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Banjo Chord Finder

Find chords on 5-string banjo in Open G, Open D, Double C and Sawmill. The short 5th string is the high drone, so the chord name comes from the four long strings.

Chord Diagram
×××××
Fret positionFrets 1 – 5

Tap the X/○ above each string to mute or open. Tap a fret cell to place or remove a finger.

Identified Chord
Tap the fretboard to identify a chord.
Exporting chord on 5-String Banjo in g D G B D
Instrument: 5-String Banjo
Tuning: g D G B D
Capo: None

How to Use the Banjo Chord Finder

  1. Pick your tuning: Open G (standard), Open D, Double C, or Sawmill.
  2. Set the 5th string open or muted. It's the short, high drone string, so it doesn't go into the chord name.
  3. Tap the fretboard to build your chord shape.
  4. See the chord name, and type a chord name to find voicings.

Open G: The Standard Banjo Tuning

Most 5-string banjos are tuned g D G B D, an open G major chord. The 5th string (the short “drone” string) is tuned high to g4. Strumming the open strings plays G major.

Because the banjo is tuned to an open chord, many chord shapes are simpler than on guitar. A G chord is just open strings. Barring the four long strings at fret 5 produces a C, and at fret 7 produces a D. These are the three most common chords in bluegrass.

The 5th String & Drone Notes

The 5th string is the short one, and it's the highest open string on the banjo: an octave above the 3rd string in Open G. It starts at the 5th fret, so its first fret is fret 6. The chord tools play it open or muted and gray out its frets, and the chord name comes from the four long strings. A line under the name gives the 5th string's note and says whether it's in the chord. On a D chord in Open G, that high G isn't in the chord.

The drone string rings through most rolls and contributes to the banjo's characteristic ringing sound. In clawhammer style, the thumb catches the 5th string on the last note of each bum-ditty.

  • Bluegrass players usually learn C as 2-0-1-2, F as 3-2-1-3 and D7 as 0-2-1-4, then move to the barres up the neck.
  • A capo does not reach the 5th string. For capo 2 (key of A), tune the 5th string up to a or hook it under a spike at fret 7.

Alternate Banjo Tunings

  • Open G: g D G B D, the standard.
  • Open D: f# D F# A D, also called Reuben tuning. Some players tune the 5th string to a instead, and both are listed.
  • Double C: g C G C D, a clawhammer favorite.
  • Sawmill / Modal: g D G C D, for modal and minor-sounding tunes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I fret the 5th string here?

It starts at the 5th fret, with no fretboard below it, and most chord shapes leave it open. The chord tools play it open or muted, so its frets are grayed out. The Scale Explorer does show its notes from fret 6 up.

What's the difference between bluegrass and clawhammer?

Bluegrass banjo uses finger picks and a three-finger roll technique (Scruggs style). Clawhammer uses the fingernails in a striking downward motion, with the thumb hitting the drone string. Both use the same chord shapes.

Does this tool support the 4-string plectrum or tenor banjo?

Not yet. An Irish tenor banjo is tuned G D A E, an octave below a mandolin, so the Mandolin Chord Finder gives the right chord names and shapes.

Can I play guitar chords on banjo?

Partly. In Open G tuning, strings 4, 3, and 2 match the guitar's D, G, and B strings, but string 1 is D instead of E, so it needs two more frets. The guitar D shape (0-2-3-2) gives Dsus2 on banjo, and 0-2-3-4 gives D. The guitar Em shape (2-0-0-0) gives Em7, and 2-0-0-2 gives Em. Frets are listed from string 4 to string 1.

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