The Rolling Stones · 1968 · Studio album
Beggars Banquet tuning.
E Standard, about 9 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured on the CD. 6 of 10 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard −9 ¢
About 9 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured on the CD.
MeasuredFrom tabs
Measured by TuneLit
9 ¢ flat
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, ABKCO; track times match the 2002 remaster | −9.2 ¢ | A 437.7 | 10 | −16.3 to −5.0 ¢ | Low |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
Keith Richards's first open tunings: open D on Street Fighting Man and Stray Cat Blues, open E on Prodigal Son and Salt of the Earth, Brian Jones's open E slide on No Expectations. TuneLit measured the CD (ABKCO's 2002 remaster, by its track times) about 9 ¢ flat (A ≈ 437.7); Street Fighting Man sits about 36 ¢ flat.
10 songs · 6 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. Sympathy for the Devil
E Standard −9 ¢Measured
Notes
Keith Richards plays electric guitar and bass, Brian Jones acoustic guitar. The song gave no clear reading, so it uses the album value.
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2. No Expectations
Different tuning
Open E −9 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 5 up a whole step (A → B), String 4 up a whole step (D → E), String 3 up a half step (G → G♯); the other strings stay.
Brian Jones's acoustic slide part is tabbed in open E (E B E G♯ B E); Keith Richards's acoustic rhythm is tabbed in standard tuning.
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3. Dear Doctor
E Standard −9 ¢Measured
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4. Parachute Woman
E Standard −9 ¢Measured
Notes
On its own, this song measures sharper: CD +7.5 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's −9 ¢.
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5. Jigsaw Puzzle
Different tuning
Open E +8 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 5 up a whole step (A → B), String 4 up a whole step (D → E), String 3 up a half step (G → G♯); the other strings stay.
The slide guitar is tabbed in open E; the acoustic guitar under it in standard tuning.
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Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 6 down a whole step (E → D), String 3 down a half step (G → F♯), String 2 down a whole step (B → A), String 1 down a whole step (E → D); the other strings stay.
TuneLit measured it about 36 ¢ flat (A ≈ 431).
Keith Richards named open D for Street Fighting Man; he also said the track layers a six-string and a five-string acoustic, both in open tunings, with a lot of capo work. The tab's main acoustic is in open D (D A D F♯ A D).
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7. Prodigal Son
Different tuning
Open E +11 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 5 up a whole step (A → B), String 4 up a whole step (D → E), String 3 up a half step (G → G♯); the other strings stay.
Keith Richards plays Robert Wilkins's blues on acoustic guitar in open E (E B E G♯ B E), as the tab and MusicRadar's lesson say.
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8. Stray Cat Blues
Different tuning
Open D −9 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 6 down a whole step (E → D), String 3 down a half step (G → F♯), String 2 down a whole step (B → A), String 1 down a whole step (E → D); the other strings stay.
Keith Richards's guitar is tabbed in open D (D A D F♯ A D); the second guitar in standard tuning.
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9. Factory Girl
E Standard −9 ¢Measured
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10. Salt of the Earth
Different tuning
Open E −9 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 5 up a whole step (A → B), String 4 up a whole step (D → E), String 3 up a half step (G → G♯); the other strings stay.
Both the acoustic and Keith Richards's slide part are tabbed in open E.
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 Beggars Banquet in?
The Rolling Stones recorded Beggars Banquet (1968) in E Standard, about 9 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 6 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.
Why does Beggars Banquet sound out of tune with my guitar?
Street Fighting Man sits about 36 cents flat (A ≈ 431), 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.