Press Start, allow the microphone, then play one bass string at a time.
The microphone is read only in your browser. No audio is recorded, saved or uploaded.
Low strings are hard for small microphones. Hold the phone close to the bass or the amp, or play the harmonic at the 12th fret.
About the Bass Tuner
This free bass tuner listens through your microphone. Play a string, and it shows which note you played and how far off it is, in cents. The needle in the middle means the string is right.
The page opens on the 4 string bass (E A D G). The 5 string bass with a low B, the 6 string bass and drop D are in the same list. The tuner shows the octave too: the low E string of a bass is E1, one octave below the low E of a guitar.
It works on a phone, a tablet or a computer, with an acoustic bass, or with an electric bass played unplugged or through an amp. Nothing is recorded.
Features
- Opens on the bass — 4 string E A D G is picked; 5 string, 6 string and drop D are one tap away
- Low notes — reads the deep strings down to the low B of a 5 string bass (about 31 Hz)
- Note, octave and cents — see E1, A1, D2 or G2 and exactly how many cents you are off
- Needle and string list — the needle shows flat or sharp, and the matching string lights up
- Reference pitch — move A4 from 415 to 466 Hz to match a piano or the band
- Remembers your choice — your tuning and reference pitch are saved in this browser
- Private — nothing is recorded, saved or uploaded
Bass tunings and their notes
The strings are listed from the lowest (thickest) to the highest. Frequencies are for A4 = 440 Hz.
| Tuning | Notes | Frequencies |
|---|---|---|
| 4 string (standard) | E1 A1 D2 G2 | 41.20 · 55.00 · 73.42 · 98.00 Hz |
| 5 string | B0 E1 A1 D2 G2 | 30.87 · 41.20 · 55.00 · 73.42 · 98.00 Hz |
| Drop D | D1 A1 D2 G2 | 36.71 · 55.00 · 73.42 · 98.00 Hz |
| 6 string | B0 E1 A1 D2 G2 C3 | 30.87 · 41.20 · 55.00 · 73.42 · 98.00 · 130.81 Hz |
The four strings of a standard bass are the same notes as the four lowest strings of a guitar, one octave lower. For drop D, only the E string goes down two semitones, to D. A double bass (upright bass) is usually tuned like the 4 string bass, E A D G.
Low notes and small microphones
A phone or laptop microphone is small. It hears the deepest part of a bass note only weakly, so the low B and the low E can be harder to read than the G string. These tips help:
- Get close — hold the phone near the neck end of the body, or near the amp speaker
- Use the 12th fret harmonic — touch the string lightly above the 12th fret and pluck. The note sounds one octave higher and is much easier to read. The tuner then shows E2 instead of E1: the same note one octave up, so you tune it just the same
- Pluck in the middle, with the soft side of your finger, not with a hard pick near the bridge
- Mute the other strings with your other hand, so only one string rings
- Keep the amp clean — turn off distortion and other effects while you tune
Tune by ear or with the microphone
With the microphone (this page) you see the answer. It works in a noisy rehearsal room and you do not need a good ear.
By ear, tune the E string first (with this tuner, a piano or a reference note), then use the 5th fret method:
- Press the E string at the 5th fret — it should sound like the open A string
- Press the A string at the 5th fret — it should sound like the open D string
- Press the D string at the 5th fret — it should sound like the open G string
- On a 5 string bass, the open E string should sound like the B string at the 5th fret
Many bass players also use harmonics: the harmonic at the 5th fret of one string and the harmonic at the 7th fret of the next string should sound the same. Turn the peg until the wobble ("beating") between the two notes stops.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tune a bass with this tuner?
Press Start and allow the microphone. Play the low E string and look at the needle. Left means too low: tighten the string. Right means too high: loosen it. Stop when it says *In tune*, then tune A, D and G the same way.
Can I tune a 5 string bass?
Yes. Pick Bass — 5 string (B E A D G). The low B is about 31 Hz. If the tuner does not read it well, play the harmonic at the 12th fret, or move the phone closer.
How do I tune to drop D?
Pick Bass — drop D (D A D G) and tune only the lowest string down until the tuner shows D1 and *In tune*. The other three strings stay the same.
Can I tune an electric bass without an amp?
Yes, but an unplugged electric bass is quiet. Put the phone very close to the strings, or play through the amp at a low volume with no effects.
Why does the tuner show a different octave?
The tuner names the note it hears, with its octave. A harmonic at the 12th fret sounds one octave higher, so the E string shows E2 instead of E1. The note name is what matters for tuning.
Is anything recorded?
No. The sound is measured in your browser and thrown away straight away. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Related tools
- Guitar Tuner — tune a guitar with the same tuner
- Chromatic Tuner — name any note you play or sing
- Ukulele Tuner — G C E A, low G and baritone
- Metronome — lock in with a steady click
- BPM Finder — find the tempo of a song to play along
How to use it
- Bass — 4 string (E A D G) is already picked; choose 5 string, 6 string or drop D if you need it
- Press Start and allow the microphone when the browser asks
- Play one open string, mute the others, and let it ring
- Read the note and the needle — left is too low, right is too high
- Tighten the string when it is too low and loosen it when it is too high, until it says *In tune*
- Do the next string, then check all strings once more
- Press Stop when you are done, to turn the microphone off
