G tuning drone
A steady G to tune and practise against — G3 196.0 Hz at A = 440
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The G drone is an open string on more instruments than any other note — violin, viola, cello, guitar, bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo — which makes a G drone the most-used string-tuning reference after A.
At the standard A = 440 Hz, G4 is 392.0 Hz; each octave down halves that (G3 is 196.0 Hz, G2 is 98.00 Hz) and each octave up doubles it (G5 is 784.0 Hz). Orchestras that tune to A = 442 hear every G a little higher — the table below gives both.
Press Play drone above and tune or play against G: match the pitch until the beating disappears, then hold long notes, scales and intervals over it. Pick the octave nearest your instrument — G2 or G3 for cello, bass and guitar, G3 or G4 for violin, voice and winds — and add the fifth for a fuller reference.
G in every octave
Frequencies in hertz at the three reference pitches you are likely to meet: baroque A = 415, the standard A = 440, and A = 442 used by many orchestras.
| Note | A = 415 | A = 440 | A = 442 |
|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | 46.22 Hz | 49.00 Hz | 49.22 Hz |
| G2 | 92.43 Hz | 98.00 Hz | 98.44 Hz |
| G3 | 184.9 Hz | 196.0 Hz | 196.9 Hz |
| G4 | 369.7 Hz | 392.0 Hz | 393.8 Hz |
| G5 | 739.4 Hz | 784.0 Hz | 787.6 Hz |
| G6 | 1478.9 Hz | 1568.0 Hz | 1575.1 Hz |
Instruments tuned to G
Open strings and tuning notes on G. Set the drone to the same octave and tune until the beating stops.
- Violin — G string (4th) (G3)
- Viola — G string (3rd) (G3)
- Cello — G string (3rd) (G2)
- Guitar — 3rd string (G3)
- Bass guitar — 1st string (G2)
- Ukulele — G string (4th) (G4)
- Mandolin — G course (4th) (G3)
- Double bass — G string (1st) (G2)
- 5-string banjo — 3rd string (and the high 5th string, G4) (G3)
Tuning a guitar or bass? The guitar tuner listens to the string and shows how far it is from G in cents; come back to the drone to train your ear to hear that difference without a needle.
Scales to practise over a G drone
Each opens on the scale finder, lit up on the keyboard, so you can hear the notes before you play them against the drone.
Frequently asked questions
- What frequency is G?
- At the standard reference of A = 440 Hz, G4 is 392.0 Hz, G3 is 196.0 Hz and G2 is 98.00 Hz. Each octave doubles or halves the frequency. At A = 442 every G is about 0.8% higher.
- Which instruments tune to G?
- Violin (G string (4th), G3); Viola (G string (3rd), G3); Cello (G string (3rd), G2); Guitar (3rd string, G3); Bass guitar (1st string, G2); Ukulele (G string (4th), G4); Mandolin (G course (4th), G3); Double bass (G string (1st), G2); 5-string banjo (3rd string (and the high 5th string, G4), G3). Play the drone in the matching octave and tune until the beating between the string and the drone stops.
- Which octave of G should I use?
- The one nearest what you play. Cello, bass and guitar sit comfortably against G2 or G3; violin, viola, voice and most wind instruments against G3 or G4. A lower drone is easier to hear beating against; a higher one is closer to a melody line.
- How do I practise intonation with a G drone?
- Start the drone, play G yourself and adjust until the wavering (beating) disappears. Then play the G major scale slowly, listening for each note to lock in against the drone — the fifth and the octave should sound perfectly still, the third and seventh will pull. Add the fifth to the drone for a fuller reference chord.