Sonic Youth · 1990 · Studio album
Goo tuning.
E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4, about 9 cents sharp (A ≈ 442), measured on the CD. 7 of 11 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4 +9 ¢
About 9 cents sharp (A ≈ 442), measured on the CD.
MeasuredWidely reported
Tune like thisPlay alongAll 11 songs
String 2 sits 7 half steps below its standard B3. On a normal set (.013) it keeps only about 45 % of its usual tension and feels loose. For the usual feel use about a .019 string, or a baritone guitar.
Measured by TuneLit
9 ¢ sharp
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Mobile Fidelity UDCD 665 (gold CD of the DGC album) | +8.7 ¢ | A 442.2 | 11 | −4.6 to +9.0 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4, with no pitch given (widely reported).
The first DGC album, and the start of Thurston Moore's E G D G E D against Lee Ranaldo's E E B B E F♯ (Dirty Boots). Kool Thing and Mary-Christ go back to F♯ F♯ F♯ F♯ E B, Mote is Lee in G G D D F F, and Mildred Pierce is in standard tuning. TuneLit measured the Mobile Fidelity gold CD in the owner's library about 9 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 442.2). Titanium Exposé was slowed down a half step on the record, so its E G D G E D sounds as D♯ F♯ C♯ F♯ D♯ C♯.
11 songs · 7 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. Dirty Boots
E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4 +9 ¢Measured
Notes
Thurston in E G D G E D (Guitar Player 1991, 1992 and 1994); Lee Ranaldo in E E B B E F♯. The E E B B E F♯ / E G D G E D pair returns on many later songs.
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2. Tunic (Song for Karen)
E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4 +9 ¢Measured
Notes
Thurston in E G D G E D (videos); Lee in G G D D G G (Guitar Player, 1991). Kim sings.
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3. Mary-Christ
Different tuning
F♯2 F♯2 F♯3 F♯3 E3 B3 +9 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4: String 6 up a whole step (E → F♯), String 5 down a half step (G → F♯), String 4 up 4 half steps (D → F♯), String 3 down a half step (G → F♯), String 1 down 3 half steps (D → B); the other strings stay.
Thurston's guitar: F♯ F♯ F♯ F♯ E B (Guitar Player 1991, Confusion Is Next). Lee's guitar: F F C C A A.
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Notes
How to get there from the album's E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4: String 6 up a whole step (E → F♯), String 5 down a half step (G → F♯), String 4 up 4 half steps (D → F♯), String 3 down a half step (G → F♯), String 1 down 3 half steps (D → B); the other strings stay.
Kim sings, with Chuck D of Public Enemy.
Both guitars in F♯ F♯ F♯ F♯ E B, as printed by Guitar Player (1991, 1992), Musician (1995) and Confusion Is Next. The Songsterr tab agrees.
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5. Mote
Different tuning
G2 G2 D3 D3 F3 F3 +9 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4: String 6 up 3 half steps (E → G), String 3 down 5 half steps (G → D), String 2 up a half step (E → F), String 1 down 9 half steps (D → F); the other strings stay.
String 1 sits 11 half steps below its standard E4. On a normal set (.010) it keeps only about 30 % of its usual tension and flaps. For the usual feel use about a .019 string, or a baritone guitar.
Lee Ranaldo's song and lead guitar: G G D D F F (Guitar Player, 1991). Thurston plays G G D D D♯ D♯.
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6. My Friend Goo
E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4 +9 ¢Measured
Notes
Kim Gordon plays guitar in E G D G E D (Guitar Player, 1991), Lee in G G D F F G, and Thurston plays bass.
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7. Disappearer
Different tuning
C3 C3 E3 B3 G3 D4 +9 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4: String 6 up 8 half steps (E → C), String 5 up 5 half steps (G → C), String 4 up a whole step (D → E), String 3 up 4 half steps (G → B), String 2 up 3 half steps (E → G); the other strings stay.
Thurston's guitar: C C E B G D (Guitar Player, 1991), the Sprawl tuning. Lee's tuning is not documented; a tab gives E E E E G♯ G♯.
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8. Mildred Pierce
Different tuning
E Standard +9 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4: String 5 up a whole step (G → A), String 2 up 7 half steps (E → B), String 1 up a whole step (D → E); the other strings stay.
A short, furious piece named after the Joan Crawford film.
Both guitars in standard tuning, a rarity on a Sonic Youth album.
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9. Cinderella's Big Score
Different tuning
A2 C3 C3 G3 G♯3 C4 +9 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4: String 6 up 5 half steps (E → A), String 5 up 5 half steps (G → C), String 4 down a whole step (D → C), String 2 up 4 half steps (E → G♯), String 1 down a whole step (D → C); the other strings stay.
Kim sings.
Thurston's guitar: A C C G G♯ C (Guitar Player, 1991). Lee's guitar: B B E E A A, from the band's techs.
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10. Scooter + Jinx
E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4 +9 ¢Measured
Notes
A minute of noise from an overheating amplifier; nothing to tune to.
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11. Titanium Exposé
Different tuning
D♯2 F♯2 C♯3 F♯3 D♯3 C♯4 +9 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4: Every string down a half step.
String 2 sits 8 half steps below its standard B3. On a normal set (.013) it keeps only about 40 % of its usual tension and flaps. For the usual feel use about a .021 string, or a baritone guitar.
To play along in the guitars' real tuning, tune to E G D G E D and let Play along lower the record a half step.
Played in E G D G E D (Thurston, Guitar Player 1991) and G G D D G G (Lee), but the album version was slowed down by a half step, so it sounds in D♯ F♯ C♯ F♯ D♯ C♯. The Songsterr tab is written a half step down for that reason.
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 Goo in?
Sonic Youth recorded Goo (1990) in E2 G2 D3 G3 E3 D4, about 9 cents sharp (A ≈ 442), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 7 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.