GDAE or CGDA? Which tuning for Irish tenor banjo
For Irish melody playing, GDAE gives you the same fingering pattern as a fiddle or mandolin, sounding an octave lower. A tenor banjo in CGDA can use it too, with suitable strings and setup.
By TradTabPublished Updated
- Irish tuning, low to high
- G2 D3 A3 E4
- Standard tenor tuning
- C3 G3 D4 A4
- Change from CGDA to GDAE
- Down a perfect fourth on each string
- String choice
- An Irish GDAE set for your instrument
Which tuning should you choose?
Choose GDAE if you want to learn Irish tunes from the four-string tab on this site. CGDA is useful for standard tenor-banjo repertoire and chord playing, and Irish music can also be played in it with different fingerings.
Deering’s guide to tenor-banjo tunings describes both tunings. GDAE tenor banjo sounds one octave below a GDAE mandolin or fiddle. Matching the note names does not mean matching their octave.
GDAE is lower than CGDA
Read tuning names from the lowest-pitched string to the highest. The octave numbers below make the change unambiguous: middle C is C4. Each string moves down five semitones, a perfect fourth, when moving from standard CGDA to Irish GDAE.
| String | CGDA | Irish GDAE | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | C3 | G2 | Down a fourth |
| 3rd | G3 | D3 | Down a fourth |
| 2nd | D4 | A3 | Down a fourth |
| 1st | A4 | E4 | Down a fourth |
Why the string set matters
Lowering a CGDA set to GDAE reduces its tension. The strings may feel loose and produce an unclear sound. Deering’s string-selection guidance recommends a dedicated Irish tenor set for this reason.
Choose a set intended for your banjo’s scale length and follow the maker’s gauge guidance. Scale length is the distance from nut to bridge; the 17-fret and 19-fret guide shows how to compare it. A repairer can check whether a heavier string fits the nut slot and whether the bridge needs adjustment.
Changing a tenor banjo to Irish tuning
1. Identify the current tuning. Use a chromatic tuner that shows the octave, or compare against the reference notes on our GDAE tuner. A second-hand banjo may already be in Irish tuning.
2. Confirm the strings and scale. Ask the manufacturer or a banjo repairer for an appropriate Irish GDAE set. Do not raise the low G to the mandolin’s G3.
3. Restring and tune gradually. Follow the instrument’s restringing instructions and bring each string to G2, D3, A3 or E4. Recheck all four after the new strings settle.
4. Check a fretted phrase. Play open strings and a short scale. Buzzing, poor tuning up the neck or a string binding in the nut calls for a setup check.
Will the tab work on mandolin or bouzouki?
GDAE mandolin and octave mandola use the same fret numbers and string positions as GDAE tenor banjo. The mandolin and tenor-banjo comparison shows the exact sounding pitches.
A bouzouki in GDAD has a different top course. Its open top D needs fret 2 to reach E, so GDAE tab cannot be copied unchanged. Choose bouzouki in the ABC converter to regenerate the fingerings.
Questions about GDAE and CGDA
Lower. Standard tenor CGDA is C3 G3 D4 A4; Irish GDAE is G2 D3 A3 E4. Each string moves down a perfect fourth.
Yes. Both 17-fret and 19-fret tenor banjos can use Irish GDAE with suitable strings and setup. Check the actual scale length and the manufacturer’s guidance.
They may become too loose at the lower GDAE pitches. Use an Irish tenor set appropriate to the instrument and its scale length.
No. Irish tenor banjo G2 D3 A3 E4 sounds one octave below mandolin G3 D4 A4 E5.
The top course differs. Regenerate the tab for GDAD in the converter.
Keep reading
Read the guide17-fret or 19-fret tenor banjo?
Try both with the same short tune. A shorter scale brings the frets closer together; a longer scale changes reach and string feel. The best fit depends on the actual instrument and its setup.
Read the guideFive easy Irish tunes for tenor banjo, in learning order
Begin with a repeated phrase, then add jig rhythm, string crossings and longer runs. Each tune below links to one specific setting, with a skill to practise and a phrase to watch.
Read the guideMandolin vs tenor banjo tuning: the octave difference
A mandolin is tuned G3 D4 A4 E5. An Irish tenor banjo is tuned G2 D3 A3 E4, one octave lower. Both use GDAE in fifths, so the same string and fret numbers give the same tune in different octaves.