Open G

The only tuning I am familiar with so far is Open G, the most common tuning for the 5-string banjo. So called because strumming all five strings unfretted, or "open", plays a G chord.

Notes by String

Use this table to determine what note is played at each fret on each string.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

string 1 "D"

D

D# Eb

E

F

F# Gb

G

G# Ab

A

A# Bb

B

C

C# Db

D

D# Eb

E

F

F# Gb

G

G# Ab

A

A# Bb

B

string 2 "B"

B

C

C# Db

D

D# Eb

E

F

F# Gb

G

G# Ab

A

A# Bb

B

C

C# Db

D

D# Eb

E

F

F# Gb

G

G# Ab

string 3 "G"

G

G# Ab

A

A# Bb

B

C

C# Db

D

D# Eb

E

F

F# Gb

G

G# Ab

A

A# Bb

B

C

C# Db

D

D# Eb

E

string 4 "D"

D

D# Eb

E

F

F# Gb

G

G# Ab

A

A# Bb

B

C

C# Db

D

D# Eb

E

F

F# Gb

G

G# Ab

A

A# Bb

B

string 5 "G"

G

G# Ab

A

A# Bb

B

C

C# Db

D

D# Eb

E

F

F# Gb

G

G# Ab

A

A# Bb

B

It appears that strings 1 and 4 are identical. The fact is they are exactly one octave apart. A C note played on fret 10 of string 1 is one octave higher than the C note played on fret 10 of string 4. Strings 1 and 5, however, are identical from fret 6 on up the neck.

Note Lookup

Use this table to determine at which fret a string must be picked to play a given note.

Start by finding the desired note on the "keys" at the bottom of the diagram. Then, move up to one of the five strings. The number at the intersection of the key and the string indicates at which fret the string must be picked to play the desired note. Notice that in many cases, the same note can be played on more than one string.

string 1 "D"															0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22
string 2 "B"												0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
string 3 "G"								0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
string 4 "D"			0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
string 5 "G"																				0	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22
	C	C# Db	D	D# Eb	E	F	F# Gb	G	G# Ab	A	A# Bb	B	C	C# Db	D	D# Eb	E	F	F# Gb	G	G# Ab	A	A# Bb	B	C	C# Db	D	D# Eb	E	F	F# Gb	G	G# Ab	A	A# Bb	B	C