Queen · 1974 · Studio album
Sheer Heart Attack tuning.
E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 3 of 13 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard −4 ¢
At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD.
MeasuredWidely reported
Measured by TuneLit
At concert pitch
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Hollywood Records (1991 US reissue) | −4.2 ¢ | A 438.9 | 13 | −6.6 to −0.8 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (widely reported).
E Standard at about 4 ¢ flat (A ≈ 438.9) on Hollywood Records' 1991 CD, the steadiest of the early albums. In the Lap of the Gods sits about 13 ¢ flat, Now I'm Here about 7 ¢ sharp.
13 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. Brighton Rock
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
May's delay solo is built from one main and one echoed guitar on the record. Every tab is in E Standard.
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2. Killer Queen
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
In E Standard on every tab. The song itself reads at concert pitch, 4 ¢ above the album value it shares: either is in tune.
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3. Tenement Funster
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
Taylor's song; Deacon plays the acoustic guitar parts.
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4. Flick of the Wrist
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
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5. Lily of the Valley
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
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6. Now I'm Here
Different pitch
E Standard +7 ¢Measured
Notes
May's riff and echo parts are in E Standard. TuneLit measured it about 7 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441.7), 11 ¢ above the album.
Tabbed in E Standard.
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7. In the Lap of the Gods
Different pitch
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
Notes
About 13 ¢ flat (A ≈ 436.8), lower than the rest of the album.
Tabbed in E Standard.
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8. Stone Cold Crazy
Different pitch
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
Notes
The first song credited to all four members: fast and heavy, in E Standard on every tab. TuneLit measured it about 5 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441.2), 9 ¢ above the album.
Every tab, the Ultimate Guitar official one included, is in E Standard.
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9. Dear Friends
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
A short piano piece by Mercury.
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10. Misfire
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
Deacon's first song for the band: he plays almost all the guitars, and May's Red Special comes in near the end.
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11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
May plays a short ukulele-banjo part and Deacon a double bass line; the guitars are in standard tuning.
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12. She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettoes)
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
Notes
May and Deacon on acoustic guitars, in standard tuning.
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13. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited
E Standard −4 ¢Measured
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 Sheer Heart Attack in?
Queen recorded Sheer Heart Attack (1974) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Now I'm Here uses E Standard +7 ¢; In the Lap of the Gods uses E Standard −13 ¢; Stone Cold Crazy uses E Standard +5 ¢.
Why does Sheer Heart Attack sound out of tune with my guitar?
In the Lap of the Gods sits about 13 cents flat (A ≈ 437), 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.