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.
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Contents: by section
1. General tunings
2. Slightly altered tunings
3. Split tunings
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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-A#-A#
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. G#-G#-G#-D-D#-D#
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-G#-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).
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/s/sonic_youth/guitar_tunings_tab.html ]
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. D#-D#-C#-C#-G-G
All three pairs are in unison.
Used in: I Love Her All the Time (LR).
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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-dB-dB-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.
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Section 3: Split tunings
Title Thurston Moore Lee Ranaldo
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I Love Her All the Time G-G-C-C-A#-A# (6) D#-D#-C#-C#-G-G (16)
Justic is Might A-A-A-A-B-D ?(11) A-A-E-E-F#-A (13)
White Cross G#-G#-G#-D-D#-D# (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-G#-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)
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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.
