Iron Maiden · 2006 · Studio album
A Matter of Life and Death tuning.
E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 2 of 10 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard
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, EMI (2006, Japanese edition) | +0.6 ¢ | A 440.2 | 10 | −0.4 to +2.8 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
Recorded at Sarm West in London and released without mastering, at Steve Harris's choice. E Standard at concert pitch, except Brighter Than a Thousand Suns, about 11 ¢ sharp. The Legacy drops the low string to D.
10 songs · 2 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. Different World
E StandardMeasured
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2. These Colours Don't Run
E StandardMeasured
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3. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
Different pitch
E Standard +11 ¢Measured
Notes
Measured about 11 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 442.8), 10 ¢ above the rest of the album.
Tabbed in E Standard like the rest of the album. Measured about 11 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 442.8), 10 ¢ above the album, which was released without mastering.
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4. The Pilgrim
E StandardMeasured
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5. The Longest Day
E StandardMeasured
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6. Out of the Shadows
E StandardMeasured
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7. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
E StandardMeasured
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8. For the Greater Good of God
E StandardMeasured
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9. Lord of Light
E StandardMeasured
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10. The Legacy
Different tuning
Drop DMeasured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 6 down a whole step (E → D); the other strings stay.
Drop D: the low string goes down to D for the whole song, and TuneLit's check from the audio hears the low D. One tab plays the acoustic intro in D A D G A D.
Both Songsterr tabs put the song in Drop D: the electric parts of Janick Gers, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith with the low string on D, and in the fuller tab Gers's acoustic intro in D A D G A D. TuneLit's check from the audio hears the low D. Loudwire later called If Eternity Should Fail (2015) the band's first song in Drop D, so that report and the tabs do not agree.
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 A Matter of Life and Death in?
Iron Maiden recorded A Matter of Life and Death (2006) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns uses E Standard +11 ¢; The Legacy uses Drop D.
Why does A Matter of Life and Death sound out of tune with my guitar?
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns sits about 11 cents sharp (A ≈ 443), 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, so you only tune the strings.