ZZ Top · 1979 · Studio album
Degüello tuning.
E Standard, about 6 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured on the CD. 1 of 10 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard −6 ¢
About 6 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured on the CD.
MeasuredFrom tabs
Measured by TuneLit
6 ¢ flat
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Warner Bros. 7599-27400-2 (Germany) | −5.7 ¢ | A 438.6 | 10 | −10.0 to −2.7 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
E Standard, about 6 ¢ flat (A ≈ 438.6) on the German CD we measured, with I Thank You about 25 ¢ flat. Two Warner compilations put seven of its songs 9 to 12 ¢ higher, so this CD may run slightly slow: with a remaster or a stream, try about +5 ¢ (A ≈ 441.3).
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
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1. I Thank You
Different pitch
E Standard −25 ¢Measured
Notes
The Isaac Hayes and David Porter song. TuneLit measured it about 25 ¢ flat (A ≈ 433.8), the flattest firm reading in the catalog.
Tabbed in E Standard. Gibbons said the lead of I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide was played on a short-scale guitar tuned a minor third up.
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2. She Loves My Automobile
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
Notes
The only tab is in F Standard, a half step above normal; TuneLit's semitone check hears E as the lowest string, like the rest of the album, so it stays in E Standard. A 1994 compilation puts it about 11 ¢ higher than this CD.
The only tab is in F Standard, a half step above standard tuning, which would be unusual; the rest of the album is tabbed in E Standard, and TuneLit's semitone check hears E, not F, as the low string.
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3. I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
Notes
The rhythm parts are in E Standard. Gibbons played the lead on a half-size, short-scale guitar tuned to G: standard tuning raised a minor third (G C F B♭ D G). On a normal guitar, a capo at the 3rd fret gives the same notes.
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4. A Fool for Your Stockings
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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5. Manic Mechanic
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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6. Dust My Broom
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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7. Lowdown in the Street
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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8. Hi Fi Mama
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
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9. Cheap Sunglasses
E Standard −6 ¢Measured
Notes
Gibbons recalled playing the lead on a Fender-style guitar with a vibrato arm. E Standard.
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10. Esther Be the One
E Standard −6 ¢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 Degüello in?
ZZ Top recorded Degüello (1979) in E Standard, about 6 cents flat (A ≈ 438), measured by TuneLit on the CD. I Thank You uses E Standard −25 ¢.
Why does Degüello sound out of tune with my guitar?
I Thank You sits about 25 cents flat (A ≈ 434), 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.