TUNELIT

The Pretty Reckless · 2014 · Studio album

Going to Hell tuning.

E♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 7 of 12 songs are tuned differently.

Going to Hell album cover

Album tuning

E♭ Standard

At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD.

MeasuredCommunity

Tune like thisPlay alongAll 12 songs

Measured by TuneLit

At concert pitch

SourceOffsetEquivalent ASongsSpreadConfidence
CD, Razor & Tie (2014)−0.8 ¢A 439.812−3.3 to +0.1 ¢High
 Offset from concert pitch (A 440). Spread: the middle half of the songs, when four or more share the album's pitch. Confidence: how well the notes agree with one grid.

Before we measured, sources said: E♭ Standard, with no pitch given (community).

The heaviest album, split between two families of tunings. Follow Me Down, the title track, Absolution and Fucked Up World are in the half-step-down family (E♭ Standard and Drop C♯), while Heaven Knows, House on a Hill, Sweet Things and Blame Me are tabbed in plain E Standard. Measured at concert pitch.

12 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

  1. 1. Follow Me Down

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    E♭ Standard, with the open low E♭ carrying the riff; TuneLit's audio check agrees.

  2. 2. Going to Hell

    Different tuning

    Drop C♯Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: String 6 down a whole step (E♭ → C♯); the other strings stay.

    Drop C♯: tune to E♭ Standard, then take the 6th string down a whole step to C♯.

    The main tab (one of the band's most viewed) is in Drop C♯: C♯ G♯ C♯ F♯ A♯ D♯, E♭ Standard with the low string down another whole step. TuneLit's audio check hears the low C♯ and agrees. The acoustic version is tabbed in plain E♭.

  3. 3. Heaven Knows

    Different tuning

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: Every string up a half step.

    The open low E is never played; the riff lives on the A string.

    Tabbed in E Standard. The song sits on A and never uses the open low E, so the audio check cannot confirm the low string; the notes in the tab match the record.

  4. 4. House on a Hill

    Different tuning

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: Every string up a half step.

    Rests on one tab.

    Tabbed in E Standard. The audio check cannot confirm it: the open low E is never heard, and the lowest notes on the record (a low C♯) sit below what an E-tuned bass can reach.

  5. 5. Sweet Things

    Different tuning

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: Every string up a half step.

    Tabbed in E Standard, with the open low E as the root of the riff; TuneLit's audio check agrees.

  6. 6. Dear Sister

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    A one-minute acoustic interlude; its one tab is half a step down.

  7. 7. Absolution

    Different tuning

    Drop C♯Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: String 6 down a whole step (E♭ → C♯); the other strings stay.

    Drop C♯, like the title track.

    Tabbed in Drop C♯, with the open low C♯ under the main riff; TuneLit's audio check hears the C♯ and agrees.

  8. 8. Blame Me

    Different tuning

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: Every string up a half step.

    Rests on one tab; check by ear (E or E♭).

    The one tab is in E Standard but never plays the open low E: the song sits on F♯, G♯ and B♭. TuneLit's audio check is not sure about E and would agree with E♭ Standard, so check by ear.

  9. 9. Burn

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    A short acoustic piece; its one tab is half a step down, and the audio check agrees.

  10. 10. Why'd You Bring a Shotgun to the Party

    Different tuning

    Drop DMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from E Standard: String 6 down a whole step (E → D); the other strings stay.

    Rests on a machine-made transcription; check by ear.

    Only a machine-made transcription gives a full tuning (Drop D); a chord sheet uses E Standard with a capo. TuneLit's measurement of this song is weak and the audio check is not sure, so treat Drop D as a starting point.

  11. 11. Fucked Up World

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Released as a single as Messed Up World (F'd Up World). Its tab (a machine transcription) is half a step down, and the audio check agrees.

  12. 12. Waiting for a Friend

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    No tab with a stated tuning was found, so it follows the album. TuneLit's audio check hears a low D and never a low E♭, so it points a half step lower; no tab backs that up. Check by ear.

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.
Community
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 Going to Hell in?

The Pretty Reckless recorded Going to Hell (2014) in E♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 7 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.