tuning for Cello uses the notes C-G-D-A-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.