Killing in the Name Guitar tab video
Rage Against the Machine
Make your own Killing in the Name tab video, freeNo editing. No card. 10 minutes free.- Instrument
- Guitar
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Tuning
- D A D G B E
- Tempo
- 120 BPM
About this riff
The main riff is built entirely in drop-D tuning (D A D G B E), letting you fret the low power chords with a single finger across the bottom two strings, which is what makes it approachable to learn. The real challenge is the right hand: the palm-muted chugs and the syncopated timing require tight, consistent picking and precise mute control to lock in with the drums rather than sounding flat. It's a great study in feel and groove, since nailing the swing and dynamics is far harder than the actual notes.
Did you know?
Tom Morello came up with the riff by accident while working as a guitar tutor: he was demonstrating drop-D tuning to a student when the idea struck him, so he told the student to hold on, scribbled it down, and worked it out at band rehearsal that same night. It was written before Rage Against the Machine had even played their first gig, part of the second batch of songs the band ever created.
FAQ
Is this the real audio?
The audio is rendered from a high-quality SoundFont (FluidR3), so it plays for real. It is not the original master recording.
Can I make my own Killing in the Name tab video?
Yes. Upload your file to Tab2Vid and export a 9:16 or 16:9 video with real audio in about a minute. The free plan needs no credit card.