TUNELIT

The Rolling Stones · 1974 · Studio album

It's Only Rock 'n Roll tuning.

E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 1 of 10 songs are tuned differently.

It's Only Rock 'n Roll album cover

Album tuning

E Standard

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

MeasuredFrom tabs

Tune like thisPlay alongAll 10 songs

Measured by TuneLit

At concert pitch

SourceOffsetEquivalent ASongsSpreadConfidence
CD (ALAC rip; pressing not identified)−0.5 ¢A 439.910−2.8 to +2.0 ¢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).

Standard tuning at concert pitch. Fingerprint File was mastered faster than it was played (B minor became C minor), and the tab follows the record with a capo at the 1st fret.

10 songs · 1 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. If You Can't Rock Me

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  2. 2. Ain't Too Proud to Beg

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  3. 3. It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Ronnie Wood plays 12-string acoustic on the record.

  4. 4. Till the Next Goodbye

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  5. 5. Time Waits for No One

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  6. 6. Luxury

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  7. 7. Dance Little Sister

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  8. 8. If You Really Want to Be My Friend

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  9. 9. Short and Curlies

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  10. 10. Fingerprint File

    Different pitch

    E Standard −13 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    The record was mastered faster than it was played, which moved the song from B minor to C minor; the tab follows the record with a capo at the 1st fret.

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 It's Only Rock 'n Roll in?

The Rolling Stones recorded It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Fingerprint File uses E Standard −13 ¢.

Why does It's Only Rock 'n Roll sound out of tune with my guitar?

Fingerprint File sits about 13 cents flat (A ≈ 437), 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, so you only tune the strings.