Sonic Youth · 2002 · Studio album
Murray Street tuning.
C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4 at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 2 of 7 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4
At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD.
MeasuredFrom tabs
Measured by TuneLit
At concert pitch
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Geffen/Universal Japan UICF-1008 (2002) | +3.8 ¢ | A 441 | 7 | +2.5 to +5.1 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4, with no pitch given (community).
Jim O'Rourke joins on bass and third guitar, and Thurston Moore settles on C G D G C D, still his main tuning in 2024. Lee Ranaldo mostly answers in G G D G G A, Kim Gordon's guitar is in D A D A B B. TuneLit measured the Japanese CD about 4 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441), every song within a few cents. The bonus track Street Sauce is left out.
7 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. The Empty Page
C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4Measured
Notes
Thurston in C G D G C D, Lee in E E B E B B, Kim in D A D A B B; Jim O'Rourke plays bass.
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2. Disconnection Notice
C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4Measured
Notes
Thurston in C G D G C D, Lee in G G D G G A (confirmed by Lee), Kim in D A D A B B. One tab plays it in D G C F A D instead.
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3. Rain on Tin
C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4Measured
Notes
Thurston in C G D G C D, Lee in C G D C G D (confirmed by Lee), Jim O'Rourke on guitar in G G D E G B. An instrumental.
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4. Karen Revisited
Different tuning
G2 G2 D3 G3 G3 A3Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4: String 6 up 7 half steps (C → G), String 2 down 5 half steps (C → G), String 1 down 5 half steps (D → A); the other strings stay.
String 1 sits 7 half steps below its standard E4. On a normal set (.010) it keeps only about 45 % of its usual tension and feels loose. For the usual feel use about a .015 string, or a baritone guitar.
An 11-minute track: Lee's song, then a long noise outro in which Jim O'Rourke also plays guitar.
Lee Ranaldo's song and guitar: G G D G G A, confirmed by Lee. Thurston plays C G D G C D and Kim D A D A B B.
On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +8.8 ¢. Tune uses the album's A 440.
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5. Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style
C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4Measured
Notes
Thurston in C G D G C D, Lee in G G D G G A, Jim O'Rourke in G G D D D♯ D♯.
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6. Plastic Sun
C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4Measured
Notes
Thurston in C G D G C D, Lee in G G D G G A, Kim in E B E G G B.
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7. Sympathy for the Strawberry
Different tuning
C2 G2 D3 G3 B3 B3Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4: String 2 down a half step (C → B), String 1 down 3 half steps (D → B); the other strings stay.
String 1 sits 5 half steps below its standard E4. On a normal set (.010) it keeps only about 55 % of its usual tension and feels loose. For the usual feel use about a .013 string, or a baritone guitar.
Thurston's guitar: C G D G B B, the A Thousand Leaves tuning. Lee plays E E B E B B and organ; Kim's guitar is in E E B B F♯ F♯.
On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +8.5 ¢. Tune uses the album's A 440.
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 Murray Street in?
Sonic Youth recorded Murray Street (2002) in C2 G2 D3 G3 C4 D4 at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Karen Revisited uses G2 G2 D3 G3 G3 A3; Sympathy for the Strawberry uses C2 G2 D3 G3 B3 B3.