TUNELIT

Megadeth · 1990 · Studio album

Rust in Peace tuning.

E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 1 of 9 songs are tuned differently.

Rust in Peace album cover

Album tuning

E Standard

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

MeasuredWidely reported

Tune like thisPlay alongAll 9 songs

Measured by TuneLit

At concert pitch

SourceOffsetEquivalent ASongsSpreadConfidence
CD, Capitol CDP 7 91935 2 (1990)−2.1 ¢A 439.59−2.8 to −0.9 ¢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 (widely reported).

Marty Friedman's and Nick Menza's first album, in E Standard at concert pitch. Take No Prisoners is about 16 ¢ flat. On Hangar 18 the bass drops its low string to D. The 2004 remix sits about 7 ¢ higher than this CD.

9 songs · 1 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. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  2. 2. Hangar 18

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Guitars in E Standard; the bass drops its low string to D, and that low D is the most common bass note on the record.

    Guitars in E Standard; the Songsterr bass part drops its low string to D.

    Bass: Bass Drop D Tune bass

  3. 3. Take No Prisoners

    Different pitch

    E Standard −16 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Measured about 16 ¢ flat (A ≈ 436), clearly below the rest of the album; the 2004 remix shows it low too.

    Every song is tabbed in E Standard, with Mustaine and Friedman on the same tuning.

  4. 4. Five Magics

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  5. 5. Poison Was the Cure

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  6. 6. Lucretia

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  7. 7. Tornado of Souls

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  8. 8. Dawn Patrol

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  9. 9. Rust in Peace... Polaris

    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 Rust in Peace in?

Megadeth recorded Rust in Peace (1990) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Take No Prisoners uses E Standard −16 ¢.

Why does Rust in Peace sound out of tune with my guitar?

Take No Prisoners sits about 16 cents flat (A ≈ 436), 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.