ZZ Top · 1971 · Studio album
ZZ Top's First Album tuning.
E Standard at concert pitch (A 440), measured on the CD. 4 of 10 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E Standard +4 ¢
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. 3268-2 (US, 1987 remix) | +4.3 ¢ | A 441.1 | 10 | +2.2 to +6.0 ¢ | High |
Before we measured, sources said: E Standard, with no pitch given (community).
Blues and boogie in E Standard, recorded in 1970 at Robin Hood Studios in Tyler, Texas, and released in January 1971. TuneLit measured the 1987 CD remix: the album sits about 4 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 441.1), with Squank, Brown Sugar and Goin' Down to Mexico 14 to 20 ¢ sharp and Bedroom Thang 10 ¢ flat.
10 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
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1. (Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree
E Standard +4 ¢Measured
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2. Brown Sugar
Different pitch
E Standard +16 ¢Measured
Notes
A blues of Gibbons's own, not the Rolling Stones song. TuneLit measured it about 16 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 444), and a 1994 compilation gives the same reading.
Every song is tabbed in E Standard: blues and boogie riffs in A and E on Gibbons's Les Paul.
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3. Squank
Different pitch
E Standard +20 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured it about 20 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 445.2), the highest song on the album.
Every song is tabbed in E Standard: blues and boogie riffs in A and E on Gibbons's Les Paul.
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4. Goin' Down to Mexico
Different pitch
E Standard +14 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured it about 14 ¢ sharp (A ≈ 443.6).
Every song is tabbed in E Standard: blues and boogie riffs in A and E on Gibbons's Les Paul.
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5. Old Man
E Standard +4 ¢Measured
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6. Neighbor, Neighbor
E Standard +4 ¢Measured
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7. Certified Blues
E Standard +4 ¢Measured
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8. Bedroom Thang
Different pitch
E Standard −10 ¢Measured
Notes
TuneLit measured it about 10 ¢ flat (A ≈ 437.4), some 15 ¢ below the rest of the album.
Every song is tabbed in E Standard: blues and boogie riffs in A and E on Gibbons's Les Paul.
-
9. Just Got Back from Baby's
E Standard +4 ¢Measured
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10. Backdoor Love Affair
E Standard +4 ¢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 ZZ Top's First Album in?
ZZ Top recorded ZZ Top's First Album (1971) 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.
Why does ZZ Top's First Album sound out of tune with my guitar?
Brown Sugar sits about 16 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.