5-string bass tuning · A E A D G

5-string bass Drop A tuner.

A E A D G: String 5 dropped to A0. Tune with your mic or by ear, at A4 = 440 or any pitch you need.

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…

A 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

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Tap Start, then pluck any string.

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Strings · tap to hear

5-string bass · Drop tuning

About 5-string bass Drop A

B Standard with String 5 dropped a whole step, to A0: A E A D G. Drop tunings make a power chord from one finger across the lowest three strings, so heavy riffs get easier to play.

Drop A on a 5-string bass takes the low B down to A0, 27.50 Hz: the same note as the lowest key on a piano.

Also written: AEADG

How to get there from standard

  • String 5: lower a whole step (B0 → A0)
  • String 4: no change (E1)
  • String 3: no change (A1)
  • String 2: no change (D2)
  • String 1: no change (G2)

5 strings

Notes and frequencies

5-string bass Drop A: notes and frequencies in Hz at three common A4 references
StringNoteA = 440A = 432A = 442
5A027.5027.0027.63
4E141.2040.4541.39
3A155.0054.0055.25
2D273.4272.0873.75
1G298.0096.2298.44

The tuner on this page works at any A4 from 300 to 600 Hz, and can shift the whole tuning by half steps or fine cents.

Low notes. The lowest string here is A0 at 27.50 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.

Measured

How the tuner hears A0

5-string bass Drop A goes down to A0 on String 5, 27.50 Hz. A phone mic hears A0 faintly: in our phone-mic model its fundamental arrives 22 dB quieter. Read from its overtones, A0 stayed within 2 ¢.

How the tuner listens →

String tension

Strings and tension

String 5: about 21% less tension (approx., same strings, same scale length).

Most players keep their usual strings for this. If the lowest string feels floppy or buzzes, go one gauge heavier on that string only.

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

Neighboring tunings

Higher tunings first. Each rung moves every string of 5-string bass Drop A by a half step; in the tuner, the ◂ ▸ arrows on the tuning chip do the same.

  1. Drop BDrop A, 2 half steps higher. Notes: B F sharp B E A
  2. Drop B♭Drop A, 1 half step higher. Notes: B flat F B flat E flat A flat
  3. Drop AThis pageLow string down to A. Notes: A E A D G
  4. Drop A♭Drop A, 1 half step lower. Notes: A flat E flat A flat D flat G flat
  5. Drop GDrop A, 2 half steps lower. Notes: G D G C F

Questions

What are the notes of 5-string bass Drop A?

From String 5 to String 1: A0 E1 A1 D2 G2. At A4 = 440 Hz the lowest string is 27.50 Hz and the highest is 98.00 Hz.

How is 5-string bass Drop A different from A Standard?

A Standard lowers all five strings a whole step (A D G C F). 5-string bass Drop A takes only String 5 that low; the other strings stay at B Standard (E A D G).

Can I use 5-string bass Drop A at A = 432 or 442?

Yes. Tap the A 440 chip and choose 432 or 442, or type any value. String 5 is 27.00 Hz at A = 432 and 27.63 Hz at A = 442.