How to Tune a Banjo

There are a variety of ways to tune a banjo to your particular style. It's important to know the type of banjo you have and the style of music you want to play before tuning. So, sit back with your banjo and picks and get ready to tune.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Visit websites to hear a sample of the standard G tuning. The standard G tuning for a banjo is: D, B, G, D, G.
2. Get an electronic tuner if you can afford it. It is the easiest way to tune your banjo because it allows you to visually see if a string is out of tune by using LCD or LED indicators.
3. Use pitch pipes if you are an experienced banjo player. Beginners have often not developed an ear to tell the difference between a sharp or a flat and should stick to other methods.
4. Use a guitar to tune your banjo. Match the 2nd, 3rd and 4th string to your banjo's 2nd, 3rd and 4th string. Next, match your 1st string to the 2nd string fretted at the 3rd. The 5th string should match the 1st fretted at the 5th.
5. Tune your banjo by ear if you have a reference pitch. This can only be done if you have a firm background in music. For example, if you have a reference for your 4th string, tune the 4th string to D. Fret the D string and the 5th fret to get your reference for your 3rd string. Fret the 4th fret on the 3rd string to get a reference for the 2nd string. Your 1st string reference is your 2nd string fretted at 3rd. The 5th string is tuned by matching it to the 1st fretted at the 5th.

Tips & Warnings

• Replace old and rusty strings before tuning your banjo.