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Killing in the Name (Rage Against the Machine) bass tone and bass amp settings

Killing in the Name bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3: light drive (Drive 3.5), medium gain (Gain 5), heavy lows (Bass 2), both pickups.

Tuning: Drop D

Settings for your amp

Pick a reference amp

Killing in the Name settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3

Fender Rumble 40 V3 settings for every song

AmpFender Rumble 40 V3

Gain5
BrightOn
ContourOff
VintageOff
OverdriveOn
Drive3.5
Level5
Bass+2
Low Mid+1
High Mid+2
Treble+1
Set to your roomMaster

BassPassive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)8Blends in body to support the bridge pickup’s growl
Bridge Volume (J)10Emphasizes the tighter, StingRay-like bridge-pickup character
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Gain
5
Bright
On
Contour
Off
Vintage
Off
Overdrive
On
Drive
3.5
Level
5
Bass
+2
Low Mid
+1
High Mid
+2
Treble
+1
Master
Set to your room

Passive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)
8
Bridge Volume (J)
10
Tone
8

Killing in the Name settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108

Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108 settings for every song

AmpAmpeg Rocket Bass RB-108

SGTOn
Set to your roomVolume
Bass+1
Midrange+2
Treble+1

BassPassive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)6Adds body while keeping the bridge pickup prominent.
Bridge Volume (J)10Favors the tighter, growlier StingRay-like bite.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

SGT
On
Volume
Set to your room
Bass
+1
Midrange
+2
Treble
+1

Passive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)
6
Bridge Volume (J)
10
Tone
8

Killing in the Name settings on any bass amp with Bass, Mid, Treble, Drive

Amp

Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Drive3

BassPassive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)0Keep the P pickup out; favor the bridge for StingRay-like growl.
Bridge Volume (J)10Maximize the bridge pickup’s tighter, more aggressive character.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Bass
6
Mid
7
Treble
6
Drive
3

Passive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)
0
Bridge Volume (J)
10
Tone
7

A Guv'nor-style bass drive pedal would better reproduce the recorded bite.

The control panel of a vintage guitar amplifier, close up

Why it sounds like that

Guitar strings over the frets, close up

The song's bass is a Music Man StingRay, played with a forceful attack and tuned down to drop D for more low end. Bass and guitar always play in unison, and the opening riff is Commerford's, which Tom Morello credits to him. The recording has a mild distortion and audible but not extreme compression that give the mix its bite. On the first Rage album, Commerford used a Marshall The Guv'nor pedal with one amp.

  • Attack the strings firmly, since a forceful attack is part of the sound on this song.
  • Play the riffs in unison with the guitar, as the song does.

What gear did Tim Commerford use on Killing in the Name?

A guitarist’s pedalboard, a dozen pedals cabled together

Tim Commerford

Bass
Music Man StingRay[3][4]
Effects
Marshall The Guv'nor[6]
  • Intro: Tom Morello said the opening riff, the bouncing part at the start of the song, was Timmy C's contribution. (on this song)[1][2]
  • Bonedo reports that a Music Man Stingray is clearly audible as the bass on the song. (on this song)[3][4]
  • Commerford said a Music Man Stingray was the bass he used to record the first Rage record. (on the album Rage Against the Machine)[5]
  • Commerford said he used a Marshall The Guv'nor pedal with one amp on the first Rage record. (on the album Rage Against the Machine)[6]
  • Commerford said he used two Ampeg SVT-2PRO heads and two Ampeg 8x10 cabinets in Rage. (in a later era)[7]
  • Commerford said that with Rage he did everything with two fingers. (in a later era)[6]
  • Bonedo reports that Tim Commerford attacks the strings quite forcefully, which it calls an important part of his sound. (on this song)[3]
  • Bonedo reports that bass and guitar always play in unison, to generate as much energy as possible. (on this song)[3]
  • Bonedo reports a mild distortion on Killing In The Name that gives the mix its bite, with audible but not extreme compression. (on this song)[3]
  • Bonedo reports that Tim Commerford tuned his low E string down to D, which it calls drop D tuning, to get more low end. (on this song)[3]
  • The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame catalogue credits Timmy C. on bass for the album Rage Against the Machine. (on the album Rage Against the Machine)[8]

Questions

What gear did Tim Commerford use on Killing in the Name?

The sources on this page document Tim Commerford's gear on Killing in the Name by Rage Against the Machine: bass, Music Man StingRay [3][4]; effects, Marshall The Guv'nor [6]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.

What are the Killing in the Name settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3?

For the Killing in the Name bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3, set Gain 5, Bright On, Overdrive On, Drive 3.5, Level 5, Bass +2, Low Mid +1, High Mid +2, Treble +1; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 8, Bridge Volume (J) 10, Tone 8. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Killing in the Name settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108?

For the Killing in the Name bass tone on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108, set SGT On, Bass +1, Midrange +2, Treble +1; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 6, Bridge Volume (J) 10, Tone 8. Set Volume to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What tuning is Killing in the Name in?

Killing in the Name by Rage Against the Machine is played in Drop D, according to the cited source [3]. Tune to it before you set the amp, or the riff will not sit right against the record.

Can I get the Killing in the Name tone on my own amp?

Yes. The settings above cover 2 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, bass and pedals for Killing in the Name, using only the controls your gear has.

Get it for your exact rig

KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, bass and pedals for this song.

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