Metallica · 1991 · Studio album
The Black Album tuning.
E Standard, about 5 cents sharp (A ≈ 441), measured on the CD and the original LP. 4 of 12 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard +5 ¢
About 5 cents sharp (A ≈ 441), measured on the CD and the original LP.
MeasuredOfficial
Measured by TuneLit
5 ¢ sharp
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD edition Used for the Tune buttons | +5.2 ¢ | A 441.3 | 12 | +4.1 to +8.1 ¢ | High |
| Original 2LP, Vertigo 510022-1 | +6.2 ¢ | A 441.6 | 12 | +4.3 to +9.1 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (official).
Ten of the twelve songs are in E Standard, including Enter Sandman, The Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam and Nothing Else Matters. Bob Rock noticed that everything the band played was in E, and this became the first Metallica album with three tunings: E Standard, D Standard (Sad but True) and E♭ (The God That Failed). TuneLit measured the album about 5 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441.3) on both CD and LP, within what most players hear as in tune; Sad but True sits higher, about 13 ¢ sharp. In concert since the Load era these songs are played half a step down in E♭, so tune to E♭ for modern live recordings.
12 songs · 4 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. Enter Sandman
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
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2. Sad but True
Different tuning
D Standard +13 ¢Measured
Notes
Written and demoed in E Standard. Bob Rock suggested tuning a whole step down, as Mötley Crüe had on Dr. Feelgood, and the riff grew from there. It is full D Standard (D G C F A D), not Drop D, and recent live transcriptions keep it in D.
Bob Rock suggested the whole-step drop; the account is confirmed by Wikipedia and Rolling Stone.
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3. Holier Than Thou
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
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4. The Unforgiven
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
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5. Wherever I May Roam
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
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6. Don't Tread on Me
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
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7. Through the Never
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
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8. Nothing Else Matters
Different pitch
E StandardMeasured
Notes
Ten of the twelve songs are in E Standard; producer Bob Rock pointed out that the band played everything in E.
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9. Of Wolf and Man
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
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10. The God That Failed
Different tuning
E♭ Standard +5 ¢Measured
Notes
One of the first original Metallica songs tuned a half step down, and the third tuning on the album. Live it was played in E♭ from 1994 to 2011 and has been played in D Standard since 2012.
Half a step down in E♭, five years before Load made E♭ the default.
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11. My Friend of Misery
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
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12. The Struggle Within
Different pitch
E Standard +12 ¢Measured
Notes
Ten of the twelve songs are in E Standard; producer Bob Rock pointed out that the band played everything in E.
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 The Black Album in?
Metallica recorded The Black Album (1991) in E Standard, about 5 cents sharp (A ≈ 441), measured by TuneLit on the CD and the original LP. 4 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.
Why does The Black Album sound out of tune with my guitar?
Sad but True sits about 13 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, song by song, so you only tune the strings.