Sonic Youth · Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star · song 2
Bull in the Heather tuning.
Bull in the Heather (Sonic Youth, 1994) is in G2 G2 D3 D3 D♯3 D♯3 at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit from the record.
Song tuning
G2 G2 D3 D3 D♯3 D♯3
At concert pitch (A 440).
Tune like thisPlay alongExperimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star
Measured by TuneLit
At concert pitch
The album's value, measured on the CD.
Sonic Youth · Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star · 1994
About Bull in the Heather
The single from Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star (1994), sung by Kim Gordon. Thurston Moore plays G G D D D♯ D♯, the tuning the band had used since the Kill Yr Idols EP, and Lee Ranaldo plays G G C G C D. The Songsterr tab gives both parts in these tunings, confirmed by set lists and videos.
TuneLit measured the album at concert pitch and this song within a few cents of it, so Tune uses A 440.
G G D D D♯ D♯ is three unison pairs: two low G strings, two D strings and two D♯ strings. A finger across a pair gives a doubled note, and the D♯ pair rubs a half step against the D pair whenever both ring. From standard, raise the low E to G, drop the A string to the same G, keep the D string, drop the G string to D, and bring the B and top E down to D♯. Lee's tuning shares the two low Gs, so the two guitars lock together on the bottom.
Tip: Listen to the D and D♯ pairs together before you start: the half-step rub is intended, but each pair on its own should be a clean unison.
Step by step
Tune your guitar like the record
- Tap Tune like this: the tuner switches to G2 G2 D3 D3 D♯3 D♯3, the notes Bull in the Heather was recorded in.
- From E Standard: String 6 up 3 half steps (E → G), String 5 down a whole step (A → G), String 3 down 5 half steps (G → D), String 2 down 8 half steps (B → E♭), String 1 down 13 half steps (E → E♭); the other strings stay.
- String 1 sits 13 half steps below its standard E4. On a normal set (.010) it keeps only about 20 % of its usual tension and flaps. For the usual feel use about a .021 string, or a baritone guitar.
- Turn String 6 to String 1 until each shows ✓ in tune. Bull in the Heather sits at concert pitch on the record, so the tuner stays at A 440.
- Then play Bull in the Heather along with the record: its lowest open note and your String 6 should ring together without a wobble.
Or the other way round
Move the record into your tuning
Rather keep your guitar as it is? Let Play along move Bull in the Heather instead. Add your own copy, for example from your CD (it never leaves your device); the link already says the song is in G2 G2 D3 D3 D♯3 D♯3. Choose G2 G2 D3 D3 D♯3 D♯3 at A 440 and Bull in the Heather moves down 3 cents, at its own speed. Slow it down or loop a few bars to learn it, and save the result as a WAV file.
Questions
What tuning is Bull in the Heather in?
G2 G2 D3 D3 D♯3 D♯3: G G D D E♭ E♭, low to high, at the pitch TuneLit measured on the record.