Banjo · Chapter 4 of 23

Tuning to Open G

In open G tuning the five open strings already make a G chord. Tune before every practice; it takes a minute and makes everything sound right.

Most bluegrass and a great deal of old-time music is played in open G tuning. Strummed open, the banjo plays a G major chord, which is why so many banjo tunes are in G.

The notes

String	Note	Where it sits
5th (short)	g	the G above middle C: the highest open string
4th	D	the D below middle C: the lowest
3rd	G	the G below middle C
2nd	B	just below middle C
1st	D	just above middle C

Players write it g D G B D, from the 5th string to the 1st, with a small g for the high short string. Press each string below for a steady reference note to match.

With the tuner

The quickest way is the Teddy Rook Book tuner: choose Banjo and Open G, allow the microphone, and pluck one string at a time. The needle shows whether the note is flat (too low) or sharp (too high). Nothing is recorded or sent anywhere. A clip-on tuner on the peghead works the same way and ignores room noise.

Tune up to the note. If a string is sharp, loosen it below the note first, then bring it up. Gears hold better that way, and the string stays in tune longer.

By ear: the 5th-fret method

Once one string is right, you can tune the others from it. In open G, a fretted note on one string matches the next open string:

4th string, 5th fret = open 3rd string (G)
3rd string, 4th fret = open 2nd string (B)
2nd string, 3rd fret = open 1st string (D)
1st string, 5th fret = open 5th string (g)

Press play to hear each pair, one after the other. On your banjo, pick the two together and let them ring: when two notes that should match are a little apart, you hear a slow wobble or “beat” in the sound. Turn the peg of the second string until the wobble slows down and disappears.

Try it. Tune your 4th string to D with the tuner or the reference note above. Then tune the 3rd, 2nd, 1st and 5th strings by the 5th-fret method. Strum the open strings: you should hear a clear G chord. Check with the tuner afterwards to see how close you got.

Staying in tune. New strings stretch for a day or two, so retune often. The bridge must stay put: if it has slid, the notes high on the neck will be out even when the open strings are right (the 12th-fret note should be exactly an octave above the open string). Heat and cold change the head, too, so tune where you will play.

Remember

Open G: g D G B D (5th string to 1st). Strummed open, it’s a G chord.
Use the tuner, and tune up to the note.
By ear: 4th string 5th fret = 3rd; 3rd string 4th fret = 2nd; 2nd string 3rd fret = 1st; 1st string 5th fret = 5th.