Sonic Youth – Guitar Tunings (Guitar)

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The Unofficial Sonic Youth Guitar Tunings List Dec 10 1993 Compiled and supplemented by: Art Lee ([email protected]). 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 ([email protected]), Michael Hayes ([email protected]), Sean C. Duncan ([email protected]), Mike Goldsman ([email protected]), Sam Rowe ([email protected]) 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).

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
-----------------------    --------------         --------------------|

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 ([email protected]) Please send any Sonic Youth guitar related info to the above address. Will post updates to tunings as well as tablatures.