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

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Key E minor
Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name guitar tab video
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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

Few riffs in heavy guitar playing are as immediately recognisable as the one that opens "Killing in the Name." Rage Against the Machine built the track around a low, grinding E-based riff that sits in E minor and leans hard on percussive muting and palm-muted power chords. Tom Morello's approach here is less about speed and more about controlled aggression: tight rhythm playing, precise stops, and the kind of right-hand muting that needs to feel locked to the drum groove. Getting that locked-in feel is where most guitarists struggle, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main riff slowed down until your muting is clean before you bring it back up to tempo. The song also features Morello's unconventional solo, which relies more on guitar as a noise-making device than on conventional scales, involving toggle switching and feedback manipulation. Focus on the rhythm parts first, as clean articulation in the riff is what makes the whole song hit the way it should.

  • The main riff is built on palm-muted low-E power chords in E minor, and tight right-hand muting technique is the key to nailing its aggressive feel.
  • Tom Morello's solo section uses pickup toggle switching and controlled feedback rather than conventional scale runs, making it a study in unconventional technique.
  • Because the riff relies heavily on rhythmic stops and syncopation, looping it slowed down with the Practice Toolbar is the most effective way to lock in the timing.

How to Play Killing in the Name

The song moves through: Intro, Interlude, Verse, Refrain, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Solo, Outro.

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

The song's main riff is built on a single moveable power-chord shape in Drop D, which lets you barre the lowest three strings with one finger, but the challenge lies in Tom Morello's tight, percussive muting between hits. At 82 bpm the tempo is forgiving, so focus first on locking that mute-and-strike rhythm precisely before adding the whammy and kill-switch effects in the later sections. The outro escalates in intensity with repeated chord stabs that demand consistent pick attack across many bars, making stamina and dynamic control the real test rather than fret-hand complexity. Loop the outro section at reduced speed to build that endurance before attempting it at full tempo.

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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