Slack-key guitar tuner online
G Taro Patch slack-key tuning is D2 G2 D3 G3 B3 D4, sixth string to first. It is the open-G major layout widely used in Hawaiian slack-key guitar. From standard guitar, lower the sixth E2 to D2, fifth A2 to G2 and first E4 to D4.
Open-string notes and frequencies
Slack-key guitar tuner: default open-string targets, lowest to highest. A4=440 Hz.
| String / course | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | D2 | 73.42 |
| 5 | G2 | 98.00 |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 |
| 3 | G3 | 196.00 |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 |
| 1 | D4 | 293.66 |
How to use it
- Choose Taro Patch, G Wahine or Leonard’s C.
- Remove the capo while setting the open strings and allow the microphone.
- Pick the bass strings separately, muting the higher notes.
- Tune the remaining strings and compare the repeated D or G octaves.
- Play the bass pattern slowly, then recheck individual notes.
Help and explanations
Slack-key is a playing tradition with many tunings, not a single six-note formula. This page also offers G Wahine, D2 G2 D3 F♯3 B3 D4, and Leonard’s C, C2 G2 D3 G3 B3 D4. Choose the layout in your arrangement before tuning the alternating bass.
Two small changes that call for different fingerings
Moving from Taro Patch to G Wahine lowers only the third string, G3 to F♯3. That F♯ changes the open harmony and the chord shapes needed above it. Moving from Taro Patch to Leonard’s C lowers only the sixth string, D2 to C2. The top five targets stay G2 D3 G3 B3 D4. C2 belongs to this dropped-C slack-key layout; it is not the six-string metal drop-C tuning.
Dancing Cat’s tuning guide explains that Taro Patch’s interval pattern can be pitched in other keys. A recording may therefore sit higher or lower than the G preset even when a player calls it Taro Patch. Check the recording’s tonic or use the published arrangement’s tuning instead of chasing the nearest note by ear. The open-G tuner supplies the same basic G pitches, while this page keeps the Hawaiian alternatives together. When adding a capo, recheck after fitting it without excessive pressure.
Tips
- Check which third-string note the arrangement uses: G3 or F♯3.
- Listen to the bass after letting upper strings stop ringing.
- Record the actual key when learning a Taro Patch tune from audio.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common slack-key guitar tuning?
G Taro Patch, D2 G2 D3 G3 B3 D4, is a common starting point. Slack-key uses many other tunings too.
Is Taro Patch the same as open G?
At the G pitch supplied here, yes: D G D G B D. Taro Patch’s interval pattern can also be tuned to other keys.
What is G Wahine tuning?
D2 G2 D3 F♯3 B3 D4. Relative to G Taro Patch, only the third string drops from G3 to F♯3.
What is Leonard’s C tuning?
C2 G2 D3 G3 B3 D4. It lowers Taro Patch’s sixth string from D2 to C2 while retaining the other five pitches.
Is slack-key guitar the same as Hawaiian lap steel?
They use different playing approaches. This page sets a fretted guitar’s open strings; use the lap steel page for its own tuning layouts.
Why does a Taro Patch recording not match these notes?
The same interval pattern can be pitched in another key. Check the performer’s actual tuning or the arrangement before adjusting.