Tips for Banjo Tuning

A few tips for banjo tuning are useful for any beginning banjo player. Like all instruments, the banjo sounds awful when out of tune. The strings of a banjo are sensitive to heat, cold and excessive use. Slight changes in conditions can alter the tension or slack of a string, thereby altering the banjo's sound. Tuning regularly is critical, and these banjo tuning tips can make the process easier.

The Proper Tuning
Banjos are tuned to open G, which is a tuning of GDGBD from bottom string to the top. When in this tuning, playing the strings with no fingers on the frets produces a G chord. Therefore, a tip for testing whether a banjo in tune is to play this open G. If it sounds dissonant, your banjo is probably out of tune. As your ear develops, it will be easier to recognize this dissonance when playing banjo.

Using One String To Tune Another
When a banjo sounds out of tune, you can usually blame one or two strings. Once a single string is in tune, you may use it to tune all the rest. Let's assume the bottom G is tuned correctly, but the middle G string is flat. To tune the middle G string properly, simply place a finger on the fifth fret of the bottom G. When the middle G string matches the sound of the bottom G string's fifth fret, the banjo is in tune. Using the same process, the B string can be matched with the fourth fret of the middle G string, and the fifth fret of the fourth string D can be matched with the open middle G.

Using The Ear
How do players use their ears to tune a banjo? They practice. While it seems to be a simplification, the best tip for tuning by ear is to learn the sound of each string. This is useful if each string is out of tune, or you do not wish to go through other processes. Furthermore, practicing your listening skills will help you with your banjo playing.

Electronic Tuners
Beginning musicians are sometimes disappointed to hear that electronic tuners work best. Sad but true, electronic tuners can often pick up discrepancies that the human ear cannot. Plus, the digital readout on an electronic tuner is extremely simple to understand. The tip? Buy one. Many professional musicians use electronic tuners, and every beginner should consider using them as well.

There is no automatic way to tune banjos. However, knowing when a banjo is out of tune, using the string relationships to tune and understanding electronic tuners is a great start. Remember, an out-of-tune musical instrument will sound terrible. Keeping a few efficient tuning tips in mind is a good idea.