Bass guitar tuning is E, A, D, G, from the 4th string to the 1st string, with the pitches E1, A1, D2, and G2. The strings are tuned in fourths, five semitones apart, and the frequencies are 41.20 Hz, 55 Hz, 73.42 Hz, and 98 Hz, and the tuning is the foundation of all bass playing.
What is bass guitar tuning?
Bass guitar tuning is E, A, D, G, from the 4th string to the 1st string, with the pitches E1, A1, D2, and G2. The strings are tuned in fourths, five semitones apart, and the frequencies are 41.20 Hz, 55 Hz, 73.42 Hz, and 98 Hz, and the tuning is the foundation of all bass playing, because every bass line, every chord, and every song is built on it, and the bass is the lowest instrument, and the tuning is the lowest notes, and the bass gives the music its foundation. The bass is tuned an octave below the guitar, because the bass is the low voice, and the guitar is the middle voice, and the bass notes are the roots, and the guitar notes are the chords, and the two together make the music full, with the bass and the treble, and the harmony in between. The bass has four strings, E, A, D, G, and the guitar has six, E, A, D, G, B, E, and the bass strings are the same as the guitar's lowest four, but an octave lower, and the bass is the guitar's low brother, and the tuning is the same, in fourths, and the bass is easier to learn, because it has fewer strings, and the notes are the roots. The bass chord finder finds the notes of any bass chord, and the note frequency calculator shows the pitch of any note.
How bass guitar tuning works
Bass guitar tuning works because the strings are tuned in fourths, five semitones apart, so the intervals are the same, between every pair of strings, and the fretboard is regular, and the shapes are the same, moved to the root, and the bass line is easy to play, because the patterns repeat, and the hand knows the shapes. The 4th string is E1, 41.20 Hz, and the 3rd string is A1, 55 Hz, a perfect 4th above E, five semitones, and the 2nd string is D2, 73.42 Hz, a perfect 4th above A, five semitones, and the 1st string is G2, 98 Hz, a perfect 4th above D, five semitones, and the tuning is E, A, D, G, and the intervals are perfect 4th, perfect 4th, perfect 4th, and the pattern is the tuning. The bass is tuned in fourths, not in fourths and a major 3rd, like the guitar, because the bass does not play chords, it plays single notes, and the regular tuning makes the patterns simple, and the bass line is the roots, and the arpeggios, and the scales, and the tuning is the foundation, and the bass player learns the fretboard, by the fourths, and the notes are the same, in every position, moved to the root. The C major bass chord and the G major bass chord are the chords the tuning is built on.
Worked example — the notes of bass tuning. The 4th string is E1, 41.20 Hz, and the 3rd string is A1, 55 Hz, which is a perfect 4th above E, five semitones, because E plus five semitones is A, and the 2nd string is D2, 73.42 Hz, which is a perfect 4th above A, five semitones, because A plus five semitones is D, and the 1st string is G2, 98 Hz, which is a perfect 4th above D, five semitones, because D plus five semitones is G, and the tuning is E, A, D, G, and the intervals are perfect 4th, perfect 4th, perfect 4th, and the pattern is the bass tuning, and the key of E major is the key the tuning is built on.
How to practise bass guitar tuning
Practise bass tuning by tuning your bass every day, and by learning the notes of the open strings, so the tuning becomes a habit, and the notes are known without looking.
- Tune your bass every day, and check the tuning by playing the open strings, E, A, D, G, and listening for them to be in tune.
- Learn the notes of the open strings, E1, A1, D2, G2, and their frequencies, 41.20, 55, 73.42, and 98 Hz, with the note frequency calculator.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major on bass, playing the root of each chord, and listening for the bass to be in tune, and the harmony to change.
- Practise tuning by ear, using the 5th fret method, and check your tuning with a tuner, to see how close the ear tuning was.
- Learn the intervals between the strings, perfect 4th, perfect 4th, perfect 4th, and play them on two strings, listening for the interval.
Common mistakes
- Tuning the strings in the wrong order — The strings should be tuned from the 4th to the 1st, or from the 1st to the 4th, in order, so the tuning is systematic, and no string is forgotten. Tuning in a random order will make the bass out of tune, because a string will be missed.
- Not checking the tuning after playing — The strings go out of tune as they are played, because the tension changes, and the bass should be checked, and retuned, regularly, especially after a song, or after a bend, or after a capo is used.
- Tuning to the wrong octave — The 4th string is E1, and the 1st string is G2, and tuning the 4th string to E2 will break it, because the tension will be too high, and tuning the 1st string to G1 will make it too loose, and it will buzz. Check the octave, and tune the string to the right pitch, not just the right note.
Quick reference
This table shows the bass tuning, with the string, the note, the frequency, and the interval to the next string, so you can see the tuning at a glance. The strings are tuned in fourths, five semitones apart, and the pattern is the bass tuning, and the intervals are the same, between every pair of strings.
| String | Note | Frequency | Interval to next string |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th string | E1 | 41.20 Hz | Perfect 4th |
| 3rd string | A1 | 55 Hz | Perfect 4th |
| 2nd string | D2 | 73.42 Hz | Perfect 4th |
| 1st string | G2 | 98 Hz | — |
Use the table to learn the bass tuning: memorise the notes, E, A, D, G, and the frequencies, and the intervals, and tune your bass to them, every day. When you can name the note and the frequency of any open string, without looking, you have learned the bass tuning, and the bass is yours.
Frequently asked questions
What is bass guitar tuning?
Bass guitar tuning is E, A, D, G, from the 4th string to the 1st string, with the pitches E1, A1, D2, and G2, and the frequencies 41.20 Hz, 55 Hz, 73.42 Hz, and 98 Hz, and the tuning is the foundation of all bass playing.
Why is the bass tuned in fourths?
Because the bass plays single notes, not chords, and the regular tuning makes the patterns simple, and the bass line is the roots, and the arpeggios, and the scales, and the tuning is the foundation, and the bass player learns the fretboard, by the fourths.
Is the bass tuned an octave below the guitar?
Yes. The bass strings are the same as the guitar's lowest four strings, E, A, D, G, but an octave lower, so the bass is E1, A1, D2, G2, and the guitar is E2, A2, D3, G3, and the bass is the low voice, and the guitar is the middle voice.
How often should I tune my bass?
Every time you play, and during playing, when the strings go out of tune, because the tension changes, and the bass should be checked, and retuned, regularly, especially after a song.
What is the frequency of the open bass strings?
E1 is 41.20 Hz, A1 is 55 Hz, D2 is 73.42 Hz, and G2 is 98 Hz, and the frequencies double every octave, so E2 is 82.41 Hz, and E3 is 164.81 Hz.