TUNELIT

The Rolling Stones · 1976 · Studio album

Black and Blue tuning.

E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 2 of 8 songs are tuned differently.

Black and Blue album cover

Album tuning

E Standard

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

MeasuredFrom tabs

Tune like thisPlay alongAll 8 songs

Measured by TuneLit

At concert pitch

SourceOffsetEquivalent ASongsSpreadConfidence
CD (ALAC rip; pressing not identified)+1.9 ¢A 440.58−0.9 to +2.4 ¢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).

Made with guest guitarists after Mick Taylor left; standard tuning in the tabs, concert pitch on the CD.

8 songs · 2 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. Hot Stuff

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  2. 2. Hand of Fate

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Margotin and Guesdon suggest Keith Richards plays it in open G; the tabs are in standard tuning.

  3. 3. Cherry Oh Baby

    Different pitch

    E Standard −14 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    The tabs are in standard tuning throughout.

  4. 4. Memory Motel

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  5. 5. Hey Negrita

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  6. 6. Melody

    Different pitch

    E Standard +12 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    The tabs are in standard tuning throughout.

  7. 7. Fool to Cry

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  8. 8. Crazy Mama

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    One guitar is tabbed in open G in both community tabs, the other in standard tuning.

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 Black and Blue in?

The Rolling Stones recorded Black and Blue (1976) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Cherry Oh Baby uses E Standard −14 ¢; Melody uses E Standard +12 ¢.

Why does Black and Blue sound out of tune with my guitar?

Cherry Oh Baby sits about 14 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.