The banjo is a very old traditional musical instrument that is used to play country music, jazz, bluegrass and other musical forms. The most common and oldest versions have four or five strings but in the mid 19th century a British designer crafted the first 6-string banjo that is equally as charming. Most people find this version agreeable to play and enjoy it for the distinct banjo sound. Here is a simple guideline of how to tune a 6-string banjo.
To make things easier, you need to use an electronic tuner. Get one with a clip to attach to the headstock of the instrument for better sound capture and faster tuning. Sit at a position where you can comfortably pluck the strings and see the display of the tuner at the same time.
The 6-string hybrid is tuned just like the guitar to the notes E-A-D-G-B-E and in essence the usual guitar tuner can be used. Once you are comfortable, switch on the tuner and get prepared to pluck the chords and monitor the display. The thickest and lowest note is usually the first one to be tuned and this is done to match the note E. Pluck the chord rhythmically and see if the display reads E. If the display shows a tendency towards the note D then the string needs some tightening to raise the pitch.
The first chord to tune is the lowest and the thickest of the six which is tuned to E. Pluck it repeatedly and note if it is tuned properly. If it tends towards D then it is too low and you need to tighten the peg to increase the pitch. If the dial indicates a pitch towards F then the string needs to be loosened a little at the peg for that is higher than required. At the right tension the display will read E when the string is plucked and at that point the string is tuned.
The second chord is supposed to be tuned A. Be careful to always loosen the peg slightly before tuning a string so as to avoid creating nodes as the wire stretches. The same procedure you followed to tune the first string applies to the second one as well.
Having succeeded in that move on to the third wire and peg it until it hits the note D. Follow the same procedure for all the other strings and finally tune the sixth wire to a high E. When you are turning the pegs try to do it gently and slowly until you achieve correct note without forming nodes.
If you have a microphone set connected to your PC and a good Internet connection you can tune your banjo online nowadays. Follow the instructions provided in the tuning websites and you are good to go. You can also purchase tuners that come preloaded with easy to use instructions and with time you will be tuning your instrument easily as you play.
To make things easier, you need to use an electronic tuner. Get one with a clip to attach to the headstock of the instrument for better sound capture and faster tuning. Sit at a position where you can comfortably pluck the strings and see the display of the tuner at the same time.
The 6-string hybrid is tuned just like the guitar to the notes E-A-D-G-B-E and in essence the usual guitar tuner can be used. Once you are comfortable, switch on the tuner and get prepared to pluck the chords and monitor the display. The thickest and lowest note is usually the first one to be tuned and this is done to match the note E. Pluck the chord rhythmically and see if the display reads E. If the display shows a tendency towards the note D then the string needs some tightening to raise the pitch.
The first chord to tune is the lowest and the thickest of the six which is tuned to E. Pluck it repeatedly and note if it is tuned properly. If it tends towards D then it is too low and you need to tighten the peg to increase the pitch. If the dial indicates a pitch towards F then the string needs to be loosened a little at the peg for that is higher than required. At the right tension the display will read E when the string is plucked and at that point the string is tuned.
The second chord is supposed to be tuned A. Be careful to always loosen the peg slightly before tuning a string so as to avoid creating nodes as the wire stretches. The same procedure you followed to tune the first string applies to the second one as well.
Having succeeded in that move on to the third wire and peg it until it hits the note D. Follow the same procedure for all the other strings and finally tune the sixth wire to a high E. When you are turning the pegs try to do it gently and slowly until you achieve correct note without forming nodes.
If you have a microphone set connected to your PC and a good Internet connection you can tune your banjo online nowadays. Follow the instructions provided in the tuning websites and you are good to go. You can also purchase tuners that come preloaded with easy to use instructions and with time you will be tuning your instrument easily as you play.
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Have a sneak peek at our review on how to tune a 6-String Banjo for great advice on where to buy 6-string banjo online and features of a Dean Banjitar
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