The Beatles · 1968 · Studio album
White Album tuning.
E Standard, about 7 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured on the CD. 9 of 30 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard −7 ¢
About 7 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured on the CD.
MeasuredFrom tabs
Measured by TuneLit
7 ¢ flat
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2CD, Parlophone CDS 7 46443 8 (1987, stereo) | −6.6 ¢ | A 438.3 | 30 | −13.5 to −4.2 ¢ | Medium |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
E Standard, about 7 ¢ flat (A ≈ 438.3) on the 1987 two-CD set. Dear Prudence is in Drop D; the tabs put capos on Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and I Will (1st fret), Julia (2nd), Long, Long, Long (3rd) and Piggies (6th). Most songs sit within a few cents of the album. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da runs about 22 ¢ sharp, Wild Honey Pie sits half a semitone flat, Mother Nature's Son and Rocky Raccoon about 22 to 25 ¢ flat.
30 songs · 9 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. Back in the U.S.S.R.
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured it at concert pitch, but the reading is weak, so the button uses the album value.
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Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 6 down a whole step (E → D); the other strings stay.
Drop D. TuneLit measured about 16 ¢ flat (A ≈ 435.9), 10 ¢ below the album, and both vinyl copies agree.
Lennon drops String 6 to D for the picked pattern Donovan showed him in Rishikesh; four of the five guitar parts in the tab are in Drop D.
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3. Glass Onion
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
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4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Different pitch
E Standard +22 ¢Measured
Notes
Capo 1 in the tab (A shapes sounding in B♭). TuneLit measured about 22 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 445.5), 28 ¢ above the album, and both vinyl copies agree.
The tab puts both guitar parts at the 1st fret (A shapes sounding in B♭); another tab writes it without a capo.
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5. Wild Honey Pie
Different pitch
E Standard A 427Measured
Notes
McCartney alone, bending the strings hard; the take was copied several times and one copy flanged. TuneLit measured about 53 ¢ flat (A ≈ 426.7): halfway between two notes, so Tune sets E Standard · A 427.
The songs are tabbed in E Standard, except Dear Prudence (Drop D); several songs use a capo (Songsterr).
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6. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
The reading points about 36 ¢ flat but is not confident enough for a value of its own, so the button uses the album value; if you sound sharp, lower the reference.
On its own, this song measures flatter: CD −36.0 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's −7 ¢.
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7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
Eric Clapton plays the lead guitar, in standard tuning. TuneLit measured about 13 ¢ flat (A ≈ 436.7), 6 ¢ below the album: close enough to share the album value.
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8. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Different pitch
E Standard +8 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured about 8 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441.9), 14 ¢ above the album.
The songs are tabbed in E Standard, except Dear Prudence (Drop D); several songs use a capo (Songsterr).
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9. Martha My Dear
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
A piano song with brass and strings. TuneLit measured it at concert pitch, 7 ¢ above the album.
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10. I'm So Tired
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
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11. Blackbird
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
McCartney alone on his acoustic, in standard tuning, the guitar part adapted from a Bach bourrée. TuneLit measured about 14 ¢ flat (A ≈ 436.5), 7 ¢ below the album: within reach of the album value, so the button uses it; lower it a touch if you sound sharp.
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12. Piggies
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
The tab puts the guitar at the 6th fret; harpsichord and strings lead.
The tab puts the guitar at the 6th fret; harpsichord and strings carry the song.
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13. Rocky Raccoon
Different pitch
E Standard −22 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured about 22 ¢ flat (A ≈ 434.3), 16 ¢ below the album.
The songs are tabbed in E Standard, except Dear Prudence (Drop D); several songs use a capo (Songsterr).
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14. Don't Pass Me By
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
A piano and violin song; it shares the album value.
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15. Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
One tab writes a second guitar in D Standard; the main part is in E Standard.
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16. I Will
Different pitch
E Standard +7 ¢Measured
Notes
Capo 1 in the tab for the main acoustic part. TuneLit measured about 7 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441.8), 14 ¢ above the album.
The tab puts the main acoustic part at the 1st fret; a second part is written without a capo.
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17. Julia
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
Lennon alone, finger-picking with a capo at the 2nd fret, in the style he learned from Donovan in India. TuneLit measured about 14 ¢ flat (A ≈ 436.4), 7 ¢ below the album: the button uses the album value.
Lennon alone, finger-picking in the style Donovan showed him in India; every tab puts the capo at the 2nd fret.
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18. Birthday
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
The reading is weak; the button uses the album value.
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19. Yer Blues
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
No steady reading (heavy distortion); the button uses the album value.
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20. Mother Nature's Son
Different pitch
E Standard −25 ¢Measured
Notes
McCartney's acoustic in standard tuning, with brass. TuneLit measured about 25 ¢ flat (A ≈ 433.6), 19 ¢ below the album, one of the flattest songs on the album.
The songs are tabbed in E Standard, except Dear Prudence (Drop D); several songs use a capo (Songsterr).
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21. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
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22. Sexy Sadie
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
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23. Helter Skelter
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
No steady reading (heavy distortion); the button uses the album value.
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24. Long, Long, Long
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
Capo 3 in the main tab; another tab writes it in D Standard without a capo. TuneLit measured about 10 ¢ flat (A ≈ 437.4), close to the album.
The main tab puts the acoustic at the 3rd fret; another tab writes the song in D Standard without a capo.
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25. Revolution 1
Different pitch
E Standard −17 ¢Measured
Notes
The slow, acoustic-led version of Revolution. TuneLit measured about 17 ¢ flat (A ≈ 435.8), 10 ¢ below the album.
The songs are tabbed in E Standard, except Dear Prudence (Drop D); several songs use a capo (Songsterr).
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26. Honey Pie
Different pitch
E StandardMeasured
Notes
TuneLit measured it at concert pitch, 9 ¢ above the album.
The songs are tabbed in E Standard, except Dear Prudence (Drop D); several songs use a capo (Songsterr).
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27. Savoy Truffle
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
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28. Cry Baby Cry
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
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29. Revolution 9
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
A tape collage with no guitar part to tune.
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30. Good Night
E Standard −7 ¢Measured
Notes
Ringo Starr with an orchestra; no guitars.
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 White Album in?
The Beatles recorded White Album (1968) in E Standard, about 7 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 9 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.
Why does White Album sound out of tune with my guitar?
Dear Prudence sits about 16 cents flat (A ≈ 436), 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.