Slayer · 1998 · Studio album
Diabolus in Musica tuning.
C♯ Standard, about 14 cents sharp (A ≈ 444), measured on the CD. 5 of 11 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
C♯ Standard +14 ¢
About 14 cents sharp (A ≈ 444), measured on the CD.
MeasuredWidely reported
Measured by TuneLit
14 ¢ sharp
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, American/Sony SRCS 8698 (1998, Japan) | +13.5 ¢ | A 443.4 | 11 | +12.2 to +14.2 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: C♯ Standard, with no pitch given (widely reported).
Slayer's first album tuned mostly a step and a half down. Two songs stay in the old E♭, and Screaming from the Sky is tabbed with only its low string dropped to C♯. The CD sits about 14 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 443), except Bitter Peace (concert pitch) and Death's Head (about 11 ¢ flat). The Japanese CD adds Unguarded Instinct and Wicked.
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. Bitter Peace
Different pitch
C♯ StandardMeasured
Notes
Measured at concert pitch, about 14 ¢ below the rest of the album.
Wikipedia calls it the band's first album played mostly in C♯, and most tabs use C♯ Standard (C♯ F♯ B E G♯ C♯).
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2. Death's Head
Different pitch
C♯ Standard −11 ¢Measured
Notes
Measured about 11 ¢ flat (A ≈ 437), about 25 ¢ below the rest of the album. A second tab uses Drop C♯ (the E♭ tuning with only the low string lowered to C♯); the low riffs sound the same either way.
Wikipedia calls it the band's first album played mostly in C♯, and most tabs use C♯ Standard (C♯ F♯ B E G♯ C♯).
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3. Stain of Mind
C♯ Standard +14 ¢Measured
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4. Overt Enemy
C♯ Standard +14 ¢Measured
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5. Perversions of Pain
Different tuning
E♭ Standard +14 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's C♯ Standard: Every string up a whole step.
Back in the classic E♭ tuning, a whole step above the album's C♯ songs.
Tabbed in E♭ Standard, a whole step above most of the album.
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6. Love to Hate
C♯ Standard +14 ¢Measured
Notes
Songsterr has it both in C♯ Standard and in Drop C♯; the low string is C♯ either way.
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7. Desire
C♯ Standard +14 ¢Measured
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8. In the Name of God
C♯ Standard +14 ¢Measured
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9. Scrum
Different tuning
E♭ Standard +14 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's C♯ Standard: Every string up a whole step.
A short, fast King song in E♭.
Tabbed in E♭ Standard, a whole step above most of the album.
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10. Screaming from the Sky
Different tuning
Drop C♯ +14 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's C♯ Standard: String 5 up a whole step (F♯ → G♯), String 4 up a whole step (B → C♯), String 3 up a whole step (E → F♯), String 2 up a whole step (G♯ → A♯), String 1 up a whole step (C♯ → D♯); the other strings stay.
The low string is the same C♯ as the rest of the album, but the other five strings stay in E♭.
The only tab is in Drop C♯ (C♯ G♯ C♯ F♯ A♯ D♯): the E♭ tuning with the low string lowered a whole step to C♯.
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11. Point
C♯ Standard +14 ¢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.
- 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 Diabolus in Musica in?
Slayer recorded Diabolus in Musica (1998) in C♯ Standard, about 14 cents sharp (A ≈ 444), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 5 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.
Why does Diabolus in Musica sound out of tune with my guitar?
The record 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, song by song, so you only tune the strings.