Mountain Banjo-Traditional Tunings

Traditional, old-time, five-string mountain banjo tunings, local styles and music making traditions of the Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina.

OPEN "G" tuning=

1st string-D
2nd string-B
3rd string-G
4th string-D
5th [thumb] string-G

This is the most common or standard tuning for the five-string banjo. Good traditional songs to play in the G tuning include: Sally Anne, Sourwood Mountain, Wild Bill Jones, Handsome Molly, John Henry, just to name a few.