5 strings · B Standard

5-string bass tuner.

Tune a 5-string bass: B E A D G, Drop A or any shift, at any A4.

Tuner · Any tuning

Tune your 5-⁠string bass.

Pluck a string and the meter shows how far off it is. Tap any string to hear it at its true pitch and tune by ear.

  • Pick any instrument and tuning
  • Shift it down or up by half steps
  • Set A to anything: 440, 432, 442…

B E A D G

The sound never leaves your device.

Keys: Space start or stop · ← → half step · ↑ ↓ A (Shift: bigger steps) · 1–9 string · M mode · R hear · − + volume · L copy link · Esc done

Ready

Tap Start, then pluck any string.

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Strings · tap to hear

Standard tuning

5-string bass tuning

The 5-string adds a low B0 at 30.87 Hz. That is far below the point where most phone mics start to lose level, so the low B is the hardest string to tune with a phone.

Strings 1 to 4 are tuned like a 4-string bass: E A D G.

Tip. For the low B, use the 12th-fret harmonic (×2 mode), plug in through an audio interface, or match it by ear: String 5 at fret 5 is E, the same note as open String 4.

B E A D G

Standard tuning: notes and frequencies

5-string bass, B Standard: notes and frequencies in Hz at three common A4 references
StringNoteA = 440A = 432A = 442
5B030.8730.3131.01
4E141.2040.4541.39
3A155.0054.0055.25
2D273.4272.0873.75
1G298.0096.2298.44

Measured

How the tuner hears a 5-string bass

On a phone, B0 is the hardest 5-string bass string to hear: in our phone-mic model its fundamental arrives about 20 dB quieter, so the tuner works from the overtones and checks the octave against your tuning. In our phone-mic test B0 still read within about 2 ¢, the 5-string bass strings above it within about 2 ¢, and clean test tones within 0.2 ¢.

error through a phone-mic model your 5-string bass strings

Low notes. The lowest string here is B0 at 30.87 Hz. Most phone mics lose a lot of level below 80–⁠100 Hz, so they mostly hear the string's overtones. If the reading jumps, play the 12th-fret harmonic with the ×2 harmonic mode, or plug in through an audio interface. That's physics, not you.

How the tuner listens →

String tension

String tension

A typical 45–⁠130 set on a 34″ scale pulls about 197 lb (89 kg) in B Standard, or 39.4 lb per string on average.

Check string tension → String by string, with your own set and scale length.

  • String by stringPounds, kilograms or newtons for each string, so you see which one goes slack first.
  • Your set, your scalePick a common set or type your own gauges, on any scale length.
  • Any tuning, any A4Drop, standard and open tunings, shifted by half steps, at the A you use.

Other 5-string bass tunings

Shift the whole tuning

The tuner can move all five strings together, from 5½ whole steps down to an octave up, and add fine cents on top. Each step keeps every chord shape the same.

  1. C♯ StandardAll strings 2 half steps higher. Notes: C sharp F sharp B E A
  2. C StandardAll strings 1 half step higher. Notes: C F B flat E flat A flat
  3. B StandardThis pageThe usual 5-⁠string bass tuning. Notes: B E A D G
  4. B♭ StandardAll strings 1 half step lower. Notes: B flat E flat A flat D flat G flat
  5. A StandardAll strings 2 half steps lower. Notes: A D G C F

Questions

What are the standard 5-string bass notes?

From String 5 to String 1: B0 E1 A1 D2 G2 (B Standard). At A4 = 440 Hz they are 30.87, 41.20, 55.00, 73.42, 98.00 Hz.

Can a phone really tune a low B?

Often not from the open string alone. The harmonic at the 12th fret (61.74 Hz) is much easier, and the ×2 harmonic mode reads it as B0. An audio interface works best of all.

Can I tune my 5-string bass lower or higher?

Yes. Use the ◂ ▸ arrows on the tuning chip to move every string by a half step. One half step down takes about 11% of the tension off; one half step up adds about 12% (approx.).