# Free double bass tuner, E1, A1, D2 and G2

Standard four-string double bass tuning is E1, A1, D2 and G2, from low to high, in perfect fourths. These are sounding pitches: bass notation is normally written an octave higher. At A440, the open A1 is 55 Hz. Use the reference tones or microphone meter below, with no account required.

[Open the free double bass tuner](/tools/tuner/bass)

Reference tones need no microphone permission. Microphone analysis begins only after you choose Start tuning and grant access. Audio is analysed on your device, not recorded or uploaded. Stop the tuner when finished.

## Open strings, low to high

The bass A string is A1, 55 Hz at A440. The lowest E1 is approximately 41.20 Hz. The tuner shows sounding pitch, one octave below the usual written bass part.

| Sounding note | String number | Frequency at A440 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| E1 | 4 | 41.20 Hz |
| A1 | 3 | 55.00 Hz |
| D2 | 2 | 73.42 Hz |
| G2 | 1 | 98.00 Hz |

Frequencies below use equal temperament with A4 = 440 Hz and are rounded to two decimal places. Advanced settings shift all reference tones to A442 or A415. Follow your ensemble’s agreed pitch; these readings do not replace listening or instrument-specific advice.

## Tune step by step

1. **Choose standard orchestral bass tuning.** This preset is E1–A1–D2–G2, not solo tuning or a five-string setup. Keep A440 unless your ensemble specifies another reference. Listen to the A1 reference before sounding the instrument.

2. **Read sounding pitch.** Start the meter and sound an open A. Look for A1, not the A2 you would usually see written in a bass part. Let the reference audio finish before the microphone measures your bass.

3. **Check D2 and G2, then low E1.** Sound each string alone with an even bow or a clear pluck. Give the low E time to settle and check its octave. A phone microphone may struggle with the fundamental; do not retune an octave to follow a harmonic.

4. **Make small geared adjustments.** Use the bass tuning machine for small corrections, then recheck all four strings. If the mechanism sticks or the instrument will not hold pitch, ask your teacher or repairer rather than forcing it.

## Fourth spacing and sounding-pitch names

Unlike violin, viola and cello, the standard orchestral double bass has fourths between its open strings. Moving upward from E gives A, then D, then G. A cello preset would therefore supply both the wrong string names and the wrong register for this instrument.

Bass parts are normally written an octave above their sound. Written open-string E2 sounds E1; written A2 sounds A1. This tuner does not transpose its display to match the staff. Keep the sounding-pitch table beside you when checking octave numbers.

## Low E, extensions and alternative setups

The low E fundamental is around 41 Hz, so room noise and microphone response matter. If the display jumps to E2, it may be following the first overtone. Compare the pitch by ear and try a clean sustained note before moving a tuning machine. A display jump does not mean the string should be raised an octave.

This page deliberately covers the standard four open strings. A low-C extension, a fifth string, and solo tuning need their own agreed pitch targets and suitable setup. The underlying meter is chromatic, but the four reference buttons here are not a complete guide to those alternatives. Do not change a bass setup solely to match a preset.

## Questions about tuning

### Is double bass tuning the same as bass guitar?

A standard four-string bass guitar and standard four-string double bass share the sounding pitches E1, A1, D2 and G2. The instrument setup and playing technique differ; this page’s practical guidance is for orchestral double bass.

### Why is my written bass A an octave above the tuner?

Double bass notation normally sounds an octave below written pitch. An A2 written for the open A string sounds A1, 55 Hz at A440. The tuner displays the sounding A1.

### Does this preset support solo tuning or a low-C extension?

The buttons cover standard E–A–D–G only. The chromatic meter can display other pitches, but this page does not prescribe solo-tuning strings, extension setup or fifth-string tuning. Follow the setup and targets specified by your teacher.

### Why is the bass reference tone quiet on my phone?

Small speakers reproduce very low frequencies weakly. Try comfortable-volume headphones for the reference, or another speaker, and compare by ear. Device limitations can also affect microphone readings; this is not a calibrated measurement instrument.

## Keep practising

[Double bass fingering chart](/charts/bass)

[Double bass lessons](/learn/bass)

[Complete string tuning guide](/guides/how-to-tune-a-string-instrument)

[Free metronome](/tools/metronome)

## Reference sources

- [University of Western Ontario: The Contrabass Tuned in Fifths, historical tuning context](https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/8520/)

Updated 2026-08-31.

Canonical source: https://arcosounds.com/tools/tuner/bass