The Rolling Stones · 1969 · Studio album
Let It Bleed tuning.
E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 6 of 9 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard
At concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD.
MeasuredFrom tabs
Measured by TuneLit
At concert pitch
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, ABKCO (ALAC rip; pressing not identified) | −1.0 ¢ | A 439.7 | 9 | −7.2 to +5.8 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
Open E for Gimme Shelter, open D with a capo for You Got the Silver, capos on Let It Bleed and Love in Vain, slide parts in open tunings. TuneLit measured the album at concert pitch; Country Honk runs about 19 ¢ sharp and Midnight Rambler about 19 ¢ flat.
9 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
-
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's intro and rhythm guitar (a Maton he played on the album) are in open E (E B E G♯ B E), as MusicRadar's lesson and the tab say. The lead lines are tabbed in standard tuning.
-
2. Love in Vain
E StandardMeasured
Notes
Keith Richards's acoustic is tabbed in standard tuning with a capo at the 3rd fret; the slide part is tabbed in open G (D G D G B D).
-
3. Country Honk
Different pitch
E Standard +19 ¢Measured
Notes
The country version of Honky Tonk Women: Keith Richards's acoustic in standard tuning, Mick Taylor's steel slide tabbed in open G. TuneLit measured it about 19 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 444.8).
The rhythm parts are mostly in standard tuning, with slide parts in open tunings; Gimme Shelter, You Got the Silver and You Can't Always Get What You Want are built on open-tuned guitars.
-
4. Live with Me
Different pitch
E Standard +12 ¢Measured
Notes
The rhythm parts are mostly in standard tuning, with slide parts in open tunings; Gimme Shelter, You Got the Silver and You Can't Always Get What You Want are built on open-tuned guitars.
-
5. Let It Bleed
E StandardMeasured
Notes
The acoustic guitar plays A, D and E shapes with a capo at the 3rd fret, so it sounds in C. The slide part is tabbed in open D.
-
6. Midnight Rambler
Different pitch
E Standard −19 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured it about 19 ¢ flat (A ≈ 435.3).
Keith Richards plays the main guitars in standard tuning and the slide on an electric 12-string in open E. On stage the song later moved to open G with a capo.
-
7. You Got the Silver
Different tuning
Open DMeasured
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 acoustic and slide parts are both tabbed in open D (D A D F♯ A D) with a capo at the 3rd fret.
On its own, this song measures flatter: CD −17.9 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.
-
8. Monkey Man
E StandardMeasured
Notes
The rhythm parts are mostly in standard tuning, with slide parts in open tunings; Gimme Shelter, You Got the Silver and You Can't Always Get What You Want are built on open-tuned guitars.
-
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.
MusicRadar names open E for the acoustic part, as on Gimme Shelter; the most-viewed tab plays it in open G (D G D G B D) with a capo at the 5th fret instead. Either way the song sounds in C.
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 Let It Bleed in?
The Rolling Stones recorded Let It Bleed (1969) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 6 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.
Why does Let It Bleed sound out of tune with my guitar?
Country Honk sits about 19 cents sharp (A ≈ 445), 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.