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Linkin Park - What I've Done - Guitar Lesson

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Key G minor
Linkin Park - What I've Done guitar lesson video
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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.
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Linkin Park Alternative Rock G minor
Capo Advisor 0 G minor · Original key

About What I've Done

Drop D tuning is central to how "What I've Done" by Linkin Park hits so hard. The low D string powers the chunky, palm-muted riff that drives the verses, and getting that riff tight requires a clean on-off palm mute technique: too much pressure and the notes die, too little and the heaviness disappears. At 120 BPM in G minor, the tempo is moderate enough that accuracy matters more than speed, so every note in the riff needs to land squarely on the beat. The chorus opens up into fuller, more sustained chords, which means you need to shift your right-hand feel noticeably between sections. That verse-to-chorus transition is the trickiest moment to nail consistently, and it rewards close repetition work. Use the Practice Toolbar to isolate that transition, loop it slowed down, and build the muscle memory before bringing it back up to tempo. The song sits in a Alternative Rock style that rewards a tight, controlled rhythm approach over aggressive strumming.

  • Drop D tuning is essential here, giving the low open D string the weight needed for the signature palm-muted verse riff.
  • The riff centres on palm muting on the low D string, so practise switching the mute on and off cleanly to keep the groove locked in.
  • At 120 BPM the tempo is approachable, but the verse-to-chorus dynamic shift in right-hand technique is the main challenge to practise slowly.

How to Play What I've Done

Tuning: Drop D · Key: G minor · Tempo: 120 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 120 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.

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