Van Halen · 1986 · Studio album
5150 tuning.
E Standard, about 5 cents flat (A ≈ 439), measured on the CD. 5 of 9 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard −5 ¢
About 5 cents flat (A ≈ 439), measured on the CD.
MeasuredFrom tabs
Measured by TuneLit
5 ¢ flat
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Warner Bros. 9 25394-2 (US, 1986) | −5.1 ¢ | A 438.7 | 9 | −7.6 to −4.6 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
Sammy Hagar's first album with the band, and the start of E Standard at concert pitch: TuneLit measured the US CD about 5 cents flat (A ≈ 438.7). Good Enough drops its 6th string to a low A and the title track is in Drop C♯; Best of Both Worlds sits about 31 cents sharp.
9 songs · 5 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. Good Enough
Different tuning
A1 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4 −5 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 6 down 7 half steps (E → A); the other strings stay.
String 6 sits 7 half steps below its standard E2. On a normal set (.046) it keeps only about 45 % of its usual tension and feels loose. For the usual feel use about a .069 string, or a baritone guitar.
The 6th string is slackened a fifth, down to a low A an octave below the 5th string.
The tab drops the 6th string all the way down to a low A, an octave below the 5th string: A A D G B E.
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2. Why Can't This Be Love
E Standard −5 ¢Measured
Notes
The riff is played on keyboards; Hagar played the guitar parts live while Eddie played keys (Wikipedia).
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3. Get Up
E Standard −5 ¢Measured
Notes
On its own, this song measures flatter: CD −13.2 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's −5 ¢.
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4. Dreams
E Standard −5 ¢Measured
Notes
Keyboard-led.
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5. Summer Nights
Different pitch
E Standard +4 ¢Measured
Notes
Measured about 4 cents sharp, some 9 cents above the rest of the album.
The first album with Sammy Hagar. Community tabs put almost every song in E Standard.
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6. Best of Both Worlds
Different pitch
E Standard +31 ¢Measured
Notes
Measured about 31 cents sharp (A ≈ 448), well above the rest of 5150.
The first album with Sammy Hagar. Community tabs put almost every song in E Standard.
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7. Love Walks In
Different pitch
E Standard +15 ¢Measured
Notes
Keyboard-led. Measured about 15 cents sharp (A ≈ 443.7).
The first album with Sammy Hagar. Community tabs put almost every song in E Standard.
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8. 5150
Different tuning
Drop C♯ +12 ¢Measured
Notes
How to get there from the album's E Standard: String 6 down 3 half steps (E → C♯), String 5 down a half step (A → G♯), String 4 down a half step (D → C♯), String 3 down a half step (G → F♯), String 2 down a half step (B → A♯), String 1 down a half step (E → D♯).
Measured about 12 cents above Drop C♯ (A ≈ 443).
Both tabs put the song in Drop C♯ (Drop D a half step down), played on Eddie's Steinberger.
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9. Inside
E Standard −5 ¢Measured
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 5150 in?
Van Halen recorded 5150 (1986) in E Standard, about 5 cents flat (A ≈ 439), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 5 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.
Why does 5150 sound out of tune with my guitar?
Best of Both Worlds sits about 31 cents sharp (A ≈ 448), 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.