Black Sabbath · 1983 · Studio album
Born Again tuning.
D Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 4 of 9 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
D Standard +4 ¢
At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD.
MeasuredFrom tabs
Measured by TuneLit
At concert pitch
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Vertigo 814 271-2 (Germany) | +4.0 ¢ | A 441 | 9 | −0.3 to +4.5 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: D Standard, with no pitch given (community).
D Standard, a whole step down, about 4 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441) on the 1987 Vertigo CD: the one Ian Gillan album, and lower than the Dio records. Zero the Hero is tabbed in E♭ Standard and Disturbing the Priest in Drop D; Hot Line and Keep It Warm sit 14 ¢ sharp. Five CD editions agree within 3 ¢.
9 songs · 4 tuned differently
Every song, ready to tune
Tune opens the tuner in that song's tuning, pitch included. Play along opens the song player set to that tuning, so the track plays in yours. What the labels mean
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1. Trashed
D Standard +4 ¢Measured
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2. Stonehenge
D Standard +4 ¢Measured
Notes
A short instrumental of keyboards and effects.
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3. Disturbing the Priest
Different tuning
Drop D +4 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from E Standard: String 6 down a whole step (E → D); the other strings stay.
Its one tab is in Drop D at E Standard pitch; TuneLit's check from the audio confirms a low D but cannot tell Drop D from D Standard.
Its one tab is in Drop D (D A D G B E), the only dropped tuning in the catalogue.
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4. The Dark
D Standard +4 ¢Measured
Notes
Forty-five seconds of sound effects leading into Zero the Hero.
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5. Zero the Hero
Different tuning
E♭ Standard +4 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's D Standard: Every string up a half step.
Tabbed in E♭ Standard, a semitone above the rest of the album, in two tabs; TuneLit's check from the audio agrees. The record sits with the album, about 4 ¢ sharp.
Both tabs, Songsterr's and Ultimate Guitar's, are a half step down (E♭ Standard), unlike the rest of the album.
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6. Digital Bitch
D Standard +4 ¢Measured
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7. Born Again
D Standard +4 ¢Measured
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8. Hot Line
Different pitch
D Standard +14 ¢Measured
Notes
D Standard, about 14 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 443.5).
Most songs are tabbed in D Standard, a whole step down; no interview confirms it.
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9. Keep It Warm
Different pitch
D Standard +14 ¢Measured
Notes
D Standard, about 14 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 443.5).
Most songs are tabbed in D Standard, a whole step down; no interview confirms it.
What the labels mean
- Measured
- TuneLit measured the pitch on an original CD or LP. The tuning name still comes from the sources.
- Official
- The band, a member, their producer or their guitar tech said it.
- Widely reported
- Trusted outlets, guides and tabs agree, but the band did not say it directly.
- From tabs
- From community tabs, or from players who tune along with the record.
- Disputed
- Sources disagree. The likeliest setting is shown; the notes name the other one.
Each song shows one label, the strongest it has, in this order. How we measure recordings →
Questions
What tuning is Born Again in?
Black Sabbath recorded Born Again (1983) in D Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Disturbing the Priest uses Drop D +4 ¢; Zero the Hero uses E♭ Standard +4 ¢; Hot Line and Keep It Warm use D Standard +14 ¢.
Why does Born Again sound out of tune with my guitar?
Hot Line sits about 14 cents sharp (A ≈ 444), so a guitar tuned to A 440 clashes with it. The Tune buttons on this page set the tuner's reference to match the record, song by song, so you only tune the strings.