Online Bass Tuner
Press Start, allow the microphone and play a string. 4-string E A D G is set; 5-string and Drop D are in the Tuning menu.
Press Start and allow the microphone.
Tap a string to hear its note and tune to it by ear.
Bass string notes and frequencies
A 4-string bass is tuned E1 A1 D2 G2, one octave below the four lowest strings of a guitar; the low E is 41.2 Hz. A 5-string bass adds a low B (B0, 30.9 Hz). Play each string open, let it ring, and turn the tuning key until the tuner says In tune.
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | E1 | 41.20 Hz |
| 3rd | A1 | 55.00 Hz |
| 2nd | D2 | 73.42 Hz |
| 1st | G2 | 98.00 Hz |
Frequencies at A4 = 440 Hz; change A4 in the tuner and the table follows.
Other bass guitar tunings in the tuner: Drop D (D1 A1 D2 G2); 5 strings (B0 E1 A1 D2 G2).
Bass tunings
Standard bass tuning E A D G uses the note names of the guitar's four lowest strings, an octave down. Bass parts are written an octave higher than they sound for the same reason, so guitarists and bassists read the same notes.
Those low notes are hard for small microphones. A laptop or phone microphone picks up the low E mostly through its overtones, and many tuners jump an octave. This one reads the fundamental with the YIN method, which still finds 41.2 Hz when the second harmonic is louder. Pluck firmly, mid-string, close to the microphone.
Drop D lowers the E string a whole step to D (D A D G) for riffs on a low D. The 5-string's low B adds five more semitones below the E without retuning.
How to tune a bass guitar
- Press Start tuning and allow the microphone. Put the phone or laptop close to the bass or the amp.
- Play the E string open and let it ring. Too low: tighten the tuning key. Too high: loosen it a little and come back up to the note.
- Tune A, D and G the same way. Auto mode picks the string from the note you play.
- Check every string again; the neck bends slightly as the tension changes.
Playing through an amp or an interface
In a noisy room, play through your amp and hold the microphone near the speaker, or plug the bass into an audio interface and set it as your computer's input. Flatwound and old roundwound strings sound darker; the tuner still reads them because it follows the fundamental, not the brightness of the note.
Bass tuner: frequently asked questions
What are the notes of a bass guitar?
E1, A1, D2 and G2 on a 4-string bass, from the thickest string. At A4 = 440 Hz they are 41.2, 55, 73.4 and 98 Hz. A 5-string adds B0 (30.9 Hz) below the E.
Why does the tuner not show my low E or low B?
Small microphones barely pick up 31–41 Hz. Pluck harder, closer to the microphone, and let the string ring for a second; a headset or external microphone helps. If it still does not read, play through an amp next to the microphone.
Can I use a guitar tuner for a bass?
Yes, any chromatic tuner reads bass notes if its microphone hears them. Choose Bass guitar in the instrument menu so Auto picks the right string.
How do I tune a bass to Drop D?
Choose Drop D in the Tuning menu and lower the E string until the tuner shows D1 In tune. The other three strings stay the same.
Can I tune a double bass with it?
Yes. An orchestral double bass uses the same notes, E1 A1 D2 G2; bow it steadily so the microphone gets a stable note.
Is anything recorded?
No. The sound from the microphone is analysed in your browser while the tuner runs. Nothing is recorded, stored or sent.
Drop D tuning
D A D G B E: only the low E goes down to D.
Ukulele tuner
G C E A, low G, baritone and D tuning.
Cello tuner
C G D A, with A at 440 or 442 Hz.
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