THE SONIC YOUTH TUNING TUTORIAL - TXT VERSION 3.0 (2017)

© 1997-2017 CHRIS LAWRENCE (silvercircle@shaw.ca)

Well, it only took 20 years, but I decided to clean up the "txt" version of the Tuning List, which hopefully makes things a little easier to absorb. This is basically an alphabetical octavical list of all tunings used by Sonic Youth, on various solo albums, or written in liners of SY releases. This is a literal txt companion to the page available at http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/tab/tuninglist.html

Each tuning has a guide on how to tune from standard EADGBE. "Eu2" means to tune the E string up 2 frets, or one whole step, to F#. "Ad3" means to tune the A string down 3 frets, or one and 1/2 steps, to F#. "s" means the note stays the same. Strings that don't change are not bolded.

Contact me if you have any suggestions/corrections!

A A A A B D
How to tune: Eu5 As Du7 Gu2 Bs Ed2

Notes: This tuning is crossed out for Lee's name under "Justice Is Might" in the Bad Moon Rising CD liners. In Total Guitar magazine #46, Lee calls this tuning the "Wall of Sound" chord.

A A E E F# A
How to tune: Eu5 As Du2 Gd3 Bd5 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
Justice Is Might

Notes: n/a

A A E E A A
How to tune: Eu5 As Du2 Gd3 Bd2 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
Silver Rocket
Candle
Theresa's Sound-World (capo 3)
On The Strip
Youth Against Fascism

Notes: Lee uses a modified version (BBEEAA) on "Cinderella's Big Score".

A C C G G# C
How to tune: Eu5 Au3 Dd2 Gs Bd3 Ed4

Used by Thurston on:
Silver Rocket
Candle
Kissability
Cinderella's Big Score
Theresa's Sound-World
On The Strip
Youth Against Fascism

Notes: n/a

A F# E F# E B
How to tune: Eu5 Ad3 Du2 Gd1 Bd7 Ed5

Used by Lee on:
Shoot
Becuz
Saucer-Like*
Washing Machine (first part)
Panty Lies
Skip Tracer
My Arena

Notes: This is a modified version of the classic F#F#F#F#EB tuning. Lee may have used F#F#F#F#EB for "Saucer-Like" on the album but always used AF#EF#EB live. He also used this for "100%" on the Washing Machine tour.

B E G D B B
How to tune: Ed5 Ad5 Ds Gd5 Bd12 Ed17

Used by Kim on:
Bone
Becuz
Junkie's Promise
Saucer-Like
Washing Machine
Unwind
No Queen Blues

Quest For The Cup?
Little Trouble Girl?
My Arena?

Notes: This is a modified version of Kim's Dirty tuning DEDGBB. I believe she also used this for a lot of Free Kitten material.

B B x x F# F#
How to tune: Eu7 Au2 x x Bd5 Ed10

Used by Thurston on:
Eric's Trip

Notes: Thurston uses a guitar strung with 4 bass strings on this song, with the two Bs in unison (equal to the 2nd fret of a regular tuned A string), and the two F#s in unison above. He uses a drumstick as a slide device.

C C G D G D
How to tune: Ed4 Ad9 Dd7 Gd5 Bd4 Ed2

Used by Lee on:
French Tickler

Notes: n/a

C D G A D G
How to tune: Ed4 Ad7 Dd7 Gu2 Bu3 Eu3

Used by Kim on:
Malibu Gas Station

Notes: n/a

C G G D D D
How to tune: Ed4 Ad2 Dd7 Gd5 Bd9 Ed14

Used by Kim on:
Anagrama
Stil
Contre Le Sexisme
Wildflower Soul
Hoarfrost
French Tickler
The Ineffable Me
Snare, Girl
Heather Angel

Notes: n/a

C G C/C C/C G/G A#/C (12-STRING GUITAR W/ 10 STRINGS)
How to tune: Ed4 Ad2 Dd2/Dd2 Gd7/Gd7 Bd4/Bd4 Ed6/Ed4

Used by Lee on:
Free City Rhymes
Renegade Princess
Side2Side*

Notes: 12-string guitar with single strings on the "lowest" notes (E and A in standard tuning). I think Lee used this for the album version of "side2side" (or at least early live versions) but he began using another tuning for the tour. I'm also not sure if the Cs are in unison or an octave apart...

C G C C C G
How to tune: Ed4 Ad2 Dd2 Gd7 Bu1 Ed9

Used by Lee on:
Hammer Blows (Between The Times And The Tides)
The Rising Tide (Last Night On Earth)
Moroccan Mountains (Electric Trim)
Thrown Over The Wall (Electric Trim)

Notes: A new tuning used by Lee on all 3 of his solo albums. A modified version (half step down - BF#F#F#BF# is used on "Purloined" from Electric Trim).

C G D C G D
How to tune: Ed4 Ad2 Ds Gd7 Bd4 Ed2

Used by Lee on:
Rain On Tin
Pattern Recognition
Dude Ranch Nurse
I Love You Golden Blue
Reena
What A Waste
Lights Out
The Neutral
Anti-Orgasm
What We Know
Malibu Gas Station
Thunderclap For Bobby Pyn

Notes: n/a

C G D G B B
How to tune: Ed4 Ad2 Ds Gs Bs Ed5

Used by Thurston on:
Queen Bee And Her Pals (Psychic Hearts)
Ono Soul (Psychic Hearts)
Psychic Hearts (Psychic Hearts)
Pretty Bad (Psychic Hearts)
Patti Smith Math Scratch (Psychic Hearts)
Blues From Beyond The Grave (Psychic Hearts)
See-Through Playmate (Psychic Hearts)
Hang Out (Psychic Hearts)
Feathers (Psychic Hearts)
Tranquilizer (Psychic Hearts)
Staring Statues (Psychic Hearts)
Cindy (Rotten Tanx) (Psychic Hearts)
Cherry's Blues (Psychic Hearts)
Female Cop (Psychic Hearts)
Elegy For All The Dead Rock Stars (Psychic Hearts)
Teenage Buddhist Daydream (Cindy 7")
Just Tell Her That I Really Like Her (Psychic Hearts era 7")
The Church Should Be For The Outcast, Not A Church That Casts People Out (Psychic Hearts era 7")
Superchrist (Psychic Hearts outtake)
Anagrama
Stil
Sunday
Wildflower Soul
Hoarfrost
French Tickler
Karen Koltrane
The Ineffable Me
Snare, Girl
Heather Angel
Free City Rhymes
Renegade Princess
Sympathy For The Strawberry
Lip (Chelsea Light Moving)
Sleeping Where I Fall (Chelsea Light Moving)
Alighted (Chelsea Light Moving)
Empires of Time (Chelsea Light Moving)
Groovy + Linda (Chelsea Light Moving)
Burroughs (Chelsea Light Moving)
Mohawk (Chelsea Light Moving)
Frank O'Hara Hit (Chelsea Light Moving)
No Go (Chelsea Light Moving live only)
Sunday Stage (Chelsea Light Moving live only)
The Ecstasy (Chelsea Light Moving live only)

Notes: Thurston famously borrowed this tuning from Pavement, modified it a bit with the unison Bs, and wrote about a thousand songs. Later he modified it to CGDGCD and is still cranking 'em out by the barrel.

C G D G C D
How to tune: Ed4 Ad2 Ds Gs Bu1 Ed2

Used by Thurston on:
The Empty Page
Disconnection Notice
Rain On Tin
Karen Revisited
Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style
Plastic Sun
Unmade Bed
Dripping Dream
Mariah Carey & The Arthur Doyle Hand Cream
Stones
New Hampshire
Peace Attack
Reena
What A Waste
Turquoise Boy
Lights Out
The Neutral
Frozen GTR (Trees Outside The Academy)
The Shape Is In A Trance (Trees Outside The Academy)
Silver > Blue (Trees Outside The Academy)
Off Work (Trees Outside The Academy)
Trees Outside The Academy (Trees Outside The Academy)
What We Know
Malibu Gas Station
Thunderclap For Bobby Pyn
January (Demolished Thoughts)
Space (Demolished Thoughts)
Orchard Street (Demolished Thoughts)
Heavenmetal (Chelsea Light Moving)
Speak To The Wild (The Best Day)
Forevermore (The Best Day)
Tape (The Best Day)
Detonation (The Best Day)
Vocabularies (The Best Day)
Grace Lake (The Best Day)
Germs Burn (The Best Day)
Cease Fire (Rock N Roll Consciousness era single)
Exalted (Rock N Roll Consciousness)
Cusp (Rock N Roll Consciousness)
Turn On (Rock N Roll Consciousness)
Smoke Of Dreams (Rock N Roll Consciousness)
Aphrodite (Rock N Roll Consciousness)

Notes: Modified version of CGDGBB tuning.

C G D A C D
How to tune: Ed4 Ad2 Ds Gu2 Bu1 Ed2

Used by Kim on:
What We Know
Thunderclap For Bobby Pyn

Notes: n/a

C C x x D# D#
How to tune: Eu8 Au3 x x Bd8 Ed25

Used by Thurston on:
Marilyn Moore

Notes: Thurston uses a guitar strung with 4 bass strings on this song, with the two Cs in unison (equal to the 3rd fret of a regular tuned A string), the first D# one and a half step up from that C, and the second D# one octave below that.

C C D# G G D
How to tune: Eu8 Au3 Du1 Gs Bd4 Ed2

Used by Lee on:
Marilyn Moore

Notes: n/a

C C E B G D
How to tune: Eu8 Au3 Du2 Gu4 Bd4 Ed2

Used by Thurston on:
The Sprawl
'Cross The Breeze
Disappearer

Notes: n/a

D D A E A D
How to tune: Ed2 Ad7 Dd5 Gd3 Bd2 Ed2

Used by Lee on:
Angles (Between The Times And The Tides)
Shouts (Between The Times And The Tides)
Stranded (Between The Times And The Tides)
Last Night On Earth (Last Night On Earth)
Late Descent #2 (Last Night On Earth)

Notes: n/a

D D A F# A D
How to tune: Ed2 Ad7 Dd5 Gd1 Bd2 Ed2

Used by Thurston on:
Honest James (Trees Outside The Academy)
Fri/End (Trees Outside The Academy)
Wonderful Witches + Language Meanies (Trees Outside The Academy)
Never Day (Trees Outside The Academy)
Sacred Trickster
Anti-Orgasm
Leaky Lifeboat
Antenna
Calming The Snake
Poison Arrow
No Way
Walkin Blue
Massage The History
In Silver Rain With Paper Key (Demolished Thoughts)
Mina Loy (Demolished Thoughts)
Blood Never Lies (Demolished Thoughts)
Circulation (Demolished Thoughts)
The Best Day (Rock N Roll Consciousness)

Used by Kim on:
Anti-Orgasm
Calming The Snake
Poison Arrow
No Way
Walkin Blue

Notes: n/a

D D D D E A
How to tune: Ed2 Ad7 Ds Gd5 Bd7 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
I'm Insane

Notes: This is listed in the liners of the CD, which are taken from the original lyric sheets, but I've noticed that some of the tunings may not be entirely accurate...For live versions, it seems like Lee usually used the blue Jazzmaster in F#F#F#F#EB.

D D D D A A
How to tune: Ed2 Ad7 Ds Gd5 Bd2 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
Schizophrenia
Catholic Block
Tuff Gnarl
Sacred Trickster
Leaky Lifeboat
Antenna
Calming The Snake
Poison Arrow
No Way
Walkin Blue
Massage The History

Notes: Also used for a lot of SYR9.

D D# A# D# G G
How to tune: Ed2 Ad6 Dd4 Gd4 Bd4 Ed9

Used by Thurston on:
Incinerate
Do You Believe In Rapture?
Sleepin' Around
Jams Run Free
Pink Steam
Or
Helen Lundeberg
Eyeliner

Notes: During initial songwriting for Rather Ripped, Lee began using this tuning as well, but tweaked it to D# D# A# D# G G as sessions progressed. His parts on the Helen Lundeberg/Eyeliner 7" may be in this tuning, though.

D D# A# D# G C
How to tune: Ed2 Ad6 Dd4 Gd4 Bd4 Ed4

Used by Lee on:
Sleepin' Around

Notes: Modified version of D D# A# D# G G.

D E G D B B
How to tune: Ed2 Ad5 Dd7 Dd5 Bd12 Ed17

Used by Kim on:
Swimsuit Issue
Wish Fulfillment
On The Strip
Creme Brulee

Notes: n/a

D F C D F F
How to tune: Ed2 Ad4 Dd2 Gd5 Bd6 Ed11

Used by Lee on:
Nevermind (What Was It Anyway)
Small Flowers Crack Concrete
StreamXSonik Subway
NYC Ghosts & Flowers

Notes: n/a

D G D D B B
How to tune: Ed2 Ad2 Ds Gd5 Bd12 Ed17

Used by Kim on:
Free City Rhymes
Renegade Princess

Notes: n/a

D A A D D A
How to tune: Ed2 As Dd5 Gd5 Bd9 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
Junkie's Promise

Notes: n/a

D A D F# A D
How to tune: Ed2 As Ds Gd1 Bd2 Ed2

Used by Lee on:
Home Chds (Last Night On Earth)

Notes: n/a

D A D G G B
How to tune: Ed2 As Ds Gs Bd4 Ed5

Used by Kim on:
Female Mechanic Now On Duty
Karen Koltrane
Lightnin'

Herinneringen?

Notes: n/a

D A D G B D
How to tune: Ed2 As Ds Gs Bs Ed2

Used by Lee on:
Last Looks (Electric Trim)

Notes: n/a

D A D A B B
How to tune: Ed2 As Ds Gu2 Bs Ed5

Used by Thurston on:
Junkie's Promise

Used by Kim on:
Nevermind (What Was It Anyway)
Small Flowers Crack Concrete
The Empty Page
Disconnection Notice
Karen Revisited
New Hampshire (capo 5)
Rats (capo 1)

Notes: n/a

D A D A B D
How to tune: Ed2 As Ds Gu2 Bs Ed2

Used by Kim on:
Leaky Lifeboat
Antenna
Massage The History

Notes: n/a

D A# D F C A#
How to tune: Ed2 Au1 Ds Gd2 Bu1 Ed6

Used by Lee on:
Off The Wall (Between The Times And The Tides)
Xtina As I Knew Her (Between The Times And The Tides)
Key/Hole (Last Night On Earth)
New Thing (Electric Trim)

Notes: n/a

D# D# A A E E
How to tune: Ed1 Ad6 Dd5 Gd10 Bd7 Ed12

Used by Thurston on:
Rain King

Notes: The tunings for "Rain King" were a total mystery when the band had to relearn the Daydream Nation material in 2007, so they reviewed old rehearsal tapes and this is what they came up with, and what Thurston used on the 2007 tour.

D# D# A# D# G G
How to tune: Ed1 Ad6 Dd4 Gd4 Bd4 Ed9

Used by Lee on:
Incinerate
Do You Believe In Rapture?
Pink Steam
Or

Notes: When writing for Rather Ripped began, Lee was using the same DD#A#D#GG tuning as Thurston, but changed to unison D#s on the bottom. I'm not sure which was used for the early recordings of "Helen Lundeberg" and "Eyeliner".

D# D# C# C# G G
How to tune: Ed1 Ad6 Dd1 Gd6 Bd4 Ed9

Used by Lee on:
I Love Her All The Time (screwdriver 9th fret)
Nic Fit

Notes: Might be D# C# G#...

D# A# D F A# C
How to tune: Ed1 Au1 Ds Gd2 Bd1 Ed4

Used by Thurston on:
Benediction (Demolished Thoughts)
Illumine (Demolished Thoughts)

Notes: n/a

D# A# D# B C# F#
How to tune: Ed1 Au1 Du1 Gd8 Bu2 Ed10

Used by Lee on:
Jams Run Free
Rats

Notes: Also used by Mark Ibold on the Rather Ripped tour, while Thurston played bass.

E E B B E F#
How to tune: Es Ad5 Dd3 Gd8 Bd7 Ed10

Used by Lee on:
Dirty Boots
Swimsuit Issue
Wish Fulfillment
Chapel Hill
JC
Purr
Skink
Tokyo Eye
Sweet Shine
The Diamond Sea
Hits Of Sunshine

Notes: n/a

E E B B F# F#
How to tune: Es Ad5 Dd3 Gd8 Bd5 Ed10

Used by Kim on:
Sympathy For The Strawberry
Mariah Carey & The Arthur Doyle Hand Cream*

Notes: Set lists have Kim using both EEBBF#F# and EBEGGB for "Mariah Carey", it's possible she switched.

E E B E B B
How to tune: Es Ad5 Dd3 Gd3 Bs Ed5

Used by Lee on:
The Empty Page
Sympathy For The Strawberry
Peace Attack

Notes: n/a

E E E E F# F#
How to tune: Es Ad5 Du2 Gd3 Bd5 Ed10

Used by Lee on:
'Cross The Breeze

Notes: n/a

E E B E G# B
How to tune: Es Ad5 Dd3 Gd3 Bd3 Ed5

Used by Thurston on:
Winner's Blues
Compilation Blues

Used by Kim on:
Razor Blade

Notes: n/a

E E B E B E
How to tune: Es Ad5 Dd3 Gd3 Bs Es

Notes: Lee tuning shown in Bad Moon Rising CD liners on lyric sheet for "Society Is A Hole", along with EEBF#BE, but I'm pretty sure Lee uses F#F#F#F#EB for the final version of the song. In Total Guitar #46, Lee says this tuning is good for "drone like power chords".

E E B F# B E
How to tune: Es Ad5 Dd3 Gd1 Bs Es

Notes: Lee tuning shown in Bad Moon Rising CD liners on lyric sheet for "Society Is A Hole", along with EEBEBE, but I'm pretty sure Lee uses F#F#F#F#EB for the final version of the song.

E F# C# F# A# C#
How to tune: Es Ad3 Dd1 Gd1 Bd1 Ed3

Used by Lee on:
Tomorrow Never Comes (Between The Times And The Tides)

Notes: n/a

E G D G E D
How to tune: Es Ad2 Ds Gs Bd7 Ed2

Used by Thurston on:
Dirty Boots
Tunic
Titanium Expose
Swimsuit Issue
Wish Fulfillment
Chapel Hill
Purr
Skink
Screaming Skull
Bone
Tokyo Eye
The Diamond Sea
Female Mechanic Now On Duty
Hits Of Sunshine

Used by Kim on:
My Friend Goo

Lee #2?

Notes: Kim came up with this tuning for "My Friend Goo" but Thurston ran with it for a few more albums. I think Kim used it on "Lee #2" as well as "Inhuman" when the three were played as an encore on the Goo tour.

E G# E G# E G#
How to tune: Es Ad1 Du2 Gu1 Bd7 Ed8

Used by Thurston on:
Expressway To Yr Skull
PCH
Paper Cup Exit

Used by Lee on:
Expressway To Yr Skull
PCH
Paper Cup Exit

Notes: Lee also used this tuning for "Inhuman" on the '85 tour, as seen in the Blood On Brighton Beach footage at the beginning of Screaming Fields Of Sonic Love. For this tuning, Lee generally used a 12-string strung with 10 strings (lowest strings not doubled).

E A D E C D
How to tune: Es As Ds Gd3 Bu1 Ed2

Used by Lee on:
The World Looks Red (screwdriver @ 9th fret)
Confusion Is Next (screwdriver @ 9th fret)

Notes: Although the song was originally in standard tuning, Lee used EADECD for "Shaking Hell" when it was resurrected in 2006 for the Rather Ripped tour.

E A D G B E
How to tune: Es As Ds Gs Bs Es

Used by Thurston on:
The Burning Spear (drumstick under strings)
I Dreamed I Dream
She Is Not Alone (drumstick under strings)
I Don't Want To Push It
Hotwire My Heart
Mildred Pierce

Used by Lee on:
The Burning Spear
I Dreamed I Dream
She Is Not Alone
I Don't Want To Push It
The Good And The Bad
I Wanna Be Yr Dog
Shaking Hell
Making The Nature Scene
Hotwire My Heart
Mildred Pierce
Fire Island (Phases) (Between The Times And The Tides)
Let's Start Again (Electric Trim)

Notes: Standard tuning. Though the claim is that the first EP is all in standard, this applies more-so to songs like "I Dreamed I Dream" and "I Don't Want To Push It" rather than the drumstick-prepared pieces like "Burning Spear" or "She Is Not Alone". Aside from "Mildred Pierce", which originated from the band's early 80s days, they did not write new material in standard tuning. They often used standard tuning for covers, some of which aren't listed here (the Ramones set, for example), but some covers are in alternate tunings. Kim used standard tuning for "Shaking Hell" on the Rather Ripped tour, while Lee switched to EADECD for the same song.

E B E E A A
How to tune: Es Au2 Du2 Gd3 Bd2 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
Rain King

Notes: The "Rain King" tunings were a mystery when the band had to relearn the Daydream Nation material in 2007, so they reviewed old rehearsal tapes and came up with this tuning, which Lee used on the 2007 tour.

E B E E A B
How to tune: Es Au2 Du2 Gd3 Bd2 Ed5

Used by Lee on:
Eric's Trip
Hey Joni
Kissability

Notes: n/a

E B E G G B
How to tune: Es Au2 Du2 Gs Bd4 Ed5

Used by Kim on:
Plastic Sun
Mariah Carey & The Arthur Doyle Hand Cream*

Notes: This is a modification of the DADGGB tuning. It originated with "Plastic Sun" and seems to have been used for "Mariah Carey" though set lists also cite EEBBF#F#. Given the nature of her part on that song, it's possible she used both during the song's lifetime.

F G C F A F#
How to tune: Ed11 Ad14 Dd2 Gd2 Bd2 Ed10

Used by Thurston on:
Nevermind (What Was It Anyway)
Small Flowers Crack Concrete (metal file under strings)
Side2side
StreamXSonik Subway
NYC Ghosts & Flowers
Lightnin' (bike horn under strings)

Notes: n/a

F F C C A A
How to tune: Eu1 Ad4 Dd2 Gd7 Bd2 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
Mary-Christ
Lee #2
Here (Guitarrorists/Amarillo Ramp)

Notes: n/a

F F C F F G#
How to tune: Eu1 Ad4 Dd2 Gd2 Bd4 Ed8

Used by Lee on:
Waiting On A Dream (Between The Times And The Tides)

Notes: n/a

F F C G C C
How to tune: Eu1 Ad4 Dd2 Gs Bu1 Ed4

Used by Lee on:
Ambulancer (Last Night On Earth)
Circular (Right As Rain) (Electric Trim)
Electric Trim (Electric Trim)

Notes: n/a

F F D# F A# C
How to tune: Eu1 Ad4 Du1 Gd2 Bd1 Ed4

Used by Lee on:
Blackt Out (Last Night On Earth)

Notes: n/a

F# F# F# F# E B
How to tune: Eu2 Ad3 Du4 Gd1 Bd7 Ed5

Used by Thurston on:
Intro
Brave Men Run (In My Family)
Society Is A Hole
Death Valley '69
Halloween
Shadow Of A Doubt
Starpower
Death To Our Friends
Catholic Block
Pipeline/Kill Time
Tuff Gnarl
Mary-Christ
Kool Thing
100%
Shoot
Waist
Sweet Shine
Becuz
Panty Lies
I Love You Golden Blue*

Used by Lee on:
Intro
Brave Men Run (In My Family)
Society Is A Hole
Ghost Bitch
Death Valley '69
Halloween
Starpower
Death To Our Friends
Pipeline/Kill Time
Kool Thing
100%
Bone
Waist
Saucer-Like*

Notes: Thurston often used this tuning for older tracks that didn't require a specific tuning: "The Burning Spear" "She Is Not Alone" "The World Looks Red" (and even '85 era versions of "I Love Her All The Time" & "Ghost Bitch"). For "Saucer-Like" Lee may have used F#F#F#F#EB on the album, but he used its modified version AF#EF#EB live. For "I Love You Golden Blue", Thurston modified the tuning by lowering the 3rd string an octave so that the bottom 3 strings are all in unison: F#F#F#F#EB - in this case, you would tune Eu2 Ad3 Dd8 Gd1 Bd7 Ed5

F# F# G G A A
How to tune: Eu2 Ad3 Du5 Gs Bd2 Ed7

Used by Thurston on:
Tom Violence
Schizophrenia
White Kross
Drunken Butterfly
Skip Tracer

Used by Lee on:
Tom Violence
White Kross
Drunken Butterfly

Notes: n/a

F# F# A A E E
How to tune: Eu2 Ad3 Dd5 Gd10 Bd7 Ed12

Used by Lee on:
Shadow Of A Doubt

Notes: n/a

F# F# C# F# A# C#
How to tune: Eu2 Ad3 Dd1 Gd1 Bd1 Ed3

Used by Lee on:
By The Window (Last Night On Earth)

Notes: Modified version of EF#C#F#A#C#.

F# F# C# C# C# C#
How to tune: Eu2 Ad3 Dd1 Gd6 Bu2 Ed3

Used by Lee on:
Beauty Lies In The Eye

Notes: n/a

F# A A F# F# F#
How to tune: Eu2 As Dd5 Gd1 Bd5 Ed10

Notes: Listed as Lee's "Alternate Death Valley tuning - good for something" in Bad Moon Rising era writings, but not known to be used for a specific song.

G G B D G A
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Dd3 Gd5 Bd4 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
Sugar Kane
Genetic

Notes: n/a

G G C C A# A#
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Dd2 Gd7 Bd1 Ed6

Used by Thurston on:
I Love Her All The Time (drumstick @ 12th fret)
Ghost Bitch (drumstick @ 12th fret)

Notes: Though this tuning is listed with the lyrics, Thurston had abandoned this specific tuning (if ever used) in favor of F#F#F#F#EB (or rather, the guitar which happens to be in F#F#F#F#EB and now has a drumstick wedged under the strings) as early as January '85.

G G C G C C
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Dd2 Gs Bu1 Ed4

Used by Lee on:
Lecce, Leaving (capo 2) (Last Night On Earth)

Notes: Modified version of FFCGCC, theoretically.

G G C G C D
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Dd2 Gs Bu1 Ed2

Used by Lee on:
Bull In The Heather
Starfield Road
Self-Obsessed And Sexxee
In The Mind Of The Bourgeois Reader
Washing Machine (2nd part)
Unwind
No Queen Blues

Notes: n/a

G G C# D G G
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Dd1 Gd5 Bd4 Ed9

Used by Lee on:
The Wonder
Hyperstation

Notes: Modified version of GGDDGG.

G G D D D# D#
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Ds Gd5 Bd8 Ed13

Used by Thurston on:
Kill Yr Idols
Brother James
Early American (drumstick under strings)
Flower
Kat N Hat
Green Light
Stereo Sanctity
Cotton Crown
Total Trash
The Wonder
Hyperstation
Eliminator Jr
Mote
Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit
Nic Fit
Bull In The Heather
Starfield Road
Self-Obsessed And Sexxee
Androgynous Mind
In The Mind Of The Bourgeois Reader
Washing Machine
Unwind
No Queen Blues
Pattern Recognition
Dude Ranch Nurse

Used by Lee on:
Kill Yr Idols
Brother James
Early American
Flower (screwdriver @ 9th fret)
Kat N Hat
Green Light
Stereo Sanctity
Cotton Crown
Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit

Used by Kim on:
Pattern Recognition
Dude Ranch Nurse

Used by Jim on:
Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style
The Dripping Dream
Stones

Notes: n/a

G G D D F F
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Ds Gd5 Bd6 Ed11

Used by Lee on:
Mote

Notes: Modified version of GGDDGG.

G G D D G G
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Ds Gd5 Bd4 Ed9

Used by Lee on:
Teenage Riot
The Sprawl
Total Trash
Eliminator Jr
Tunic
Titanium Expose

Notes: Modified version of GGDDD#D#, I suppose!

G G D E G B
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Ds Gd3 Bd4 Ed5

Used by Lee on:
Hoarfrost (capo 5)

Used by Jim on:
Rain On Tin
Unmade Bed
Paper Cup Exit (capo 4)
I Love You Golden Blue (capo 11)
Peace Attack

Notes: n/a

G G D F F G
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Ds Gd2 Bd6 Ed9

Used by Lee on:
My Friend Goo

Notes: n/a

G G D G G A
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Ds Gs Bd4 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
Female Mechanic Now On Duty (capo 2 for half)
Disconnection Notice
Karen Revisited
Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style
Plastic Sun
Unmade Bed
The Dripping Dream
Mariah Carey & The Arthur Doyle Hand Cream
Stones
New Hampshire
Turquoise Boy
Lost (Between The Times And The Tides)

Notes: Initially a modification of GGDAGA, this became Lee's preferred tuning from Murray Street onwards.

G G D G B D
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Ds Gs Bs Ed2

Used by Lee on:
Uncle Skeleton (Electric Trim)

Notes: n/a

G G D A G A
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Ds Gu2 Bd4 Ed7

Used by Lee on:
Anagrama
Stil
Wildflower Soul
The Ineffable Me
Snare, Girl
Heather Angel

Notes: n/a

G G D A G A#
How to tune: Eu3 Ad2 Ds Gu2 Bd4 Ed6

Used by Lee on:
Karen Koltrane

Notes: Modified version of GGDAGA.

G A B D E G
How to tune: Eu3 As Dd3 Gd5 Bd7 Ed9

Used by Thurston on:
Teenage Riot
Hey Joni
Sugar Kane
Genetic

Notes: Thurston also used this tuning for "Small Flowers Crack Concrete" on the 2000 NYC Ghosts & Flowers tour (the guitar has a metal file wedged under the strings, so tuning is fairly arbitrary). In Total Guitar #46 Lee comments that this tuning is good for "bright and thrashy riffs".

G# A# G#/A# A#/A C#/D# E/F# (12-STRING GUITAR W/ 10 STRINGS)
How to tune: Eu4 Au1 Du6/Dd4 Gu2/Gd10 Bu2/Bd8 Es/Ed10

Used by Lee on:
Side2Side (live)

Notes: When I saw the band perform the NYC Ghosts & Flowers material instrumentally in September '99, Lee used the same guitar for "side2side" as "Free City Rhymes" and "Renegade Princess", which suggests that it may have been recorded in the same tuning as those songs. However, for the 2000 tour, he was using this wild tuning exclusively for "side2side". I may have the octaves wrong.


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this document copyright © 1997-2017 
chris lawrence (silvercircle@shaw.ca)

LAST UPDATE: OCTOBER 2017