Sepultura · 2009 · Studio album
A-Lex tuning.
B♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 13 of 18 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
B♭ Standard
At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD.
MeasuredWidely reported
Tune like thisPlay alongAll 18 songs
String 6 sits 6 half steps below its standard E2. On a normal set (.046) it keeps only about 50 % of its usual tension and feels loose. For the usual feel use about a .065 string, or a baritone guitar.
Measured by TuneLit
At concert pitch
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD edition | +1.7 ¢ | A 440.4 | 18 | +1.7 to +5.7 ¢ | Low |
Before we measured, sources said: B♭ Standard, with no pitch given (widely reported).
Based on A Clockwork Orange, and the first album with Jean Dolabella on drums. Most of it is on a low B♭ (B♭ Standard or Drop B♭), with D Standard songs and a few in E. The CD sits at concert pitch (A ≈ 440); A-Lex II reads about 9 ¢ flat and Ludwig Van about 10 ¢ sharp.
18 songs · 13 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. A-Lex I
Different tuning
Drop C♯Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: String 6 up 3 half steps (B♭ → C♯), String 5 up 5 half steps (E♭ → G♯), String 4 up 5 half steps (A♭ → C♯), String 3 up 5 half steps (D♭ → F♯), String 2 up 5 half steps (F → A♯), String 1 up 5 half steps (B♭ → D♯).
Tabbed in Drop C♯.
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2. Moloko Mesto
Different tuning
D StandardMeasured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: Every string up 4 half steps.
Tabbed in D Standard.
On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +19.1 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.
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3. Filthy Rot
B♭ StandardMeasured
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4. We've Lost You!
Different tuning
Drop B♭Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: String 5 up a whole step (E♭ → F), String 4 up a whole step (A♭ → B♭), String 3 up a whole step (D♭ → E♭), String 2 up a whole step (F → G), String 1 up a whole step (B♭ → C); the other strings stay.
The main community tab uses Drop B♭ (B♭ F B♭ E♭ G C); another one B♭ Standard. Both start from a low B♭.
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5. What I Do!
Different tuning
Drop B♭Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: String 5 up a whole step (E♭ → F), String 4 up a whole step (A♭ → B♭), String 3 up a whole step (D♭ → E♭), String 2 up a whole step (F → G), String 1 up a whole step (B♭ → C); the other strings stay.
The older community tab uses Drop B, a newer one Drop B♭ (B♭ F B♭ E♭ G C). TuneLit's semitone check from the audio hears B♭.
TuneLit's semitone check from the audio hears B♭ as the lowest open string, not the B of the older tab, and a newer tab says Drop B♭ too.
On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +13.6 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.
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6. A-Lex II
Different pitch
B♭ Standard −9 ¢Measured
Notes
About 9 ¢ flat.
Andreas Kisser's guitars are tuned to D Standard and B♭ Standard; most of the community tabs of this album use B♭.
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7. The Treatment
B♭ StandardMeasured
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8. Metamorphosis
B♭ StandardMeasured
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9. Sadistic Values
Different tuning
D StandardMeasured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: Every string up 4 half steps.
Tabbed in D Standard.
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10. Forceful Behavior
Different tuning
E StandardMeasured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: Every string up 6 half steps.
One community tab uses E♭ Standard, another E Standard. TuneLit's semitone check from the audio hears E.
TuneLit's semitone check from the audio hears E as the lowest open string and never the E♭ under it, as one of the two community tabs says.
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11. Conform
B♭ StandardMeasured
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12. A-Lex III
B♭ StandardMeasured
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13. The Experiment
Different tuning
Drop B♭Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: String 5 up a whole step (E♭ → F), String 4 up a whole step (A♭ → B♭), String 3 up a whole step (D♭ → E♭), String 2 up a whole step (F → G), String 1 up a whole step (B♭ → C); the other strings stay.
Tabbed in Drop B♭ (B♭ F B♭ E♭ G C).
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14. Strike
Different tuning
D StandardMeasured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: Every string up 4 half steps.
Tabbed in D Standard.
On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +8.8 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.
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15. Enough Said
Different tuning
D StandardMeasured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: Every string up 4 half steps.
Tabbed in D Standard.
On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +12.5 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.
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16. Ludwig Van
Different tuning
E Standard +10 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: Every string up 6 half steps.
About 10 ¢ sharp.
Built on Beethoven themes; the only tab uses E Standard.
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17. A-Lex IV
Different tuning
E♭ StandardMeasured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: Every string up 5 half steps.
The only tab uses E♭ Standard.
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18. Paradox
Different tuning
D StandardMeasured
Notes
How to get there from the album's B♭ Standard: Every string up 4 half steps.
Tabbed in D Standard.
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 A-Lex in?
Sepultura recorded A-Lex (2009) in B♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 13 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.
Why does A-Lex sound out of tune with my guitar?
Ludwig Van sits about 10 cents sharp (A ≈ 443), 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.