TUNELIT

Queen · 1986 · Studio album

A Kind of Magic tuning.

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

A Kind of Magic 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, EMI CDP 7 46267 2 (1986, first CD issue)−2.3 ¢A 439.49−4.3 to +2.0 ¢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).

E Standard at concert pitch (−2 ¢) on the first CD, EMI CDP 7 46267 2. Gimme the Prize sits about 15 ¢ sharp.

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. One Vision

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    It reads about 11 ¢ sharp through the song, but at low confidence, so the button uses the album value. If the riff sounds sharp against you, try about 11 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 442.8).

    On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +11.4 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.

  2. 2. A Kind of Magic

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  3. 3. One Year of Love

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    May does not play on it: Deacon replaced the guitar with a saxophone solo.

  4. 4. Pain Is So Close to Pleasure

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Deacon plays rhythm guitar on this Motown-style song, which began as a riff of May's.

  5. 5. Friends Will Be Friends

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    In G major on the record (played a whole step lower live), on E Standard guitars.

  6. 6. Who Wants to Live Forever

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Michael Kamen's orchestra, May's synthesiser and guitar; Deacon does not play on it. It sits at concert pitch.

  7. 7. Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)

    Different pitch

    E Standard +15 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    About 15 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 443.8), the one song of the album with its own value.

    Tabbed in E Standard.

  8. 8. Don't Lose Your Head

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  9. 9. Princes of the Universe

    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 A Kind of Magic in?

Queen recorded A Kind of Magic (1986) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme) uses E Standard +15 ¢.

Why does A Kind of Magic sound out of tune with my guitar?

Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme) sits about 15 cents sharp (A ≈ 444), 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.