The Beatles · White Album · song 7
While My Guitar Gently Weeps tuning.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles, 1968) is in E Standard, about 7 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured by TuneLit from the record.
Measured by TuneLit
7 ¢ flat
The album's value, measured on the CD: Tune moves every string −7 ¢.
The Beatles · White Album · 1968
About While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Harrison's song from the White Album (1968), in A minor, with Eric Clapton playing the lead guitar. Everything is in standard tuning without a capo: the verse chords move through Am, Am/G, D/F♯ and Fmaj7 shapes over a bass line that steps down from A, and the solo and the fills sit in the familiar A minor positions.
TuneLit measured the 1987 two-CD set. The album sits about 7 ¢ flat (A ≈ 438.3). This song reads a little lower, about 13 ¢ flat, but close enough to share the album value, so Tune opens E Standard 7 ¢ down. Both vinyl copies TuneLit checked read it 9 to 13 ¢ flat.
If Clapton's long bends sound slightly sharp against you, lower the reference by about 6 ¢ more, to the song's own reading. The descending bass line is the best place to check: the open A on String 5 and the G and F♯ on String 6 below it should sit right on the record's bass notes. The piano doubles those notes in the intro, so the first bars are an easy reference.
Tip: Start at the album's −7 ¢, check the open A against the bass in the intro, and drop to −13 ¢ if you sound sharp.
Step by step
Tune your guitar like the record
- Tap Tune like this: the tuner switches to E Standard, every string −7 ¢, the notes While My Guitar Gently Weeps was recorded in.
- Turn String 6 to String 1 until each shows ✓ in tune. While My Guitar Gently Weeps sits 7 cents flat on the record: at A 440 your guitar would sound that much sharp against it, which Tune already corrects.
- Then play While My Guitar Gently Weeps 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 While My Guitar Gently Weeps instead. Add your own copy, for example from your CD (it never leaves your device); the link already says the song is in E Standard −7 ¢. Choose E Standard at A 440 and While My Guitar Gently Weeps moves up 7 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 While My Guitar Gently Weeps in?
E Standard −7 ¢: E A D G B E, low to high, at the pitch TuneLit measured on the record.