Slipknot · 2004 · Studio album
Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) tuning.
Drop B, about 5 cents sharp (A ≈ 441), measured on the CD. 2 of 14 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
Drop B +5 ¢
About 5 cents sharp (A ≈ 441), measured on the CD.
MeasuredWidely reported
Tune like thisPlay alongAll 14 songs
Bass: Bass Drop B +5 ¢ Tune bass
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.
Measured by TuneLit
5 ¢ sharp
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Warner Music Japan WPCR-15978 (2014 reissue) | +4.6 ¢ | A 441.2 | 14 | +2.2 to +7.4 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: Drop B, with no pitch given (widely reported).
Every heavy song is in Drop B and none is tabbed in Drop A. Circle is an acoustic song in E Standard, and Vermilion Pt. 2 keeps its acoustic guitars in Drop B. The CD sits about 5 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441), and TuneLit's semitone check confirms the low B on every heavy song it could read. Danger – Keep Away reads about 35 ¢ sharp. The special edition with a bonus disc reads the same.
14 songs · 2 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. Prelude 3.0
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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2. The Blister Exists
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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3. Three Nil
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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4. Duality
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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5. Opium of the People
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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6. Circle
Different tuning
E Standard +5 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's Drop B: String 6 up 5 half steps (B → E), String 5 up 3 half steps (F♯ → A), String 4 up 3 half steps (B → D), String 3 up 3 half steps (E → G), String 2 up 3 half steps (G♯ → B), String 1 up 3 half steps (C♯ → E).
Acoustic guitars in plain E Standard; TuneLit's semitone check hears the low E.
An acoustic song. The main Songsterr tab and Ultimate Guitar’s most-viewed chord sheet are in E Standard; a small tab uses E♭ Standard.
Bass: Bass E Standard +5 ¢ Tune bass
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7. Welcome
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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8. Vermilion
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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9. Pulse of the Maggots
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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10. Before I Forget
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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11. Vermilion Pt. 2
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
Notes
The acoustic re-working of Vermilion stays in Drop B: both acoustic guitars are tuned down. The E Standard tabs on Songsterr are labelled as simplified versions.
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12. The Nameless
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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13. The Virus of Life
Drop B +5 ¢Measured
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14. Danger – Keep Away
Different pitch
Drop B +35 ¢Measured
Notes
The tabs disagree (Drop B or E Standard), and the low notes of this quiet piece cannot settle it. It reads about 35 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 449).
A quiet piece with a clean guitar. Two Songsterr tabs disagree: one keeps the album’s Drop B, the other uses E 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.
- 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 Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) in?
Slipknot recorded Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004) in Drop B, about 5 cents sharp (A ≈ 441), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Circle uses E Standard +5 ¢; Danger – Keep Away uses Drop B +35 ¢.
Why does Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) sound out of tune with my guitar?
Danger – Keep Away sits about 35 cents sharp (A ≈ 449), 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.