The Tunings

[HorstKirk PageKian]

This is a list I originally created for the Jump in the Fire Board, but I wanted to share it with you guys, too. It contains the different tunings that Metallica recorded and played their songs in. I used Chapter Inc. and Metallica.com for references. Most of the songs have been premiered live in the same tuning they were recorded at. I will not note those live premieres, only on special occasions. If you want to know when a certain song was premiered live, please refer to Chapter Inc. or to Metallica.com.
Note: Unfortunately, the BBCode of this forum does not support tables. I hope the format is not too confusing. Show dates are clickable.
The sole purpose of this list is to provide general information without laying any claim to correctness and completeness.

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TUNINGS from low string to high string:

Standard Tuning: Based on the Standard E Tuning
Standard E: E-A-D-G-B-E
Standard Eb/D#: ALL Strings down 1 half step
Standard D: ALL Strings down 2 half steps (1 full step)
Standard Db/C#: ALL Strings down 3 half steps

Drop Tuning: lower the sixth string, dropping the lowest E string of the standard tuning to a D
Drop D: D-A-D-G-B-E
Drop Db/C#: ALL Strings down 1 half step
Drop C: ALL Strings down 2 half steps (1 full step)
Drop B: ALL Strings down 3 half steps
Drop Bb/A#: ALL Strings down 4 half steps (2 full steps)
Drop A: ALL Strings Down 5 half steps
Drop Ab/G#: ALL Strings Down 6 half steps (3 full steps)

More information about guitar tunings on Wikipedia.

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In general: Metallica recorded and played most of their songs in Standard E until 1995. Starting in 1995, they tuned down their guitars 1 half step to Standard Eb/D# and recorded and played most of their songs in this tuning.

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KILL 'EM ALL:

Hit the Lights
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2002-06-04

The Four Horsemen
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1997-10-18 (unplugged), respectively on 1997-11-11 (electric)

Motorbreath
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1996-06-10

Jump in the Fire
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2004-03-23 (but played 1 fret down so it may sound like Standard D)

(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth
- recorded in Standard E
- no live performance since downtuning in 1995
- Rob's jam on 2011-12-05 was in Standard Eb

Whiplash
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1996-06-04

Phantom Lord
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1999-12-28

No Remorse
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1997-11-11

Seek and Destroy
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17
- last performance in Standard Eb on 2000-01-10
- performed in Standard D since 2000-06-30

Metal Militia
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2004-04-20

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RIDE THE LIGHTNING:

Fight Fire with Fire
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1998-06-24

Ride the Lightning
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2003-05-18

For Whom the Bell Tolls
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

Fade to Black
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

Trapped Under Ice
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2000-01-05
- only performance in Standard D on 2009-03-30, after that it is Standard Eb again

Escape
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2012-06-23

Creeping Death
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

The Call of Ktulu
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1999-04-11

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MASTER OF PUPPETS:

Battery
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-09-03

Master of Puppets
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

The Thing that Should Not Be
- recorded in Standard D
- last performance in Standard D on 1986-07-21
- performed in Standard Db since 1986-09-10

Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

Disposable Heroes
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2004-08-27

Leper Messiah
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2002-06-04

Orion
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2006-06-03

Damage, Inc.
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1997-11-11

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GARAGE DAYS RE-REVISITED:

Helpless (Diamond Head Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1997-10-18 (unplugged), respectively on 1997-11-11 (electric)

The Small Hours (Holocaust Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard D

The Wait (Killing Joke Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1997-11-11

Crash Course in Brain Surgery (Budgie Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard D

Last Caress (The Misfits Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

Green Hell (The Misfits Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1998-11-17

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...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL:

Blackened
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1999-12-28

...And Justice for All
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2007-06-28

Eye of the Beholder
- recorded and performed in Standard E
- no live performance since downtuning in 1995

One
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

The Shortest Straw
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1996-09-06

Harvester of Sorrow
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

The Frayed Ends of Sanity
- recorded in Standard E

To Live Is To Die
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2011-12-07

Dyers Eve
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2004-03-05

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METALLICA (BLACK ALBUM):

Enter Sandman
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

Sad But True
- recorded and performed in Standard D

Holier Than Thou
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2004-03-02

The Unforgiven
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2004-10-04

Wherever I May Roam
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

Don't Tread on Me
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2012-05-07

Through the Never
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2009-10-03

Nothing Else Matters
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

Of Wolf and Man
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1997-11-11

The God that Failed
- recorded in Standard Eb
- last performance in Standard Eb on 2006-08-12
- performed in Standard D since 2010-10-18
- then on 2011-12-10 it was Standard Eb again
- since 2012-05-07 it's Standard D again

My Friend of Misery
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2012-05-07

The Struggle Within
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 2012-05-07

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LOAD:

Ain't My Bitch
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

2x4
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

The House Jack Built
- recorded in Standard Eb

Until It Sleeps
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

King Nothing
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Hero of the Day
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Bleeding Me
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

The Cure
- recorded in Standard Eb

Poor Twisted Me
- recorded and acoustically performed in Standard Eb

Wasting My Hate
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Mama Said
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Thorn Within
- recorded in Standard Eb

Ronnie
- recorded in Standard Eb

The Outlaw Town
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

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RELOAD:

Fuel
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

The Memory Remains
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Devil's Dance
- recorded and performed in Standard D
- the early pre-release versions in 1995-1997 were in Standard D, too

The Unforgiven II
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Better Than You
- recorded in Standard Eb

Slither
- recorded in Standard Eb

Carpe Diem Baby
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Bad Seed
- recorded in Standard Db
- jammed live in Standard Eb during the 1996/1997 Tour

Where the Wild Things Are
- recorded in Standard Eb

Prince Charming
- recorded in Standard Eb

Low Man's Lyric
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Attitude
- recorded in Standard Eb

Fixxxer
- recorded in Standard Eb

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GARAGE INC:

Free Speech for the Dumb (Discharge Cover)
- recorded in Standard D

It's Electric (Diamond Head Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Sabbra Cadabra/A National Acrobat (Black Sabbath Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard D

Turn the Page (Bob Seger Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Die, Die My Darling (The Misfits Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Loverman (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Cover)
- recorded in Standard Eb
- some overdubs might have been recorded in a different tuning like Standard C or Drop C

Mercyful Fate Medley (Mercyful Fate Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Astronomy (Blue Öyster Cult Cover)
- recorded in Standard Eb

Whiskey in the Jar (Thin Lizzy Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard D
- the performance on 2009-08-01 was in Standard Eb

Tuesday's Gone (Lynyrd Skynyrd Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

The More I See (Discharge Cover)
- recorded in Standard Db or Drop Db

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S&M:

No Leaf Clover
- performed in Standard Eb

-Human
- performed in Drop Db

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ST. ANGER:
Note: The filmed performance of the album at HQ shot for the Bonus DVD doesn't count as a live performance. Same tunings on the HQ performances as the album versions, except where noted.

Frantic
- recorded and performed in Drop C

St. Anger
- recorded and performed in Drop C

Some Kind of Monster
- recorded and performed in Drop C

Dirty Window
- recorded in Drop Db/C#
- always performed live in Drop C (even on the filmed performance at HQ in 2003)

Invisible Kid
- recorded in Drop Ab/G#

My World
- recorded in Drop C

Shoot Me Again
- recorded in Drop C

Sweet Amber
- recorded and performed in Drop C

The Unnamed Feeling
- recorded in Drop C

Purify
- recorded in Drop C

All Within My Hands
- recorded in Drop C
- the rearranged acoustic performances in 2007 were in Standard Eb

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DEATH MAGNETIC:

That Was Just Your Life
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

The End of the Line
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

Broken, Beat & Scarred
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

The Day that Never Comes
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

All Nightmare Long
- recorded in Drop D
- performed in Drop Db

Cyanide
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

The Unforgiven III
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

The Judas Kiss
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

Suicide & Redemption
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

My Apocalypse
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

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LULU:

Brandenburg Gate
- probably recorded in Drop C

The View
- recorded and performed in Drop C

Pumping Blood
- probably recorded in Standard D

Mistress Dread
- recorded and performed in Standard D

Iced Honey
- recorded and performed in Drop C

Cheat on Me
- probably recorded in Standard D

Frustration
- probably recorded in Drop C

Little Dog
- probably different tunings throughout the recording. the acoustic part could be Standard A or Drop A or played on a guitar with more than 6 strings

Dragon
- recorded and performed in Standard D

Junior Dad
- recorded and performed in Drop C

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BEYOND MAGNETIC:

Hate Train
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

Just a Bullet Away
- recorded in Drop D
- performed in Drop Db

Hell and Back
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

Rebel of Babylon
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb

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GARAGE SESSIONS:

Am I Evil (Diamond Head Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1996-10-07

Blitzkrieg (Blitzkrieg Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1998-11-17

Breadfan (Budgie Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

The Prince (Diamond Head Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1998-11-17

Stone Cold Crazy (Queen Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1997-08-22

So What (The Anti-Nowhere League Cover)
- recorded in Standard E
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

Killing Time (Sweet Savage Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb
- the early demo recording and the first performances in 82/83 were in Standard E

Overkill (Motörhead Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Damage Case (Motörhead Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Stone Dead Forever (Motörhead Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Too Late Too Late (Motörhead Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

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OTHERS: (in alphabetical order)

53rd & 3rd (Ramones Cover)
- recorded and performed in Drop Db

All Day and All of the Night (The Kinks Cover)
- performed in Standard D

Brothers In Arms (Dire Straits Cover)
- acoustically performed in Standard Eb

Career Spanning Medley
- performed in Standard Eb

The Chase Is Better Than The Catch (Motörhead Cover)
- performed in Standard Eb

Commando (Ramones Cover)
- recorded and performed in Drop Db

Cretin Hop (Ramones Cover)
- recorded in Drop Db

Dead Kennedy Rolls
- probably recorded in Drop Db

Detroit Rock City (Kiss Cover)
- performed in Standard Db

Don't You Think this Outlaw Bit Has Done Got Out of Hand (Waylon Jennings Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Db

The Ecstasy Of Gold (Ennio Morricone Cover)
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

Hole In The Sky (Black Sabbath Cover)
- performed in Standard Eb on 2006-03-13
- performed in Standard Db on 2009-03-25

I Disappear
- recorded and performed in Standard Eb

I Just Want To Celebrate (Rare Earth Cover)
- acoustically performed in Standard Eb

Instrumental Medley
- performed in Standard E during the last european leg of the Nowhere Else to Roam tour 1993

Justice Medley
- performed in Standard E during the Wherever I May Roam and Nowhere Else to Ream tour 1991-1993

Iron Man (Black Sabbath Cover)
- performed in Standard E on 2006-03-13
- performed in Standard D since 2009-10-30

Kill/Ride Medley
- different versions in 1994, 1995 and 1996/1997/1998
- performed in Standard E during the 1994 Shit Hits the Sheds Tour
- performed in Standard Eb since 1995-08-17

Let it Loose (Savage Cover)
- 1982 demo recorded and performed in Standard E

London Dungeon (The Misfits Cover)
- performed in Standard E
- no live performance since downtuning in 1995

Mastertarium
- performed in Standard Eb

The Mechanix
- 1982 demo recorded and performed in Standard E

Motorcycle Man (Saxon Cover)
- performed in Standard Eb

The Money Will Roll Right In (Fang Cover)
- performed in Standard E
- no live performance since downtuning in 1995

The New Song
- performed in Drop Db

Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue (The Ramones Cover)
- recorded and performed in Drop Db

Only Happy When It Rains (Garbage Cover)
- acoustically performed in Standard Eb

The Other New Song
- performed in Standard Eb

Paranoid (Black Sabbath Cover)
- performed in Standard D

Please Don't Judas Me (Nazareth Cover)
- acoustically performed in Standard Eb

Rapid Fire (Judas Priest Cover)
- performed in Standard E on 1994-08-21
- performed in Standard Eb 2011-12-09

Remember Tomorrow (Iron Maiden Cover)
- recorded in Standard Eb

Sweet Jane (The Velvet Underground Cover)
- performed in Standard D

Sucking My Love (Diamond Head Cover)
- 1982 demo recorded and performed in Standard E

Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World (The Ramones Cover)
- recorded and performed in Drop Db

The Train Kept-A-Rollin' (Tiny Bradshaw Cover)
- all star jam performed in Standard E during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony 2009

Veteran of the Psychic Wars (Blue Öyster Cult Cover)
- acoustically performed in Standard Eb

(We Are) The Road Crew (Motörhead Cover)
- performed in Standard Eb

We Did It Again (feat. Ja Rule, produced by Swizz Beatz)
Okay, since "We Did It Again" it is more or less a hip hop song full of samples, it is nearly impossible to determine the exact tuning. The samples used are from two (yes, two!) unreleased songs from the St. Anger sessions. Here is Swizz Beatz' comment about the song, taken from here:
"I knew I wanted to do a rock 'n' roll track and I knew I wanted to get the biggest act possible to do it, but I never thought in a million years that I'd be working with Metallica on this. They had two songs already that I really liked. I took those and combined them into one song. Then I called Ja Rule and told him I needed him to be on what could be the biggest song of his career. I told him to guess who he'd be working with on it and he was naming all these people he thought it was and finally, I said, "It's Metallica," and he said, "Hell yeah!" This song is a blessing. When people hear it, they won't believe it!"
The riffs featured on "We Did It Again" can be heard on the "Some Kind of Monster" movie or on some of the DVD's extras. Fans have merged those riffs into one song which they think has got the name More Than This. However, after reading Swizz Beatz' comment, we now know that it is not one song!
So, about the tuning:
The "main riff" that goes upwards (Yeah we did it..) can be in Drop Db or Drop C. That other thing (Just when you thought it was over..) is a very low tuning, most probably Drop Bb/A#. This is another hint that "We Did It Again" has been sampled from not one, but two different unreleased St. Anger songs.

We're A Happy Family (The Ramones Cover)
- probably recorded in Drop Db

White Light/White Heat (The Velvet Underground Cover)
- performed in Standard D

You Really Got Me (The Kinks Cover)
- performed and recorded in Standard D

[Sergio]

Awesome work, dude!

thanks a lot for sharing

[HorstKirk PageKian]

Damn, seems as if I can't edit my own post anymore. Or am I blind? Anyway, I wanted to add this one:

We Did It Again (feat. Ja Rule, produced by Swizz Beatz)
Okay, since "We Did It Again" it is more or less a hip hop song full of samples, it is nearly impossible to determine the exact tuning. The samples used are from two (yes, two!) unreleased songs from the St. Anger sessions. Here is Swizz Beatz' comment about the song, taken from here:
"I knew I wanted to do a rock 'n' roll track and I knew I wanted to get the biggest act possible to do it, but I never thought in a million years that I'd be working with Metallica on this. They had two songs already that I really liked. I took those and combined them into one song. Then I called Ja Rule and told him I needed him to be on what could be the biggest song of his career. I told him to guess who he'd be working with on it and he was naming all these people he thought it was and finally, I said, "It's Metallica," and he said, "Hell yeah!" This song is a blessing. When people hear it, they won't believe it!"
The riffs featured on "We Did It Again" can be heard on the "Some Kind of Monster" movie or on some of the DVD's extras. Fans have merged those riffs into one song which they think has got the name More Than This. However, after reading Swizz Beatz' comment, we now know that it is not one song!
So, about the tuning:
The "main riff" that goes upwards (Yeah we did it..) can be in Drop Db or Drop C. That other thing (Just when you thought it was over..) is a very low tuning, most probably Drop Bb/A#. This is another hint that "We Did It Again" has been sampled from not one, but two different unreleased St. Anger songs.

[RafTen]

Thank you, very informative posts

[M4ST3R M1K3]

@HorstKirk PageKian: Correct you can't edit your post after 30 minutes, to avoid abuse. I've added we did it again to your original post