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Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name - Guitar Cover

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Key E minor
Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name guitar cover video
Kfir Ochaion
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Rage Against The Machine - XX (20th Anniversary Special Edition) album cover
Rage Against The Machine - XX (20th Anniversary Special Edition)
1992 5:14
Listen on Spotify
Rage Against the Machine Funk Metal 1992 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Killing in the Name

Drop D tuning is the whole game here. Rage Against the Machine built "Killing in the Name" around a low D string that Tom Morello hammers into a hypnotic, syncopated riff in E minor, and if you are not in Drop D before you start, nothing will sit right. The main riff uses that dropped sixth string for chunky one-finger power chords alongside muted string noise, so getting the palm muting tight and consistent is the real work. At 92 BPM the tempo is not brutal, but the groove has a behind-the-beat heaviness that demands you lock in with the kick drum rather than rush. The bridge section where the song gradually builds to the climactic repeated phrase is a stamina test for your picking hand. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop that build slowed down until the dynamics feel natural, not forced. The Alternative Metal feel here lives entirely in controlled aggression, not speed.

  • The entire song is played in Drop D tuning, which allows the signature low riff to be fretted as a single-finger power chord shape on the bottom two strings.
  • Palm muting control is the core technique: the main riff alternates between fully muted chugs and open, ringing hits that must sound distinct from each other.
  • The climactic build section repeats the same riff phrase many times with increasing intensity, making right-hand stamina and dynamic consistency the main practice challenge.

How to Play Killing in the Name

Tuning: Drop D · Key: E minor · Tempo: 82 BPM

The drop D tuning lets you fret the low power chords with a single finger, which is central to the heavier riffing here. At 82 bpm the slow tempo leaves every note exposed, so timing, vibrato, and dynamics matter more than raw speed.

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 82 BPM.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Tom Morello uses this 1982 Telecaster for RATM's funkier, cleaner rhythm parts, leveraging its bridge humbucker for articulate muting and percussive attack that cuts through dense arrangements.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The JCM800's punchy midrange and aggressive natural clipping deliver RATM's signature thick, cutting distortion tone while staying tight enough for Morello's dynamic muting and noise experiments.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Morello exploits this wah pedal extensively for funk riffs and half-cocked tonal shaping, creating RATM's signature expressive sweeps and rhythmic articulation that define their groove.

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Pedal

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

Morello uses the DD-3 for rhythmic repeats and spatial effects, adding depth and texture to RATM's complex arrangements without muddying the aggressive distortion tone.

MXR Phase 90
Pedal

MXR Phase 90

This phaser adds occasional swirling modulation to Morello's pedalboard, creating subtle psychedelic textures that enhance RATM's experimental moments without overwhelming their heavy rhythm focus.

DigiTech Whammy
Pedal

DigiTech Whammy

The Whammy pedal enables Morello's signature pitch-shifting, octave drops, and squealing harmonics that define RATM's innovative, experimental noise work and solo textures.

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