The list contains 8 alternative tunings. Some of them should work with regular string sets, while others might require special gauges.
It's by no means a complete list of course and I'd love to hear of any other great tunings you've come across. Post a message at The message board and I'll pick it up there.
| Name | Pitches | Comments | String gauges | Links |
|---|
Standard tuning(s) |
| Standard | c g b d'| By far the most used tuning for the plectrum banjo. | - 009-010-013-020w (l)
- 010-012-016-024w (m)
| | |
Common tuning(s) |
| Open G | d g b d'| Standard five-string banjo tuning without the fifth string. | - 009-010-013-020w (l)
- 010-012-016-023w (m)
| | |
| Chicago | d g b e'| Like the four highest string of a guitar. | | | |
Other instruments tuning(s) |
| Irish bouzouki | G d a d'| The common Irish bouzouki tuning works fine on a plectrum banjo too. | | | |
| Eddie Freeman Special (EFS) | c g d a| This tuning is sometimes used by tenor guitarists and works fine on the banjo too. It's like the standard tenor banjo/tenor guitar tuning, but with the two "top" strings tuned down an octave! Great for close chords, but not very useful for solo playing. | | | |
Other tuning(s) |
| Eddie Peabody | d a c#' e'| Plectrum banjo legend no. 1, Eddie Peabody tuned his banjo one note higher than standard tuning. This gives the banjo a brighter sound, but makes it harder to play in the keys preferred by horn players. | | | |
| Irish | G d a e'| The common Irish tenor banjo tuning works fine on a plectrum banjo too. | - 010-015-024w-030w (l)
- 011-017-026w-036w (m)
| | |
| Half Eddie | c g d' aSomewhat like the EFS tuning but with only the first string dropped down an octave.
The name is my own invention - cheesy, but I like it. ;-) | | | |
