ZZ Top · 1972 · Studio album
Rio Grande Mud tuning.
E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 2 of 10 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, Warner Bros. 3269-2 (US, 1987 remix) | −0.3 ¢ | A 439.9 | 10 | −10.8 to +3.0 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
E Standard riffs from Robin Hood Studios, with slide on Just Got Paid. The 1987 CD remix sits at concert pitch (A ≈ 439.9); Whiskey'n Mama and Down Brownie run 14 to 17 ¢ sharp, and Mushmouth Shoutin' and Ko Ko Blue give only weak readings, far flat.
10 songs · 2 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. Francine
E StandardMeasured
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2. Just Got Paid
E StandardMeasured
Notes
The main tab plays the chopping riff and the slide part in E Standard; a second, little-viewed tab and a list on Wikipedia put the slide in open E (E B E G♯ B E). Both keep the low string on E, and TuneLit's semitone check agrees. The record sits at concert pitch.
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3. Mushmouth Shoutin'
E StandardMeasured
Notes
TuneLit's reading is weak (confidence 0.53) and points about 43 ¢ flat, nearly half way between E and E♭, so the button keeps the album's concert pitch. Check by ear.
On its own, this song measures flatter: CD −43.2 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.
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4. Ko Ko Blue
E StandardMeasured
Notes
TuneLit's reading is weak and points about 29 ¢ flat; the button keeps the album's concert pitch.
On its own, this song measures flatter: CD −28.9 ¢ (medium confidence). Tune uses the album's A 440.
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5. Chevrolet
E StandardMeasured
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6. Apologies to Pearly
E StandardMeasured
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7. Bar-B-Q
E StandardMeasured
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8. Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell
E StandardMeasured
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9. Whiskey'n Mama
Different pitch
E Standard +17 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured it about 17 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 444.4) with high confidence.
The riffs are tabbed in E Standard, including the chop and slide parts of Just Got Paid.
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10. Down Brownie
Different pitch
E Standard +14 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured it about 14 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 443.6).
The riffs are tabbed in E Standard, including the chop and slide parts of Just Got Paid.
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 Rio Grande Mud in?
ZZ Top recorded Rio Grande Mud (1972) in E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Whiskey'n Mama uses E Standard +17 ¢; Down Brownie uses E Standard +14 ¢.
Why does Rio Grande Mud sound out of tune with my guitar?
Whiskey'n Mama sits about 17 cents sharp (A ≈ 444), 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.