TUNELIT

Van Halen · 2012 · Studio album

A Different Kind of Truth tuning.

E♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 4 of 13 songs are tuned differently.

A Different Kind of Truth album cover

Album tuning

E♭ Standard

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

MeasuredFrom tabs

Tune like thisPlay alongAll 13 songs

Measured by TuneLit

At concert pitch

SourceOffsetEquivalent ASongsSpreadConfidence
CD, Interscope 0602527947297 (EU, 2012)−0.7 ¢A 439.813−4.9 to +3.8 ¢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).

Roth's return, built partly from 1970s demos, and back to E♭ Standard. TuneLit measured the CD within about a cent of a concert-pitch E♭ (A ≈ 439.8). Tattoo is in E Standard, Stay Frosty in Drop C and Honeybabysweetiedoll is tabbed in C Standard.

13 songs · 4 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. Tattoo

    Different tuning

    E StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: Every string up a half step.

    Roth plays the synthesizer (album credits), and Eddie told Guitar World all its guitars went through a 50-watt EVH 5150 III. The one song of the album in E Standard; TuneLit's audio check agrees.

    The one tab of the song is in E Standard, unlike the rest of the album.

  2. 2. She's the Woman

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Reworked from a 1970s demo (Guitar World).

  3. 3. You and Your Blues

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Eddie told Guitar World the solo and some overdubs were on a Strat.

  4. 4. China Town

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Eddie told Guitar World the intro that sounds like an octave effect is just him and Wolfgang playing together.

  5. 5. Blood and Fire

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Reworked from Ripley, an outtake Eddie first recorded on a Ripley stereo guitar (Guitar World).

  6. 6. Bullethead

    Different pitch

    E♭ Standard −9 ¢Measured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Reworked from a 1970s demo (Guitar World). Measured about 9 cents flat (A ≈ 437.6).

    Community tabs put almost every song back in E♭ Standard. Eddie's later guitar tech Tom Weber describes tuning his guitars with a high D♯ string, i.e. E♭ tuning.

  7. 7. As Is

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Eddie told Guitar World this was the one song he played on his D2H ("Drop 2 Hell") guitar.

  8. 8. Honeybabysweetiedoll

    Different tuning

    C StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    How to get there from the album's E♭ Standard: Every string down 3 half steps.

    The weird intro noises are a Whammy pedal, an octave pedal, a sustainer and a delay (Guitar World). TuneLit could not confirm the tab's low C from the audio; check by ear.

    The one tab of the song puts the guitar in C Standard, two whole steps down. Eddie told Guitar World the intro uses a Whammy pedal, an octave pedal and a sustainer, so the low sounds there are effects.

  9. 9. The Trouble with Never

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Eddie told Guitar World he wanted a Hendrix feel here, hence the wah.

  10. 10. Outta Space

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along
    Notes

    Reworked from a 1970s demo called Let's Get Rockin' (Guitar World).

  11. 11. Stay Frosty

    Different tuning

    Drop CMeasured

    Tune Play along
    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).

    Roth plays the fingerpicked acoustic intro (album credits), which recalls Ice Cream Man.

    The tab puts the electric guitar in Drop C (C G C F A D) and Roth's acoustic intro in open C (C G C G C E). Eddie told Guitar World the intro is Roth's fingerpicked country blues.

  12. 12. Big River

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

  13. 13. Beats Workin'

    E♭ StandardMeasured

    Tune Play along

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 A Different Kind of Truth in?

Van Halen recorded A Different Kind of Truth (2012) in E♭ Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. 4 songs use other tunings or pitches, listed song by song on this page.