Queen · 1977 · Studio album
News of the World tuning.
E Standard, about 5 cents flat (A ≈ 439), measured on the CD. 5 of 11 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard −4 ¢
About 5 cents flat (A ≈ 439), measured on the CD.
MeasuredWidely reported
Measured by TuneLit
5 ¢ flat
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Parlophone CDPCSD 132 (1993 Digital Master Series) | −4.5 ¢ | A 438.9 | 11 | −9.9 to −0.5 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (widely reported).
E Standard about 4 ¢ flat (A ≈ 438.9) on EMI's 1993 CD, with the widest spread in the catalogue: from Who Needs You, 26 ¢ flat, to Sleeping on the Sidewalk, 14 ¢ sharp, and Fight from the Inside half a semitone off.
11 songs · 5 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. We Will Rock You
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
Stamps, claps and voices until May's solo at the end. The whole-song reading, about 18 ¢ flat, came with low confidence, so the button uses the album's −4 ¢; the solo alone reads about 19 ¢ flat, and the Japanese and Mobile Fidelity CDs give the same low reading. If the solo sounds sharp against you, tune about 18 ¢ flat (A ≈ 435.4).
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2. We Are the Champions
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
In E Standard on every tab; the record sits with the album, about 4 ¢ flat.
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3. Sheer Heart Attack
Different pitch
E Standard −18 ¢Measured
Notes
Taylor plays rhythm guitar and bass, May adds guitar screams in the instrumental break. It measures about 18 ¢ flat (A ≈ 435.4), 14 ¢ below the album.
Tabbed in E Standard.
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4. All Dead, All Dead
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
May's song; he sings lead and plays piano.
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5. Spread Your Wings
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
Deacon's song, centred on D major, with Deacon on acoustic guitar.
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6. Fight from the Inside
Different pitch
E Standard A 427Measured
Notes
Taylor plays almost everything: drums, rhythm guitar and, on Deacon's instrument, the bass. The record sits right between two notes: about 51 ¢ below E (A ≈ 427.3), or 49 ¢ above it. TuneLit lists the lower reading, but the bass's open string reads closer to E 49 ¢ sharp; if the button sounds a half step low, tune E Standard 49 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 452.7).
Tabbed in E Standard. The record sits half a semitone from the A 440 grid.
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7. Get Down, Make Love
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
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8. Sleeping on the Sidewalk
Different pitch
E Standard +14 ¢Measured
Notes
May's blues, sung by him. TuneLit measured it about 14 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 443.6), 19 ¢ above the album.
Tabbed in E Standard.
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9. Who Needs You
Different pitch
E Standard −26 ¢Measured
Notes
Deacon's song, with Deacon and May on Spanish guitars. It measures about 26 ¢ flat (A ≈ 433.5), steady, and well below the album.
Tabbed in E Standard.
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10. It's Late
Different pitch
E Standard +11 ¢Measured
Notes
May's song, with tapping in the solo. About 11 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 442.9), 16 ¢ above the album.
Tabbed in E Standard.
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11. My Melancholy Blues
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
No guitars at all: Mercury's piano and Deacon's bass.
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 News of the World in?
Queen recorded News of the World (1977) in E Standard, about 5 cents flat (A ≈ 439), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 5 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.
Why does News of the World sound out of tune with my guitar?
Sheer Heart Attack sits about 18 cents flat (A ≈ 435), 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.