TUNELIT

Slayer · 2006 · Studio album

Christ Illusion tuning.

E♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 6 of 10 songs are tuned differently.

Christ Illusion album cover

Album tuning

E♭ Standard

At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD.

MeasuredCommunity

Tune like thisPlay alongAll 10 songs

Measured by TuneLit

At concert pitch

SourceOffsetEquivalent ASongsSpreadConfidence
CD, American Recordings 2007 special edition (Black Serenade in its alternate version)+3.9 ¢A 44110+2.7 to +5.5 ¢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 (community).

Dave Lombardo's return, and the album with the most tunings: four songs in E♭, two in C♯ Standard, three in Drop B and Eyes of the Insane with a low B. Practically at concert pitch on the CD. The owner's copy is the 2007 special edition, which adds Final Six and has an alternate version of Black Serenade (the version measured here).

10 songs · 6 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. Flesh Storm

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  2. 2. Catalyst

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  3. 3. Skeleton Christ

    Different tuning

    Drop B −6 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: String 6 down 4 half steps (E♭ → B), String 5 down a whole step (A♭ → F♯), String 4 down a whole step (D♭ → B), String 3 down a whole step (G♭ → E), String 2 down a whole step (B♭ → G♯), String 1 down a whole step (E♭ → C♯).

    String 6 sits 5 half steps below its standard E2. On a normal set (.046) it keeps only about 55 % of its usual tension and feels loose. For the usual feel use about a .062 string, or a baritone guitar.

    Drop B, measured about 6 ¢ flat.

    The rhythm guitars are tabbed in Drop B (B F♯ B E G♯ C♯).

  4. 4. Eyes of the Insane

    Different tuning

    B StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Hanneman's Grammy-winning song. The tuning is disputed, but the low note is B in every version.

    The main tab is for a 7-string in standard tuning (B E A D G B E); other tabs use a 6-string in B Standard or Drop B. Every reading has B as the lowest note.

    On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +8.0 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.

  5. 5. Jihad

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  6. 6. Consfearacy

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +9.6 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.

  7. 7. Catatonic

    Different tuning

    Drop BMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: String 6 down 4 half steps (E♭ → B), String 5 down a whole step (A♭ → F♯), String 4 down a whole step (D♭ → B), String 3 down a whole step (G♭ → E), String 2 down a whole step (B♭ → G♯), String 1 down a whole step (E♭ → C♯).

    String 6 sits 5 half steps below its standard E2. On a normal set (.046) it keeps only about 55 % of its usual tension and feels loose. For the usual feel use about a .061 string, or a baritone guitar.

    Drop B. The tab was moved from E♭ to Drop B in 2024 to match the record.

    Tabbed in Drop B; the tab was moved from E♭ to Drop B in 2024 to match the record.

  8. 8. Black Serenade

    Different tuning

    C♯ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: Every string down a whole step.

    A Hanneman song in C♯ Standard. The measurement comes from the alternate version on the 2007 special edition.

    Tabbed in C♯ Standard, a whole step below the E♭ songs.

  9. 9. Cult

    Different tuning

    C♯ Standard +14 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: Every string down a whole step.

    A Kerry King song in C♯ Standard, measured about 14 ¢ sharp.

    Tabbed in C♯ Standard, a whole step below the E♭ songs.

  10. 10. Supremist

    Different tuning

    Drop BMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: String 6 down 4 half steps (E♭ → B), String 5 down a whole step (A♭ → F♯), String 4 down a whole step (D♭ → B), String 3 down a whole step (G♭ → E), String 2 down a whole step (B♭ → G♯), String 1 down a whole step (E♭ → C♯).

    String 6 sits 5 half steps below its standard E2. On a normal set (.046) it keeps only about 55 % of its usual tension and feels loose. For the usual feel use about a .061 string, or a baritone guitar.

    Drop B.

    Tabbed in Drop B; a proposed edit for a 7-string in B Standard has the same low note.

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 Christ Illusion in?

Slayer recorded Christ Illusion (2006) in E♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 6 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.

Why does Christ Illusion sound out of tune with my guitar?

Cult sits about 14 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.