The Official Sonic Life Guitar Tunings v1.0

~Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1993 19:34:06 -0500
~From: Nic Fit 
~Subject: SL: Tunings v1.0

Update: This is the same listing I posted earlier, only in a nicer, more "official" format. Please send any new tunings/new info/corrections/ and guitar related stuff to: alee@midway.uchicago.edu and I'll include it in. :) Watch for tuning updates, and TABS coming soon!

Credits: Guitar Player 8/89.

Note: Tunings are listed from lowest to highest string. Example: E-A-D-G-B-E (standard tuning)

1. F#-F#-F#-F#-E-B: The first two F#'s are in unison, the second two are in unison an; octave above the first pair.; Used in: Kool Thing, Mary Christ, Death Valley 69.

2. A-C-C-G-G#-C: The first two C's are in unison, the third is an octave above.; Used in: Silver Rocket, Candle, Cinderella's Big Score.

3. G-A-B-D-E-G: Used in: Teenage Riot.

4. 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 of G's.; Used in: Tunic, Teenage Riot (as well as tuning #3).

5. G-G-C#-D-G-G: The first pair of G's are in unison, the second pair of G's are an; octaave above the first pair of G's.; Used in: The Wonder, Hyperstation.

6. G-G-D-D-F-F: All three pairs are in unison.; Used in: Mote.

7. E-B-E-E-A-B: The second and third E's are in unison.; Used in: Kissability, Eric's Trip, Hey Joni.

For this section, u = tune up, d = tune down

8. E-dE-dB-dB-dE-dF#: The first two E's are in unison, the B's are in unison.; Used in: Dirty Boots.

9. E-dG-D-G-dE-dD: Used in: Dirty Boots (as well as tuning #8), Tunic,; Titanium Expose, My Friend Goo.

10. uG-dG-D-dD-dEb-dEb: All three pairs are in unison.; Used in: Cotton Crown, The Wonder (as well as tuning #5),; Brother James.

11. uC-uC-uE-uB-dG-dD: The C's are in unison.; Used in: Cross the Breeze, Disappearer.

12. uF#-dF#-uG-G-dA-dA: All three pairs are in unison.; Used in: Schizophrenia.

13. E-dG#-uE-uG#-dE-dG#: Used in: Expressway to Your Skull.

Watch for guitar tabs oming soon.

Please send any guitar related stuff for Sonic Life to: alee@midway.uchicago.edu

Thanks!

From alt.music.alternative Sun Sep 26 01:17:52 1993
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Here they are (snapped from Sonic Life a few days ago):

The Unofficial Sonic Youth Guitar Tunings List 09/16/93

Compiled and supplemented by: Art Lee (alee@midway.uchicago.edu).
Send corrections/additions/etc to this address please.
Ftp: ftp.maths.tcd.ie - /pub/music/guitar/sonic_youth/guitar.tunings
Posted to: Usenet and the Sonic Life emailing list monthly.

Update: None. Last revised 5/19/93.

Thanks to: Guitar Player 8/89, 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.

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.

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).

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, d = tune down
Don't expect your strings 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.

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)

Art Lee (alee@midway.uchicago.edu)