Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Tuning question

#1

So I’ve been practicing clawhammer lately which im learning involves tunings other than G quite a bit. A couple of the songs I’ve been learning are in open C tuning which is ACADE, sometimes capo’d up 2 frets to open D.

When I capo up the 2 frets the first string (in G would be the high D string) tends to go up 1.5 steps to F# (according to my snark tuner) where the other 4 strings will go slightly sharp of 1 step but not nearly as sharp as the first string.

I understand that the capo will “pull” the strings a bit and I’m used to compensating by retuning after the capo is in place…

Whats bothering me is that the F# actually sounds correct both to my ear and sounds like the demonstration recording of the song… when I tune that string back down to F it doesn’t sound correct to me or correct to the recording.

I have 2 different banjos, an older Aria and a much newer gold tone open back and they both do the same thing…

So Im confused… any idears?

this is one of the song’s I’ve been practicing…bluesageband.com/Tab%20MP3s/ … ud%20M.mp3

#2

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#3

If you tune it up 2 frets, the note of E should go up to F# as that is 2 half steps on the chromatic scale, because E# does not exists, the scale is:
A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G# A

See folkblues.com/theory/chromatic_scale.htm for a short and easy explanation.

So, actually your banjo is perfectly in tune!

#4

— Begin quote from "jacqy79"

If you tune it up 2 frets, the note of E should go up to F# as that is 2 half steps on the chromatic scale, because E# does not exists, the scale is:
A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G# A

See folkblues.com/theory/chromatic_scale.htm for a short and easy explanation.

So, actually your banjo is perfectly in tune!

— End quote

ahhhhhhhh big sigh of relief… now that makes sense… i was seriously doubting my own sanity while looking at my brand new tuner… smoke came out my ears and everything…

THANKS!