Led Zeppelin · 1969 · Studio album
Led Zeppelin II tuning.
E Standard, about 6 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured on the CD. 3 of 9 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard −6 ¢
About 6 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured on the CD.
MeasuredCommunity
Measured by TuneLit
6 ¢ flat
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Atlantic, original 1980s mastering | −5.6 ¢ | A 438.6 | 9 | −10.9 to −4.9 ¢ | Medium |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
E Standard throughout, except the Drop D riff of Moby Dick. The record (an original 1980s CD) sits about 6 ¢ flat (A ≈ 438.6), but the songs were cut in different studios between tour dates and do not all agree: Ramble On is 17 ¢ sharp and Thank You 6 ¢ sharp.
9 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
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1. Whole Lotta Love
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
Notes
The long middle section has no steady pitch for the measurement to hold on to; the riff sections read 3 to 13 ¢ flat, close to the album.
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2. What Is and What Should Never Be
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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3. The Lemon Song
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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4. Thank You
Different pitch
E Standard +6 ¢Measured
Notes
Page plays a 12-string, Jones a Hammond organ. TuneLit measured it about 6 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441.4), some 11 ¢ above the rest of the album.
The 12-string and acoustic parts are tabbed in E Standard; Jones plays Hammond organ.
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5. Heartbreaker
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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6. Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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7. Ramble On
Different pitch
E Standard +17 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured it about 17 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 444) from start to finish, the sharpest song on the album.
The acoustic and electric parts are tabbed in E Standard.
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8. Moby Dick
Different tuning
Drop D −6 ¢Measured
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. Most of the measured stretch is Bonham's drum solo, so the song uses the album value; the guitar riff at the start and the end reads within a few cents of it.
The riff around Bonham's drum solo is in Drop D; guitar and bass both drop the low string to D.
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9. Bring It On Home
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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.
- Community
- 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 Led Zeppelin II in?
Led Zeppelin recorded Led Zeppelin II (1969) in E Standard, about 6 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Thank You uses E Standard +6 ¢; Ramble On uses E Standard +17 ¢; Moby Dick uses Drop D −6 ¢.
Why does Led Zeppelin II sound out of tune with my guitar?
Ramble On sits about 17 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, so you only tune the strings.