The Unofficial Sonic Youth Guitar Tunings List Dec 10 1993 Compiled and supplemented by: Art Lee (alee@midway.uchicago.edu). This document copyright (c) 1993 Art Lee. This document may not be reproduced in any format. This includes posting this document to any newsgroup or mailing list. Send corrections/additions/etc to this address please. Ftp: ftp.maths.tcd.ie - /pub/music/guitar/sonic_youth/guitar.tunings Posted to: Usenet monthly. Update: None; last revised May 19 1993. Thanks to: Guitar Player Aug 1989, Bad Moon Rising CD Booklet, Ron Rader (rlr@bbt.com), Michael Hayes (mph@irl.chch.cri.nz), Sean C. Duncan (scduncan@apsvax.aps.muohio.edu), Mike Goldsman (goldsman@cc.gatech.edu), Sam Rowe (elric@selway.umt.edu) and others. Notes: 1. Tunings are listed from lowest to highest string. Example: E-A-D-G-B-E (standard tuning). 2. LR = Lee Ranaldo, TM = Thurston Moore. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Contents: by section 1. General tunings 2. Slightly altered tunings 3. Split tunings =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Section 1: General tunings 1. E-B-E-E-A-B The second and third E's are in unison. Used in: Eric's Trip, Hey Joni, Rain King, Kissability. 2. E-E-B-E-B-E The first two E's are in unison. Used in: Intro, Brave Men Run, Ghost Bitch (LR - mellow). 3. E-E-B-F#-B-E The first two E's are in unison. Used in: Ghost Bitch (LR). 4. F#-F#-F#-F#-E-B The first pair of F#'s are in unison. The second pair of F#'s are in unison and an octave above the first pair. Used in: Death Valley 69, Halloween, Mary Christ, Kool Thing, 100%. 5. G-A-B-D-E-G Used in: Teenage Riot (TM). 6. G-G-C-C-Bb-Bb All three pairs are in unison. Used in: I Love Her All the Time (TM). 7. G-G-C#-D-G-G The first pair of G's are in unison. The second pair of G's are in unison an octave above the first pair. Used in: The Wonder (TM), Hyperstation (TM). 8. G-G-D-D-F-F All three pairs are in unison. Used in: Mote. 9. G-G-D-D-G-G All three pairs are in unison, the second pair of G's are an octave above the first pair. Used in: Teenage Riot (LR), Tunic (LR). 10. Ab-Ab-Ab-D-Eb-Eb The three G#'s are in unison. The pair of D#'s are in unison. Used in: White Cross (TM). 11. A-A-A-A-B-D The first pair of A's are in unison. The second pair of A's are in unison and an octave above the first pair. Used in: Justic is Might (TM?). 12. A-A-E-E-A-A This is tuning #9 with a capo on the second fret. Used in Theresa's Sound-world (LR). 13. A-A-E-E-F#-A The first two A's are in unison. The pair of E's are in unison. Used in: Justic is Might (LR). 14. A-C-C-G-Ab-C The first two C's are in unison, the third is an octave above. Used in: Silver Rocket, The Sprawl, Candle, Cinderella's Big Score, Theresa's Sound-world (TM). 15. D-D-D-D-E-A The first pair of D's are in unison. The second pair of D's are in unison an octave above the first pair. Used in: I'm Insane (LR). 16. Eb-Eb-C#-C#-G-G All three pairs are in unison. Used in: I Love Her All the Time (LR). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Section 2: Slightly altered tunings For this section, the tunings use standard tuning, with slight adjustments. To achieve the similarity, you have to tune up or down, noted by: u = tune up Don't expect your strings d = tune down to be the same after! 17. E-dE-C#-C#-dE-dF# The first two E's are in unison, the pair of B's are in unison. Used in: Dirty Boots (LR). 18. E-dG-D-G-dE-dD Used in: Dirty Boots (TM), Tunic (TM), Mildred Pierce, My Friend Goo, Titanium Expose, Sugar Kane (TM), Chapel Hill. 19. E-dG#-uE-uG#-dE-dG# Used in: Expressway to Yr Skull. 20. uF#-dF#-uG-G-dA-dA All three pairs are in unison. Used in: Tom Violence, Starpower, In the Kingdom #19, Death to our Friends, Marilyn Moore, Bubblegum, Schizophrenia, White Cross (LR). 21. uG-dG-D-dD-dEb-dEb All three pairs are in unison. Used in: Brother James, Stereo Sanctity, Cotton Crown, Total Trash, The Wonder (LR), Hyperstation (LR), Sugar Kane (LR), Orange Rolls Angel's Spit. 22. uC-uC-uE-uB-dG-dD The pair of C's are in unison. Used in: Cross the Breeze, Disappearer. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Section 3: Split tunings Title Thurston Moore Lee Ranaldo ----------------------- -------------- --------------------| I Love Her All the Time G-G-C-C-Bb-Bb (6) Eb-Eb-C#-C#-G-G (16-| Justic is Might A-A-A-A-B-D ?(11) A-A-E-E-F#-A (13-| White Cross Ab-Ab-Ab-D-Eb-Eb (10) F#-F#-G-G-A-A (20-| Teenage Riot G-A-B-D-E-G (5) G-G-D-D-G-G---------| (9) The Wonder G-G-C#-D-G-G (7) G-G-D-D-Eb-Eb (21-| Hyperstation G-G-C#-D-G-G (7) G-G-D-D-Eb-Eb (21-| Dirty Boots E-G-D-G-E-D (18) E-E-B-B-E-F# (17-| Tunic E-G-D-G-E-D (18) G-G-D-D-G-G---------| (9) Theresa's Sound-world A-C-C-G-Ab-C (14) A-A-E-E-A-A (12-| Sugar Kane E-G-D-G-E-D ?(18) G-G-D-D-Eb-Eb (21-| =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Art Lee (alee@midway.uchicago.edu) Please send any Sonic Youth guitar related info to the above address. Will post updates to tunings as well as tablatures.