The Beatles · 1967 · Studio album
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band tuning.
E Standard, about 13 cents flat (A ≈ 437), measured on the CD. 4 of 13 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard −13 ¢
About 13 cents flat (A ≈ 437), measured on the CD.
MeasuredFrom tabs
Measured by TuneLit
13 ¢ flat
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Parlophone CDP 7 46442 2 (1987, stereo) | −12.8 ¢ | A 436.8 | 13 | −16.0 to −10.1 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
E Standard, about 13 ¢ flat (A ≈ 436.8) on the 1987 CD, and the vinyl copies agree. Speed changes are part of this album's sound: When I'm Sixty-Four was sped up from C to D♭ and lands with the album, Lovely Rita was slowed in the mix and sits between E♭ and E, and the stereo She's Leaving Home runs slower than the mono. With a Little Help from My Friends runs about 6 ¢ sharp, Fixing a Hole and Within You Without You 22 to 27 ¢ flat.
13 songs · 4 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. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
Notes
The reading is weak (crowd noise and brass) and points about 38 ¢ flat on the CD and on vinyl alike; the button uses the album value, so if you sound sharp, lower the reference toward A 431.
On its own, this song measures flatter: CD −38.1 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's −13 ¢.
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2. With a Little Help from My Friends
Different pitch
E Standard +6 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured about 6 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441.6), 19 ¢ above the album.
The songs are tabbed in E Standard, except Lovely Rita (E♭ Standard) (Songsterr).
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3. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
Notes
Harrison's lead goes through a Leslie speaker; the song moves between A, B♭ and G. It shares the album value.
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4. Getting Better
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
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5. Fixing a Hole
Different pitch
E Standard −22 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured about 22 ¢ flat (A ≈ 434.4), 9 ¢ below the album. The one tab writes Harrison's lead lines in Drop D; George Martin's harpsichord carries the chords.
The songs are tabbed in E Standard, except Lovely Rita (E♭ Standard) (Songsterr).
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6. She's Leaving Home
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
Notes
Strings and harp; no Beatle plays an instrument. The stereo mix on this CD runs slower and about a half step lower than the mono mix.
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7. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
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8. Within You Without You
Different pitch
E Standard −27 ¢Measured
Notes
Harrison with Indian musicians and a string section. TuneLit measured about 27 ¢ flat (A ≈ 433.1), 14 ¢ below the album.
The songs are tabbed in E Standard, except Lovely Rita (E♭ Standard) (Songsterr).
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9. When I'm Sixty-Four
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
Notes
Recorded in C and sped up about a half step, so the record is in D♭: play in D♭ in standard tuning, or keep the C shapes with a capo at the 1st fret. TuneLit measured about 9 ¢ flat (A ≈ 437.7), with the album.
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10. Lovely Rita
Different pitch
E Standard A 425Measured
Notes
E Standard · A 425, the same notes as E♭ Standard +41 ¢. The reading is weak, but both vinyl copies give the same pitch. The record sits between E♭ and E, so check by ear which semitone your tab's shapes need.
Speed changes were used throughout, and the mixdown machine ran at 48.75 Hz instead of 50 Hz, about 44 ¢ slow, which leaves the record around E♭. The tab writes the guitars in E♭ Standard.
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11. Good Morning Good Morning
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
Notes
The reading is weak (horns and animal sounds) and points about 34 ¢ flat; the button uses the album value.
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12. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
Notes
No steady reading; the button uses the album value.
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13. A Day in the Life
E Standard −13 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured about 16 ¢ flat (A ≈ 436), close to the album. The orchestral rises have no steady pitch, so tune against the opening acoustic guitar and piano.
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 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in?
The Beatles recorded Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) in E Standard, about 13 cents flat (A ≈ 437), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 4 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.
Why does Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 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, song by song, so you only tune the strings.