Led Zeppelin · Led Zeppelin IV · song 8
When the Levee Breaks tuning.
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin, 1971) is in C2 F2 C3 F3 A3 C4, about 11 cents flat (A ≈ 437), measured by TuneLit from the record.
Song tuning
C2 F2 C3 F3 A3 C4 −11 ¢
About 11 cents flat (A ≈ 437).
Measured by TuneLit
11 ¢ flat
Measured on this song itself: Tune moves every string −11 ¢.
Led Zeppelin · Led Zeppelin IV · 1971
About When the Levee Breaks
The closing track of Led Zeppelin IV (1971), a reworking of a 1929 blues by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie, with John Bonham's huge drum sound and Robert Plant's harmonica. The slide and 12-string parts are in open F (C F C F A C), which is open G lowered a whole step.
Parts of the track were recorded at another speed and slowed down in the mix, and the record shows it: on an original 1980s Atlantic CD TuneLit reads most of it 16 to 20 ¢ flat, and the end lower still. The main reading, about 20 ¢ flat, fell just short of the confidence needed for a value of its own, so Tune uses the album's open F −11 ¢. TuneLit's audio check hears the low C on that flatter grid.
Retuning takes work. From E Standard, Strings 6, 5 and 1 drop 4 half steps (E → C, A → F, E → C); Strings 4, 3 and 2 drop a whole step each (D → C, G → F, B → A). Let the slackened strings settle and tune twice.
Tip: If the slide sounds sharp against the record at −11 ¢, lower the reference toward A 435.
Step by step
Tune your guitar like the record
- Tap Tune like this: the tuner switches to C2 F2 C3 F3 A3 C4, every string −11 ¢, the notes When the Levee Breaks was recorded in.
- From the album's E Standard: String 6 down 4 half steps (E → C), String 5 down 4 half steps (A → F), String 4 down a whole step (D → C), String 3 down a whole step (G → F), String 2 down a whole step (B → A), String 1 down 4 half steps (E → C).
- Turn String 6 to String 1 until each shows ✓ in tune. When the Levee Breaks sits 11 cents flat on the record: at A 440 your guitar would sound that much sharp against it, which Tune already corrects.
- Then play When the Levee Breaks along with the record: its lowest open note and your String 6 should ring together without a wobble.
Or the other way round
Move the record into your tuning
Rather keep your guitar as it is? Let Play along move When the Levee Breaks instead. Add your own copy, for example from your CD (it never leaves your device); the link already says the song is in C2 F2 C3 F3 A3 C4 −11 ¢. Choose C2 F2 C3 F3 A3 C4 at A 440 and When the Levee Breaks moves up 11 cents, at its own speed. Slow it down or loop a few bars to learn it, and save the result as a WAV file.
Questions
What tuning is When the Levee Breaks in?
C2 F2 C3 F3 A3 C4 −11 ¢: C F C F A C, low to high, at the pitch TuneLit measured on the record.