Online double bass tuner

Double bass string notes

Frequencies are calculated with the reference A at 440 Hz. If your group tunes to a different reference, such as 442 Hz, adjust it with the − and + buttons next to “A = 440 Hz” and the tuner shifts every note.

Orchestral tuning and solo tuning

Unlike the violin, viola and cello, the double bass is tuned in fourths. Orchestral tuning is E1, A1, D2 and G2; its E string vibrates at just 41.2 Hz. Many soloists use solo tuning, a whole step higher (F♯, B, E, A), with strings made for that tension. Some orchestral basses also have an extension or a fifth string to reach lower.

Tuning with harmonics

It's the method most double bassists use, because harmonics sound higher and clearer than open strings. The harmonic at a quarter of a string's length (two octaves up) should sound the same as the harmonic at a third of the next higher string. For example, that harmonic on the E string gives an E3, the same as the harmonic at a third of the A string.

With this tuner you can also play the harmonic at the middle of the string: it recognizes it as the same string and tells you it sounds an octave higher.

Tuning pegs, strings and temperature

Double bass tuners are geared machines, so they don't slip back like violin pegs; even so, a quarter turn moves the note quite a bit, so turn them slowly. Long, thick strings are slow to react to temperature changes: if you take the instrument from a cold place to a warm one, let it acclimate for a few minutes before tuning. When playing pizzicato, pluck with the pad of your finger, not the nail, so the attack is steady and the tuner reads the note without jumping.

How to tune your double bass with this tuner

1. Tap Enable microphone and accept the browser's permission request. The sound is analyzed on your device: it isn't recorded or sent anywhere.
2. Leave the tuner on Auto so it recognizes which string you're playing, or tap a note to lock it (tap it again to go back to Auto).
3. Play a single open string with medium force and let it ring.
4. If the needle is to the left, the note is flat: tune up. If it's to the right, tune down. Anywhere between −5 and +5 cents counts as in tune.
5. Once a string stays in tune for a moment, its button gets a green check mark. Keep going until every string has one.
6. Use the speaker icon under each note to hear the reference and train your ear.
7. Go over every string again at the end: the tension of some strings shifts the others slightly.

Tips for tuning your double bass

• Harmonics make tuning easier: lightly play the harmonic at the midpoint of the string and tune that note, which is an octave higher and easier to read.
• Bring the microphone close to the instrument: phones struggle to pick up very low frequencies.
• Check the bridge after tuning; with so much tension, it can start to lean.
• Tune with the double bass in playing position: resting on the floor and against your body, just as you'll play it.

Common tuning problems

• The needle jumps between notes: play a single string, a little more softly, and wait for the sound to settle. The first instant of every note always sounds slightly sharp.
• It doesn't pick up the low strings: phone microphones struggle with low frequencies. Hold your phone closer to the instrument or play the harmonic at the middle of the string (12th fret): the tuner recognizes it as the same string and tells you it sounds an octave higher.
• The open strings are in tune, but what you play sounds off: check that no string is in the wrong octave and that your strings aren't old. If it still sounds wrong, ask your teacher or a luthier to check the instrument's intonation.
• It goes out of tune right away: new strings keep stretching for several days, and changes in temperature and humidity shift the tuning. Tune in the same place where you're going to play.
• The browser doesn't ask for the microphone: check the site permissions in your browser settings and make sure no other app is using the microphone.

Frequently asked questions