The Rolling Stones · Sticky Fingers · song 1
Brown Sugar tuning.
Brown Sugar (The Rolling Stones, 1971) is in G2 D3 G3 B3 D4, about 11 cents flat (A ≈ 437), measured by TuneLit from the record.
Song tuning
G2 D3 G3 B3 D4 −11 ¢
About 11 cents flat (A ≈ 437).
Measured by TuneLit
11 ¢ flat
Measured on this song itself: Tune moves every string −11 ¢.
The Rolling Stones · Sticky Fingers · 1971
About Brown Sugar
The opening track of Sticky Fingers (1971) and the best-known riff in Keith Richards's five-string open G: G D G B D, with the low string taken off and the bass covering the low end. The riff is built from one-finger major chords and the extra notes Keith adds with two more fingers, which only fall under the hand in this tuning. Mick Taylor's second guitar is tabbed in standard tuning.
TuneLit measured the Sticky Fingers CD about 11 ¢ flat (A ≈ 437.1), and Brown Sugar sits at the album value, so Tune sets the five strings 11 ¢ low. TuneLit's check of the record's low notes agrees that the lowest guitar string is the G. At A 440 the open strings would sound slightly sharp against the record.
A popular tab moves the song into standard tuning; it plays the notes but loses the ringing open strings. If you keep six strings, tune String 6 to D and leave it out of the chords, since the record's lowest guitar note is the G. Keep a second guitar in standard tuning for Taylor's part.
Tip: Tune the five strings G D G B D first, then check the open G chord against the first chord of the riff.
Step by step
Tune your guitar like the record
- Tap Tune like this: the tuner switches to G2 D3 G3 B3 D4, every string −11 ¢, the notes Brown Sugar was recorded in.
- Turn String 5 to String 1 until each shows ✓ in tune. Brown Sugar sits 11 cents flat on the record: at A 440 your guitar would sound that much sharp against it, which Tune already corrects.
- Then play Brown Sugar along with the record: its lowest open note and your String 5 should ring together without a wobble.
Or the other way round
Move the record into your tuning
Rather keep your guitar as it is? Let Play along move Brown Sugar instead. Add your own copy, for example from your CD (it never leaves your device); the link already says the song is in G2 D3 G3 B3 D4 −11 ¢. Choose G2 D3 G3 B3 D4 at A 440 and Brown Sugar moves up 11 cents, at its own speed. Slow it down or loop a few bars to learn it, and save the result as a WAV file.
Questions
What tuning is Brown Sugar in?
G2 D3 G3 B3 D4 −11 ¢: G D G B D, low to high, at the pitch TuneLit measured on the record.