Pink Floyd · 1972 · Studio album
Obscured by Clouds tuning.
E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 3 of 10 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard
At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD.
MeasuredCommunity
Measured by TuneLit
At concert pitch
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Toshiba-EMI CP32-5275 (Japan, first CD issue) | −2.5 ¢ | A 439.4 | 10 | −3.5 to +0.4 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
Standard tuning throughout, and the CD sits at concert pitch (A 440). Three songs sit lower: The Gold It's in the... about 26 ¢ flat, Stay 17 ¢ and Mudmen 13 ¢.
10 songs · 3 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. Obscured by Clouds
E StandardMeasured
Notes
The studio tab plays the slide part in standard tuning. A transcription of a 1972 live version uses an open tuning (E B D F♯ B D, a half step down), so the steel may not have been in standard here either.
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2. When You're In
E StandardMeasured
Notes
One detailed tab lowers the high E string to C (E A D G B C); no other source confirms it, so the album's standard tuning stays.
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3. Burning Bridges
E StandardMeasured
Notes
On its own, this song measures flatter: CD −10.1 ¢. Tune uses the album's A 440.
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4. The Gold It's in the...
Different pitch
E Standard −26 ¢Measured
Notes
About 26 ¢ flat (A ≈ 433.5), the lowest song on the album.
Tabbed in standard tuning like the rest of the album; TuneLit measured this song on its own because its pitch differs from the album's.
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5. Wot's... Uh the Deal
E StandardMeasured
Notes
Acoustic in standard tuning. On the 2006 tour Gilmour added a lap steel part in open G6 (D G D G B E).
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6. Mudmen
Different pitch
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
Notes
About 13 ¢ flat.
Tabbed in standard tuning like the rest of the album; TuneLit measured this song on its own because its pitch differs from the album's.
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7. Childhood's End
E StandardMeasured
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8. Free Four
E StandardMeasured
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9. Stay
Different pitch
E Standard −17 ¢Measured
Notes
About 17 ¢ flat (A ≈ 435.6).
Tabbed in standard tuning like the rest of the album; TuneLit measured this song on its own because its pitch differs from the album's.
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10. Absolutely Curtains
E StandardMeasured
Notes
Keyboards and percussion; no guitar part.
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 Obscured by Clouds in?
Pink Floyd recorded Obscured by Clouds (1972) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. The Gold It's in the... uses E Standard −26 ¢; Mudmen uses E Standard −13 ¢; Stay uses E Standard −17 ¢.
Why does Obscured by Clouds sound out of tune with my guitar?
The Gold It's in the... sits about 26 cents flat (A ≈ 433), 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.