The list contains 37 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 |
|---|
Common tuning(s) |
| Standard | c g d' a'| Same tuning as the alto mandola, the viola and the tenor guitar. Commonly used by jazz banjoists, but also occasionally by Irish tenor banjoists and others as well. | - 009-013-022-028 (l)
- 009-016-023-030 (ml)
- 010-015-024-030 (m)
| | |
| Irish | G d a e'Same as the tenor mandola and low-tuned tenor guitar. This is the tuning most commonly used by Irish tenor banjoists, but it is not just for Irish music. Jazz banjo veteran Elmer Snowden used it for his epic "Harlem banjo" record and as early as mid 1930s (possibly even before that) the French even had different names for the instrument depending on whether it was tuned CGDA or GDAE.
The low tuning gives the tenor banjo a quieter and mellower sound, very well suited for blues and folk music as well (try playing with a bottleneck!) You can also emulate a five-string banjo reasonably well with a Irish tuned tenor. | - 010-015-024-034 (l)
- 011-016-026-036 (m)
- 012-017-028-040 (mh)
- 012/013-018-028-036 (h)
- 013-020-030-040 (xh)
| | |
| Chicago | d g b e'| Also called "guitar tuning". Same as the four highest string of a guitar. This tuning is mostly associated with the plectrum banjo but is also used by the tenor banjo. | - 011-014-020w-026w (xl)
- 011-014-022-030 (l)
- 012-016-024w-032w (m)
- 013 017 026w 035w (sh)
| | |
Fifths tuning(s) |
| D tuning | d a e' b'A whole tone above standard tuning! During the 1920s and 1930s jazz tenor banjoists tended to tune their instruments in fifths, but the exact pitch seems to have varied. There are rumours of even higher tunings than this.
WARNING! This tuning is intended for a short scale tenor banjo. Although there's no law against it, you'll have to be prepared for lots and lots of broken strings if you try tuning a long scale tenor this high. | | | |
| Dd tuning | db ab eb' bb'| Allegedly a fairly common 1920s/30s jazz banjo tuning. I'd say this is about as far as you can get with a long scale tenor banjo. | | | |
| Bb tuning | bb f c' g'| One note below standard tuning. A bit easier on the top string than standard tuning and also slightly more suitable for common jazz keys. | | | |
| F tuning | F d g d'| One note below Irish tuning. I haven't heard of anybody using this tuning on a banjo, but it is occasionally used for the tenor guitar. | | | |
Other instruments tuning(s) |
| Eddie Freeman Special (EFS) | c g d a| Standard tuning with the two highest strings tuned one octave down. | | | |
Other tuning(s) |
| High C | c' g d' a'| Standard tuning with the fourth string tuned one octave up. | | | |
| High G | g d a e'| Irish tuning with the fourth string tuned one octave up. | | | |
| DADA | d a d' a'| Sometimes called "open D" tuning. Nice for music with lots of drone notes. | | | |
| D major | d a d' f#'| From Miroslav Patek. Strings tuned in a D major chord. | | | |
| D minor | d a d' f'| From Miroslav Patek. Strings tuned in a D minor chord. | | | |
| DGDA | d g d' a'| Standard tuning with the fourth string raised one note up to a d. Somebody suggested it on the Irish banjo message board and it looks like a really good idea for Irish playing. It makes the rather commonly used low d, e and f sharp easier and you hardly ever need to go below the low d anyway. | | | |
| DGDG | d g d' g'| Miroslav Patek calls this "open G" tuning. Nice for music with lots of drone notes and also for fingerpicking the tenor. | | | |
| Bouzouki | d g b d'| Strings tuned in a G major chord. Often used for the Irish bouzouki. Identical to the plectrum banjo's D tuning. | - 012-014-022-030 ?
- 013-016-024-032 ?
| | |
| G minor | d g bb d'| Strings tuned in a G minor chord. I don't know if anybody's actually ever tried this tuning, but it looks like a good idea. | | | |
| Modal | d g a d'| Also called bouzouki tuning - another popular tuning for the Irish bouzouki. "Modal guitar tuning" without the two lowest strings. | - 012-016-022-030 ?
- 013-018-024-032 ?
| | |
| C bouzouki | c g d' g'| I got this from Miroslav Patek and don't really know anything about it. Looks interesting though. | | | |
| CGCG | c g c' g'| Sometimes called "open C" tuning. Nice for music with lots of drone notes. | | | |
| C major | c g c' e'| Strings tuned in a C major chord. I don't know if anybody's actually ever tried this tuning, but it looks like a good idea. | | | |
| C minor | c g c' eb'| Strings tuned in a C minor chord. I don't know if anybody's actually ever tried this tuning, but it looks like a good idea. | | | |
| Plectrum | c g b d'| Same as plectrum banjo standard tuning. | | | |
| F major | c f a c'| Strings tuned in a G major chord. I don't know if anybody's actually ever tried this tuning, but it looks like a good idea. | | | |
| F minor | c f ab c'| Strings tuned in a F minor chord. I don't know if anybody's actually ever tried this tuning, but it looks like a good idea. | | | |
| AEAE | A e a e'| Sometimes called "open A" tuning. Nice for music with lots of drone notes. | | | |
| A major | A e a c#'| From Miroslav Patek. Strings tuned in a A major chord. | | | |
| A minor | A e a c'| From Miroslav Patek. Strings tuned in a A minor chord. | | | |
| ADAD | A d a d'| From Miroslav Patek. Sometimes called "open D" tuning. Nice for music with lots of drone notes. | | | |
| Low G | G g d' g'| A variant of the low D tuning. | | | |
| G bouzouki | G d a d'| I got this from Miroslav Patek and don't really know anything about it. Looks interesting though. | | | |
| GDGD | G d g d'| Sometimes called "open G" tuning. Nice for music with lots of drone notes. | | | |
| Low G major | G d g b| Strings tuned in a G major chord. I don't know if anybody's actually ever tried this tuning, but it looks like a good idea. | | | |
| Low G minor | G d g bb| Strings tuned in a G minor chord. I don't know if anybody's actually ever tried this tuning, but it seems like a good idea. | | | |
| GCAE | G c a e'| "Low G ukulele tuning". | | | |
| Low D | D d a d'| With a really low tuned fourth string. I've never tried it on the banjo, but it's wonderful on a mandolin. Keep the tune on the middle strings as much as possible, use the outer strings as drones and thrash out! The tuning is also useful for softer, dulcimer style, music with the tune mostly on the top string. | | | |
| 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. ;-) | | | |
