Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Linkin Park - Faint - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
Linkin Park - Faint guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 70Kviews
Creator Page →
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Meteora album cover
Meteora
2003 2:42
Listen on Spotify
Linkin Park Alternative Rock 2003 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Faint

Drop D tuning is doing a lot of heavy lifting in "Faint," and understanding why helps you lock into the song quickly. That low open D string powers the driving, palm-muted riff that runs through the verses, giving it the chunky, aggressive feel that defines the track. At 103 BPM in E minor, the tempo is not punishing, but keeping your palm mute tight and consistent while switching between muted chugs and open hits is where most players slip up. The string-skipping and rhythmic syncopation in the main riff also catch beginners off guard, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop that section slowed down until the picking pattern feels automatic. Linkin Park layers the guitar with strings and electronics on the record, but on guitar the focus is really on that relentless right-hand rhythm work. This is a great song for building Alternative Rock palm-muting stamina and precision across a full song structure.

  • The song is in Drop D tuning, which lets you hit low, chunky palm-muted power chords on the bottom string with a single finger.
  • The main riff relies heavily on tight palm muting and rhythmic string hits, so right-hand consistency is the core technical challenge here.
  • At 103 BPM, the tempo is approachable for intermediate players, making it a solid piece for drilling Drop D palm-mute control.

How to Play Faint

Tuning: Drop D · Key: E minor · Tempo: 103 BPM

The drop D tuning lets you fret the low power chords with a single finger, which is central to the heavier riffing here.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 103 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Brad Delson uses Strats for cleaner, textural studio parts that contrast with his heavy PRS-driven rhythm work. Their bright, articulate character adds sonic variety to Linkin Park's dynamic song arrangements.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Telecasters provide Delson with twangy, cutting tones for atmospheric clean passages, offering a different textural palette than his signature PRS guitars. These bright instruments layer beautifully with delay effects on tracks like 'Numb.'

PRS Custom 24
Guitar

PRS Custom 24

The Custom 24 was Brad's cornerstone during Hybrid Theory and Meteora, delivering the tight, articulate heaviness that defined early Linkin Park's drop-tuned sound. Its versatility handles both crushing rhythm riffs and smooth clean tones seamlessly.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

This amp's chunky, saturated low-mids and tight response make it perfect for Delson's drop-D and drop-C# palm-muted rhythms that anchor Linkin Park's heaviest moments. It cuts through dense production without losing definition.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Delson deploys the Cry Baby sparingly on select tracks for expressive, soulful moments that break up the relentless heaviness. Its responsive sweep adds dynamic character to atmospheric clean sections.

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Pedal

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

This workhorse delay creates the dotted-eighth rhythmic repeats essential to Linkin Park's clean, ambient textures, particularly on songs like 'Numb.' Its digital precision enables Brad's dramatic transitions between heavy and ethereal sections.

Recommended for You

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)