Banjo 5 String Arpeggios — Standard (Open G)
5-string tuning: G-D-G-B-D — The iconic sound of bluegrass — rolls, picks, and open-string drone
About Standard (Open G) Tuning on Banjo 5 String
The 5-string banjo is tuned to an open G chord (g-D-G-B-D), with the distinctive 5th string — a short drone string that starts at the 5th fret. This unique design creates the banjo's signature sound: bright, ringing open strings that sustain over rapid three-finger picking patterns (rolls). The open G tuning means simply strumming produces a full G major chord.
Earl Scruggs revolutionized banjo playing in the 1940s with his three-finger picking style, creating the driving rhythmic sound that defines bluegrass. Béla Fleck later pushed the banjo into jazz, classical, and world music territories. The 5th string drone is what makes the banjo unique among fretted instruments — it provides a constant high G pedal tone that rings through every roll pattern, creating the instrument's hypnotic, cascading sound. In clawhammer (old-time) style, the 5th string serves as a rhythmic thumb drone between downstrokes.
BluegrassOld-TimeFolkCountryAmericanaProgressive Acoustic
Notable artists: Earl Scruggs, Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka, Noam Pikelny, Ralph Stanley
Best for: Bluegrass rolls, clawhammer old-time, folk fingerpicking, and any style that benefits from the banjo's distinctive ringing drone
Browse 432 banjo 5 string arpeggios in Standard (Open G) tuning. Click any arpeggio below to view the interactive fretboard diagram.
C
- C Fifth
- C Suspended Fourth
- C Suspended Fourth Seventh
- C Augmented
- C Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- C Augmented Seventh
- C Major
- C Major Seventh
- C Dominant Seventh
- C Sixth
- C Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- C Lydian Dominant Seventh
- C Minor Augmented
- C Minor
- C Minor/major Seventh
- C Minor Seventh
- C Minor Sixth
- C Diminished
- C Half-diminished
- C Diminished Seventh
- C Dominant Sharp Ninth
- C Suspended Second
- C Eleventh
- C Major Ninth
- C Dominant Ninth
- C Sixth Added Ninth
- C Major Thirteenth
- C Dominant Thirteenth
- C Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- C Minor/major Ninth
- C Minor Ninth
- C Minor Thirteenth
- C Minor Eleventh
- C Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- C Altered
- C Dominant Flat Ninth
C#
- C# Fifth
- C# Suspended Fourth
- C# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- C# Augmented
- C# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- C# Augmented Seventh
- C# Major
- C# Major Seventh
- C# Dominant Seventh
- C# Sixth
- C# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- C# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- C# Minor Augmented
- C# Minor
- C# Minor/major Seventh
- C# Minor Seventh
- C# Minor Sixth
- C# Diminished
- C# Half-diminished
- C# Diminished Seventh
- C# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- C# Suspended Second
- C# Eleventh
- C# Major Ninth
- C# Dominant Ninth
- C# Sixth Added Ninth
- C# Major Thirteenth
- C# Dominant Thirteenth
- C# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- C# Minor/major Ninth
- C# Minor Ninth
- C# Minor Thirteenth
- C# Minor Eleventh
- C# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- C# Altered
- C# Dominant Flat Ninth
D
- D Fifth
- D Suspended Fourth
- D Suspended Fourth Seventh
- D Augmented
- D Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- D Augmented Seventh
- D Major
- D Major Seventh
- D Dominant Seventh
- D Sixth
- D Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- D Lydian Dominant Seventh
- D Minor Augmented
- D Minor
- D Minor/major Seventh
- D Minor Seventh
- D Minor Sixth
- D Diminished
- D Half-diminished
- D Diminished Seventh
- D Dominant Sharp Ninth
- D Suspended Second
- D Eleventh
- D Major Ninth
- D Dominant Ninth
- D Sixth Added Ninth
- D Major Thirteenth
- D Dominant Thirteenth
- D Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- D Minor/major Ninth
- D Minor Ninth
- D Minor Thirteenth
- D Minor Eleventh
- D Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- D Altered
- D Dominant Flat Ninth
D#
- D# Fifth
- D# Suspended Fourth
- D# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- D# Augmented
- D# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- D# Augmented Seventh
- D# Major
- D# Major Seventh
- D# Dominant Seventh
- D# Sixth
- D# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- D# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- D# Minor Augmented
- D# Minor
- D# Minor/major Seventh
- D# Minor Seventh
- D# Minor Sixth
- D# Diminished
- D# Half-diminished
- D# Diminished Seventh
- D# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- D# Suspended Second
- D# Eleventh
- D# Major Ninth
- D# Dominant Ninth
- D# Sixth Added Ninth
- D# Major Thirteenth
- D# Dominant Thirteenth
- D# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- D# Minor/major Ninth
- D# Minor Ninth
- D# Minor Thirteenth
- D# Minor Eleventh
- D# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- D# Altered
- D# Dominant Flat Ninth
E
- E Fifth
- E Suspended Fourth
- E Suspended Fourth Seventh
- E Augmented
- E Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- E Augmented Seventh
- E Major
- E Major Seventh
- E Dominant Seventh
- E Sixth
- E Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- E Lydian Dominant Seventh
- E Minor Augmented
- E Minor
- E Minor/major Seventh
- E Minor Seventh
- E Minor Sixth
- E Diminished
- E Half-diminished
- E Diminished Seventh
- E Dominant Sharp Ninth
- E Suspended Second
- E Eleventh
- E Major Ninth
- E Dominant Ninth
- E Sixth Added Ninth
- E Major Thirteenth
- E Dominant Thirteenth
- E Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- E Minor/major Ninth
- E Minor Ninth
- E Minor Thirteenth
- E Minor Eleventh
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- E Altered
- E Dominant Flat Ninth
F
- F Fifth
- F Suspended Fourth
- F Suspended Fourth Seventh
- F Augmented
- F Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- F Augmented Seventh
- F Major
- F Major Seventh
- F Dominant Seventh
- F Sixth
- F Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- F Lydian Dominant Seventh
- F Minor Augmented
- F Minor
- F Minor/major Seventh
- F Minor Seventh
- F Minor Sixth
- F Diminished
- F Half-diminished
- F Diminished Seventh
- F Dominant Sharp Ninth
- F Suspended Second
- F Eleventh
- F Major Ninth
- F Dominant Ninth
- F Sixth Added Ninth
- F Major Thirteenth
- F Dominant Thirteenth
- F Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- F Minor/major Ninth
- F Minor Ninth
- F Minor Thirteenth
- F Minor Eleventh
- F Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- F Altered
- F Dominant Flat Ninth
F#
- F# Fifth
- F# Suspended Fourth
- F# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- F# Augmented
- F# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- F# Augmented Seventh
- F# Major
- F# Major Seventh
- F# Dominant Seventh
- F# Sixth
- F# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- F# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- F# Minor Augmented
- F# Minor
- F# Minor/major Seventh
- F# Minor Seventh
- F# Minor Sixth
- F# Diminished
- F# Half-diminished
- F# Diminished Seventh
- F# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- F# Suspended Second
- F# Eleventh
- F# Major Ninth
- F# Dominant Ninth
- F# Sixth Added Ninth
- F# Major Thirteenth
- F# Dominant Thirteenth
- F# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- F# Minor/major Ninth
- F# Minor Ninth
- F# Minor Thirteenth
- F# Minor Eleventh
- F# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- F# Altered
- F# Dominant Flat Ninth
G
- G Fifth
- G Suspended Fourth
- G Suspended Fourth Seventh
- G Augmented
- G Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- G Augmented Seventh
- G Major
- G Major Seventh
- G Dominant Seventh
- G Sixth
- G Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- G Lydian Dominant Seventh
- G Minor Augmented
- G Minor
- G Minor/major Seventh
- G Minor Seventh
- G Minor Sixth
- G Diminished
- G Half-diminished
- G Diminished Seventh
- G Dominant Sharp Ninth
- G Suspended Second
- G Eleventh
- G Major Ninth
- G Dominant Ninth
- G Sixth Added Ninth
- G Major Thirteenth
- G Dominant Thirteenth
- G Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- G Minor/major Ninth
- G Minor Ninth
- G Minor Thirteenth
- G Minor Eleventh
- G Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- G Altered
- G Dominant Flat Ninth
G#
- G# Fifth
- G# Suspended Fourth
- G# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- G# Augmented
- G# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- G# Augmented Seventh
- G# Major
- G# Major Seventh
- G# Dominant Seventh
- G# Sixth
- G# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- G# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- G# Minor Augmented
- G# Minor
- G# Minor/major Seventh
- G# Minor Seventh
- G# Minor Sixth
- G# Diminished
- G# Half-diminished
- G# Diminished Seventh
- G# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- G# Suspended Second
- G# Eleventh
- G# Major Ninth
- G# Dominant Ninth
- G# Sixth Added Ninth
- G# Major Thirteenth
- G# Dominant Thirteenth
- G# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- G# Minor/major Ninth
- G# Minor Ninth
- G# Minor Thirteenth
- G# Minor Eleventh
- G# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- G# Altered
- G# Dominant Flat Ninth
A
- A Fifth
- A Suspended Fourth
- A Suspended Fourth Seventh
- A Augmented
- A Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- A Augmented Seventh
- A Major
- A Major Seventh
- A Dominant Seventh
- A Sixth
- A Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- A Lydian Dominant Seventh
- A Minor Augmented
- A Minor
- A Minor/major Seventh
- A Minor Seventh
- A Minor Sixth
- A Diminished
- A Half-diminished
- A Diminished Seventh
- A Dominant Sharp Ninth
- A Suspended Second
- A Eleventh
- A Major Ninth
- A Dominant Ninth
- A Sixth Added Ninth
- A Major Thirteenth
- A Dominant Thirteenth
- A Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- A Minor/major Ninth
- A Minor Ninth
- A Minor Thirteenth
- A Minor Eleventh
- A Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- A Altered
- A Dominant Flat Ninth
A#
- A# Fifth
- A# Suspended Fourth
- A# Suspended Fourth Seventh
- A# Augmented
- A# Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- A# Augmented Seventh
- A# Major
- A# Major Seventh
- A# Dominant Seventh
- A# Sixth
- A# Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- A# Lydian Dominant Seventh
- A# Minor Augmented
- A# Minor
- A# Minor/major Seventh
- A# Minor Seventh
- A# Minor Sixth
- A# Diminished
- A# Half-diminished
- A# Diminished Seventh
- A# Dominant Sharp Ninth
- A# Suspended Second
- A# Eleventh
- A# Major Ninth
- A# Dominant Ninth
- A# Sixth Added Ninth
- A# Major Thirteenth
- A# Dominant Thirteenth
- A# Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- A# Minor/major Ninth
- A# Minor Ninth
- A# Minor Thirteenth
- A# Minor Eleventh
- A# Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- A# Altered
- A# Dominant Flat Ninth
B
- B Fifth
- B Suspended Fourth
- B Suspended Fourth Seventh
- B Augmented
- B Major Seventh Flat Sixth
- B Augmented Seventh
- B Major
- B Major Seventh
- B Dominant Seventh
- B Sixth
- B Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh
- B Lydian Dominant Seventh
- B Minor Augmented
- B Minor
- B Minor/major Seventh
- B Minor Seventh
- B Minor Sixth
- B Diminished
- B Half-diminished
- B Diminished Seventh
- B Dominant Sharp Ninth
- B Suspended Second
- B Eleventh
- B Major Ninth
- B Dominant Ninth
- B Sixth Added Ninth
- B Major Thirteenth
- B Dominant Thirteenth
- B Major Sharp Eleventh (lydian)
- B Minor/major Ninth
- B Minor Ninth
- B Minor Thirteenth
- B Minor Eleventh
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- B Altered
- B Dominant Flat Ninth