Linkin Park · Hybrid Theory · song 1
Papercut tuning.
Papercut (Linkin Park, 2000) is in Drop C♯, about 12 cents sharp (A ≈ 443), measured by TuneLit from the record.
Measured by TuneLit
12 ¢ sharp
Measured on this song itself: Tune moves every string +12 ¢.
Linkin Park · Hybrid Theory · 2000
About Papercut
Papercut opens Hybrid Theory (2000) and was one of its singles: Mike Shinoda raps the verses, Chester Bennington takes the chorus, and the guitars sit in Drop C♯ (C♯ G♯ C♯ F♯ A♯ D♯), which is Drop D lowered by a half step and the tuning of nearly every Hybrid Theory song. The Songsterr tab writes Brad Delson's guitar and a distorted pad layer by Joe Hahn in the same tuning, so one guitar covers both.
Papercut is also the one song on its album that sits clearly off pitch. Hybrid Theory as a whole measures at concert pitch, but this track reads about 12 cents sharp (A ≈ 443.1), so a guitar tuned to a plain A 440 sounds a shade flat against it on held chords. Tune sets the tuner 12 cents up for you, and TuneLit's check from the audio agrees with the low C♯ (0.98).
The usual trap is the name. Many players call this shape "Drop D", and Delson does too when he talks about the early songs, but a guitar in real Drop D is a half step sharp against the record. If the riff feels right and still sounds off, check that all six strings went down a half step before the 6th string dropped. The open C♯ is not always easy to hear, since the bass spends most of its time on A, F♯ and E, so tune before you press play.
Tip: Tune all six strings down a half step, drop the 6th string to C♯, then let Tune add the song's 12 cents.
Step by step
Tune your guitar like the record
- Tap Tune like this: the tuner switches to Drop C♯, every string +12 ¢, the notes Papercut was recorded in.
- From E Standard: String 6 down 3 half steps (E → C♯), String 5 down a half step (A → G♯), String 4 down a half step (D → C♯), String 3 down a half step (G → F♯), String 2 down a half step (B → A♯), String 1 down a half step (E → D♯).
- Turn String 6 to String 1 until each shows ✓ in tune. Papercut sits 12 cents sharp on the record: at A 440 your guitar would sound that much flat against it, which Tune already corrects.
- Then play Papercut 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 Papercut instead. Add your own copy, for example from your CD (it never leaves your device); the link already says the song is in Drop C♯ +12 ¢. Choose Drop D at A 440 and Papercut moves up 88 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 Papercut in?
Drop C♯ +12 ¢: C♯ G♯ C♯ F♯ A♯ D♯, low to high, at the pitch TuneLit measured on the record.