About Half Step Down tuning
Half step down on bass matches guitarists playing in E♭ standard — essential for large swaths of classic rock, blues and metal. Everything you play keeps the same shapes, a semitone lower.
Tune each string down one fret's worth of pitch until it centers on the flat note shown. Tension loss is mild; no setup change is usually needed.
Half Step Down tuning notes & frequencies (A4 = 440 Hz)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Eb1 | 38.89 Hz |
| 3 | Ab1 | 51.91 Hz |
| 2 | Db2 | 69.30 Hz |
| 1 | Gb2 | 92.50 Hz |
How to tune to Half Step Down from standard
- String 4 (E1): tune down a half step to Eb1.
- String 3 (A1): tune down a half step to Ab1.
- String 2 (D2): tune down a half step to Db2.
- String 1 (G2): tune down a half step to Gb2.
After changing string tension this much, make a second tuning pass — the neck settles slightly and the first strings you tuned will have drifted.
String gauge advice
Standard .045–.105 sets are fine.
FAQ
What are the notes of Half Step Down tuning on bass guitar?
Half Step Down tuning is Eb1, Ab1, Db2, Gb2 from the lowest string to the highest.
How do I tune my bass guitar to Half Step Down?
Starting from standard tuning: String 4 (E1): tune down a half step to Eb1. String 3 (A1): tune down a half step to Ab1. String 2 (D2): tune down a half step to Db2. String 1 (G2): tune down a half step to Gb2. Use the tuner above — it highlights the string it hears and shows exactly how many cents you are from the target.
Is this tuner free and private?
Yes — no ads, no signup, and all audio is processed locally in your browser. Nothing is recorded or uploaded.
Embed this tuner
Add the Half Step Down tuner to your own site or blog post with an iframe:
<iframe src="https://tunewell.net/embed/bass/half-step-down" width="420" height="560" style="border:0" title="Half Step Down Bass Tuner"></iframe>