Bass Tuner

Bass Tuner tunes a 4-string bass to E A D G or a 5-string bass to B E A D G with your microphone. The needle shows how many cents you are off, the note name and the frequency, and you can click a string to hear its reference note. Pitch is detected on your device and nothing is recorded.

How to tune your bass

1. The tuner opens set to Bass, 4 strings. For a 5-string bass, choose Bass, 5 strings in the list.
2. Click Start tuning and allow the microphone.
3. Pluck one open string firmly and let it ring.
4. Tighten the string when the tuner says too low, loosen it when it says too high, until the needle is green.
5. Repeat for each string, then check them all once more.

Bass strings and frequencies

Getting a steady reading on low strings

Bass notes are so low that small built-in microphones hear mostly their overtones, which can make the needle wander. These habits help:

• Pluck with the finger, not a pick, over the neck end of the pickups for a round, steady tone.
• Let the note settle. The first moment after plucking is sharp; read the needle a second later.
• Use the 12th-fret harmonic. Touch the string lightly right above the 12th fret and pluck: you get the same note one octave higher, which microphones pick up much more easily.
• Mute the other strings with your fretting hand so only one rings.
• Bring the mic close to the amplifier speaker or the strings, and turn the room quiet.

If a string is far off, for example a new set or after drop tuning, click that string in the tuner so it does not jump to a neighbouring string, and tune up to the note from below.

Drop D and other tunings on bass

For Drop D on a 4-string bass, tune the E string down two semitones to D (36.7 Hz). Switch the tuner to Chromatic and lower the string until it shows D. Chromatic mode also works for any other bass tuning, as it shows the nearest note of whatever you play.

Practise in time

Once you are in tune, lock in with the Metronome, and slow down a bass line you are learning with Change Audio Speed.