Bass Reference Tones – Tune Your Bass by Ear

Play a string

Tap a string to hear its note, tap again to stop. No microphone needed.

4-string (E A D G)

5-string (B E A D G)

6-string (B E A D G C)

Drop D (D A D G)

D standard (D G C F)

Half step down (Eb Ab Db Gb)

Drop C (C G C F)

Volume

Loop every 4 seconds Play one octave higher (for small speakers)

These bass reference tones play the exact note of each open string, so you can tune by ear without a microphone. Standard 4-string notes are E1 at 41.20 Hz, A1 at 55.00 Hz, D2 at 73.42 Hz and G2 at 98.00 Hz. Use headphones or a good speaker for the lowest notes.

Bass tunings and frequencies, A4 = 440 Hz
Tuning	String 6	String 5	String 4	String 3	String 2	String 1
4-string	–	–	E1 41.20 Hz	A1 55.00 Hz	D2 73.42 Hz	G2 98.00 Hz
5-string	–	B0 30.87 Hz	E1 41.20 Hz	A1 55.00 Hz	D2 73.42 Hz	G2 98.00 Hz
6-string	B0 30.87 Hz	E1 41.20 Hz	A1 55.00 Hz	D2 73.42 Hz	G2 98.00 Hz	C3 130.81 Hz
Drop D	–	–	D1 36.71 Hz	A1 55.00 Hz	D2 73.42 Hz	G2 98.00 Hz
D standard	–	–	D1 36.71 Hz	G1 49.00 Hz	C2 65.41 Hz	F2 87.31 Hz
Half step down	–	–	Eb1 38.89 Hz	Ab1 51.91 Hz	Db2 69.30 Hz	Gb2 92.50 Hz
Drop C	–	–	C1 32.70 Hz	G1 49.00 Hz	C2 65.41 Hz	F2 87.31 Hz

Tips for tuning by ear

Start from a string that is slightly flat and tune up to the tone.
Listen for beating, the slow wobble when two notes are close but not equal. Slower wobble means closer.
If the low notes are hard to judge, compare the 12th-fret harmonic or 12th-fret note of the string with the octave-higher tone.
When you have a microphone, the bass tuner is faster and more precise.

Questions and answers

Why can I barely hear the low notes?

Phone and laptop speakers cannot play notes as low as 31 to 41 Hz. Use headphones or a speaker with a woofer, or tick “Play one octave higher” to hear the same note name an octave up. Match your string to the lower tone when you can.

How do I tune by ear with these tones?

Play a tone and the same open string together. If you hear a slow wobble (beating), the two are slightly apart. Turn the peg slowly; as the wobble gets slower you are getting closer, and when it stops the string is in tune.

Are the tones exact?

Each tone is synthesised in your browser at the exact frequency shown, based on A4 = 440 Hz. No sound files are downloaded.

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Last updated October 23, 2026.