| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | B0 | 30.87 Hz |
| 4 | E1 | 41.20 Hz |
| 3 | A1 | 55.00 Hz |
| 2 | D2 | 73.42 Hz |
| 1 | G2 | 98.00 Hz |
Start with the low B
On a 5-string, tune the B first and work upwards. At 30.87 Hz one cycle of the B lasts about 32 milliseconds, and the tuner needs several of them before it trusts a reading, so it waits a moment longer than on the other strings. Keep the string ringing and read the needle once it has settled; while the note dies away the tuner keeps showing its last clear reading instead of guessing. If another string rings along, tap the B0 button so everything the tuner hears is measured against the B.
Cross-checking B against E
Each string of a 5-string bass sits a perfect fourth (5 semitones) above the one below it, so the B string held at the 5th fret plays E1, the same note as the open E string. Once both read green here, fret the B at the 5th fret and pluck it together with the open E: they should ring as one note without a slow wobble. With the tuner in Auto, the fretted note shows as E1 and its cents, a quick way to check the B string’s intonation as well as its tuning.
Through an amp or acoustically
The steadiest low B comes from a short distance in front of the amp’s speaker. Unplugged, a solid-body bass is quiet, so hold the phone or laptop close to the strings over the pickups. The tuner asks the browser to switch off its echo cancellation, noise suppression and auto gain, which are made for voices and can muddy a low note.
For a 4-string, or for Drop D on bass, use the bass tuner.