On this page you will find some alternative ways to tune your banjo.....some of them may sound a bit strange at first, especially if you are used to hearing the Open G Tuning.....and for the Beginners...remember the Chords for all these Tunings will be different from the ones you use in the Open G Tuning.

As I have already explained Open G Tuning on the previous page, i wont go over that here. I will presume that you know how to tune your Banjo to Open G....you dont ??? ......what are you doing here then?..... go to the previous page and learn to tune your banjo to Open G before you start dabbling with other Tunings, it will only confuse you.

I find when Tuning the Banjo its always better to lower the pitch of the string below the correct tuning. Then tune the string up to the correct pitch rather than try to lower the string into tune.....but the choice is yours...

Tuning to Double C

From the Open G Tuning......

Find string 4...... hold it down on the 7th fret and lower (slacken) the pitch, until it is the same as string 3....... Now goto string 3 and hold it down on the 5th fret, now raise (tighten) the pitch of string 2..... until strings 3 and 2 are at the same pitch.

String 1 = D

String 2 = C

String 3 = G

String 4 = C

String 5 = G
The Banjo is now tuned to Double C


CLICK TO HEAR DOUBLE C TUNING







Tuning to G Modal

From the Open G Tuning......

Find string 3...... hold it down on the 5th fret now raise (tighten) the pitch of string 2..... until strings 3 and 2 are at the same pitch.

String 1 = D

String 2 = C

String 3 = G

String 4 = D

String 5 = G
The Banjo is now tuned to G Modal


CLICK TO HEAR G MODAL TUNING







Tuning to G Minor

From the Open G Tuning......

Find string 3...... hold it down on the 3rd fret , now lower (slacken) the pitch of string 2 until the 3rd and 2nd strings are at the same pitch.

String 1 = D

String 2 = B b

String 3 = G

String 4 = D

String 5 = G
The Banjo is now tuned to G Minor


CLICK TO HEAR G MINOR TUNING







Tuning to Standard C

From the Open G Tuning......

Find string 4...... hold it down on the 7th fret and lower (slacken) the pitch, until it is the same as string 3.......

String 1 = D

String 2 = B

String 3 = G

String 4 = C

String 5 = G
The Banjo is now tuned to Standard C


CLICK TO HEAR STANDARD C TUNING



These are only a few simple Tunings.....there are many different ways to tune your Banjo, but as these pages are aimed at teaching beginners the basics of banjo playing, i wont even attempt to list them. As you progress from beginner to intermediate, try playing in the various Tunings, it will add another string to your bow, to coin a phrase, many lovely old tunes are done in obscure tunings, if you dont try them you will be losing out.