TUNELIT

Black Sabbath · 1995 · Studio album

Forbidden tuning.

E♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 3 of 10 songs are tuned differently.

Forbidden album cover

Album tuning

E♭ Standard

At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD.

MeasuredFrom tabs

Tune like thisPlay alongAll 10 songs

Measured by TuneLit

At concert pitch

SourceOffsetEquivalent ASongsSpreadConfidence
CD, I.R.S. 7243 8 30620 2 7 (Holland, 1995)+3.5 ¢A 440.910+0.3 to +6.9 ¢High
 Offset from concert pitch (A 440). Spread: the middle half of the songs, when four or more share the album's pitch. Confidence: how well the notes agree with one grid.

Before we measured, sources said: E♭ Standard, with no pitch given (community).

E♭ Standard at concert pitch (+3.5 ¢) on the 1995 Dutch I.R.S. CD. The title track is tabbed in C Standard; The Illusion of Power and Shaking Off the Chains sit 7–⁠8 ¢ flat.

10 songs · 3 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

  1. 1. The Illusion of Power

    Different pitch

    E♭ Standard −8 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    E♭ Standard about 8 ¢ flat (A ≈ 437.9). Its one tab lowers only the sixth string (E♭ A D G B E), probably a slip.

    E♭ Standard: most songs are tabbed a half step down.

  2. 2. Get a Grip

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  3. 3. Can't Get Close Enough

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Its one tab is written for a 7-string in E♭ Standard; a 6-string in E♭ covers the song.

  4. 4. Shaking Off the Chains

    Different pitch

    E♭ Standard −7 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    E♭ Standard: most songs are tabbed a half step down.

  5. 5. I Won't Cry for You

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  6. 6. Guilty as Hell

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +8.1 ¢. Tune uses the album's A 440.

  7. 7. Sick and Tired

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  8. 8. Rusty Angels

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  9. 9. Forbidden

    Different tuning

    C StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: Every string down 3 half steps.

    Its one tab is in C Standard, two whole steps down, and TuneLit's check from the audio agrees. The record is at concert pitch.

    Its one tab is in C Standard, two whole steps down.

  10. 10. Kiss of Death

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

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 Forbidden in?

Black Sabbath recorded Forbidden (1995) in E♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. The Illusion of Power uses E♭ Standard −8 ¢; Shaking Off the Chains uses E♭ Standard −7 ¢; Forbidden uses C Standard.