Slayer · 1986 · Studio album
Reign in Blood tuning.
E♭ Standard, about 13 cents flat (A ≈ 437), measured on the CD. 1 of 10 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E♭ Standard −12 ¢
About 13 cents flat (A ≈ 437), measured on the CD.
MeasuredWidely reported
Measured by TuneLit
13 ¢ flat
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Def Jam 9 24131-2 (1986, USA) | −12.5 ¢ | A 436.8 | 10 | −14.6 to −0.8 ¢ | Low |
Before we measured, sources said: E♭ Standard, with no pitch given (widely reported).
Rick Rubin's first album with the band: ten songs in under half an hour, all in E♭. The CD is not one pitch: most songs sit 12 to 18 ¢ flat, while Piece by Piece, Jesus Saves and Postmortem are at concert pitch. The album value is the middle of that spread, about 12 ¢ flat (A ≈ 437).
10 songs · 1 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. Angel of Death
E♭ Standard −12 ¢Measured
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2. Piece by Piece
E♭ Standard −12 ¢Measured
Notes
Measured at concert pitch, but not clearly enough for its own setting; raise Fine-tune if the album's −12 ¢ sounds flat.
On its own, this song measures sharper: CD −0.8 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's −12 ¢.
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3. Necrophobic
E♭ Standard −12 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit's check from the audio points to E here, because the open E♭ is almost never heard and E is the most common low note. Every tab says E♭, so it stays in E♭.
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4. Altar of Sacrifice
E♭ Standard −12 ¢Measured
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5. Jesus Saves
E♭ Standard −12 ¢Measured
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6. Criminally Insane
E♭ Standard −12 ¢Measured
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7. Reborn
E♭ Standard −12 ¢Measured
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8. Epidemic
E♭ Standard −12 ¢Measured
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9. Postmortem
Different pitch
E♭ StandardMeasured
Notes
Measured at concert pitch, about 12 ¢ above most of the album.
Every song is tabbed in E♭ Standard. Kerry King calls this tuning "D♯" and today strings it with .009–.042 gauges.
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10. Raining Blood
E♭ Standard −12 ¢Measured
Notes
Measured about 18 ¢ flat, a little below the album value; lower Fine-tune a few cents if the intro's long notes beat against your guitar.
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 Reign in Blood in?
Slayer recorded Reign in Blood (1986) in E♭ Standard, about 13 cents flat (A ≈ 437), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Postmortem uses E♭ Standard.
Why does Reign in Blood sound out of tune with my guitar?
The record 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.