Metallica · 1986 · Studio album
Master of Puppets tuning.
E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD and the original LP. 4 of 8 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard
At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD and the original LP.
MeasuredWidely reported
Measured by TuneLit
At concert pitch
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD edition Used for the Tune buttons | +2.1 ¢ | A 440.5 | 8 | +1.7 to +4.3 ¢ | High |
| Original LP, Elektra 60439-1 | +3.7 ¢ | A 440.9 | 8 | +3.5 to +6.2 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (widely reported).
The album plays in E Standard at A440, and TuneLit's measurement agrees (0 ¢ on the CD, +3 ¢ on the LP). The Thing That Should Not Be is the only song tuned down. The title track was sped up on tape; sources say it lands on A440, though our measurement reads it about 17 ¢ flat. In concert since the Load era these songs are played half a step down in E♭, so tune to E♭ for modern live recordings.
8 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. Battery
E StandardMeasured
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2. Master of Puppets
Different pitch
E Standard −17 ¢Measured
Notes
Recorded below the final tempo with the instruments tuned slightly low; producer Flemming Rasmussen then ran the tape faster, which tightened the riffs and raised the pitch. Sources say it lands on A440, but TuneLit reads it about 17 ¢ flat on both the CD and the LP (moderate confidence), so this song’s Tune button uses −17 ¢. Lars Ulrich has since called the album version too tight. Sources: Wikipedia "Master of Puppets (song)", Mix "Classic Track: Master of Puppets".
E Standard at A440 on every song except The Thing That Should Not Be.
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3. The Thing That Should Not Be
Different tuning
D StandardMeasured
Notes
The only Master of Puppets song tuned down: a full step to D Standard (D G C F A D), which gives the slow riff its weight.
Tabs and play-along transcriptions agree on D Standard; one Rolling Stone feature says a step and a half instead.
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4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
E StandardMeasured
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5. Disposable Heroes
E StandardMeasured
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6. Leper Messiah
Different pitch
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
E Standard at A440 on every song except The Thing That Should Not Be.
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7. Orion
Different pitch
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
E Standard at A440 on every song except The Thing That Should Not Be.
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8. Damage, Inc.
E StandardMeasured
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 Master of Puppets in?
Metallica recorded Master of Puppets (1986) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD and the original LP. Master of Puppets uses E Standard −17 ¢; The Thing That Should Not Be uses D Standard; Leper Messiah and Orion use E Standard −4 ¢.
Why does Master of Puppets sound out of tune with my guitar?
The record sits about 17 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.