Bajo Quinto Tuner Online
Standard bajo quinto tuning is A D G C F, from the lowest course to the highest. At A4 = 440 Hz, the targets are A1+A2, D2+D3, G2+G2, C3+C3 and F3+F3. The two bass courses are octaves; the other three are unisons.
String notes and frequencies
Bajo quinto tuning, standard (A D G C F) (10 strings in 5 courses): A1+A2 D2+D3 G2 C3 F3, from 55.00 Hz to 174.61 Hz, with A4 = 440 Hz.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| Pair 5 | A1 + A2 | 55.00 + 110.00 |
| Pair 4 | D2 + D3 | 73.42 + 146.83 |
| Pair 3 | G2 | 98.00 |
| Pair 2 | C3 | 130.81 |
| Pair 1 | F3 | 174.61 |
How to use it
- Tap Turn on microphone and allow access. In Tuning, check that Standard (A D G C F) is selected.
- Pluck one string at a time near the sound hole. In Auto, the tuner finds the pair and, on A and D, tells you if it's the low or the high string.
- Follow the arrow, ↑ flat: tighten or ↓ sharp: loosen, until the reading holds at ✓ in tune (±5 cents). A pair's button shows a ✓ once its notes are in tune.
- To hear a pair, tap its button (Pair 5 to Pair 1): the tuner locks on it until you tap Auto. Tune both strings of every pair.
Help and explanations
The bajo quinto, heard in norteño and other regional Mexican music, has 10 steel strings in 5 pairs (courses) tuned in fourths. The A and D pairs join a thick string and a thin one an octave higher; G, C and F are unison pairs. The tuner is free and runs in your browser.
How to tune a bajo quinto by ear
Tune the thin A string to the Pair 5 button or to a guitar's open 5th string (A2, 110.0 Hz). Pressed at the 12th fret, the thick A should then sound just like the thin one open.
The rest goes in fourths: each pair pressed at the 5th fret matches the next pair open, up to F. For G, use the thick D string; the thin one gives G an octave higher. On G, C and F, play both strings together and turn one peg until the wobble stops.
Tips
- Thick A not showing up? At 55 Hz it's hard for phone mics: hold the phone near the sound hole and pluck firmly.
- Learned it as La Re Sol Do Fa? Choose Do Re Mi in Note names, below the needle.
- The open A, D and G strings of an electric bass match the thick A, the thick D and the G pair. To tune the bass itself, use the bass tuner.
Frequently asked questions
What order are the bajo quinto strings tuned in?
From the lowest pair to the highest: A, D, G, C, F. Pairs are counted from the highest, so F is the 1st pair and A is the 5th.
How do you tune a bajo quinto?
Tune each string separately, using the octave targets on A and D and unison targets on G, C and F. Then sound every course together and listen for beating.
Is a bajo quinto tuned like a guitar?
No: it uses fourths throughout, with C and F above G instead of the guitar’s B and E. A chromatic tuner can read the pitches, but a fixed guitar preset is unsuitable.
What is the difference between a bajo quinto and a bajo sexto?
A bajo sexto adds a low E1+E2 course to the same five courses, giving twelve strings. Choose that tuning in the menu or use the bajo sexto tuner.
Is there a free bajo quinto tuner app?
You don't need one: this page runs in your phone's browser, free and with nothing to install. Add it to your home screen to open it like an app.