Bass tuning notes — and why the octave display matters
A 4-string bass is tuned E1–A1–D2–G2: the same letters as a guitar’s bottom four strings, one octave lower. A 5-string adds the mighty B0 at 30.87 Hz below that. Down here, letters alone are not enough — E1 and E2 both read “E,” a full octave apart — so keep an eye on the little octave number while you tune.
- E14th string · lowest41.20 Hz
- A13rd string55.00 Hz
- D22nd string73.42 Hz
- G21st string98.00 Hz
Fair warning: laptop and phone speakers barely reproduce these fundamentals — the tones will sound thin here even though your bass won’t. Headphones help.
Tuning a bass by microphone
- Start the tuner above and get close to the mic. Low frequencies carry less energy into small microphones than you’d expect from how loud they feel.
- Pluck near the neck, not the bridge. A neck-side pluck emphasizes the fundamental over the growl of upper harmonics, giving the tuner a cleaner note to read.
- Let each note breathe. A bass string takes a moment to settle into its pitch after the attack. Pluck once, wait a beat, read the dial where it stabilizes.
- Tune E → A → D → G (add the B first on a 5-string), approaching each note from below, then make a quick second pass.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the tuner sometimes show E2 when I play my open E?
The tuner is momentarily latching onto the string’s second harmonic, which is genuinely present in the sound and often louder than the fundamental right after the attack. Wait for the sustain, pluck closer to the neck, or use the 12th-fret harmonic trick above — all three feed the tuner a clearer fundamental. There’s more on why this happens in how tuners actually work.
Can I tune a bass down to D or drop D?
Yes — drop D on a bass means taking just the E string down a whole step to D1 (36.71 Hz). The chromatic dial reads it like any other note. Heavier gauge strings help if you stay dropped permanently; a floppy detuned E is the main complaint.
Does this work for an upright / double bass?
It does — an upright is tuned to the same E1–A1–D2–G2. Bow the string if you can rather than plucking; the sustained bowed tone gives the tuner a much longer, steadier note to read than pizzicato.