Riff Tone
Bulls on Parade
rage Against The Machine
Guitarrock1990s
Original Gear
GuitarCustom 'Arm The Homeless' S-style guitar (Custom Performance body, 22-fret Kramer Carrera neck, locking nut)
AmpMarshall JCM800 2205 50-watt head into Peavey 4x12 cabinet
PickupsEMG 81 (bridge), EMG 85 (neck), humbucker-sized single coil in neck position
Amp Settings
gain8
bass6
mid7
treble7
reverb0
presence6.5
Effects & Signal Chain
wahDunlop Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
modulationDigiTech DigiTech Whammy WH-1
delayBoss Boss DD-2 Digital Delay
eqDOD DOD FX40B Equalizer
Notes
Studio recording, 1996. Guitar used for entire song including riff. No distortion pedal; all gain from amp. Effects loop used for pedals. Pickup selection and volume knob manipulation are key to tone.
Tone Character(10)
aggressive wah-wah filtered rifftight, focused low endmid-forward punchcutting high-frequency edgepercussive, staccato attackdry, unprocessed amp sounddynamic volume swellscrisp, articulate pick attacksyncopated, hip-hop influenced rhythmminimal ambient effects
Difficulty
The riff requires intermediate to advanced control of wah pedal, creative toggle switch use for stutter effects, and tight, aggressive picking with syncopated rhythms. Not technically virtuosic, but demanding in timing, coordination, and dynamic control.
Sources
The story of Rage Against The Machine's Bulls On Parade: "Our method ofworking was pretty much; jam, roll the cassette tape, then cut the real track" | MusicRadar“One night, I decided to be the DJ in Rage Against the Machine - but I was going to do it all on the guitar”: How Tom Morello used his guitar to drill into the off-limits domain of the turntablist | MusicRadarTom’s guitar tone : r/RATMTom MorelloTom Morello Interview - Premier Guitar
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock1990s
Original Gear
GuitarCustom 'Arm The Homeless' S-style guitar (Custom Performance body, 22-fret Kramer Carrera neck, locking nut)
AmpMarshall JCM800 2205 50-watt head into Peavey 4x12 cabinet
PickupsEMG 81 (bridge), EMG 85 (neck), humbucker-sized single coil in neck position
Amp Settings
gain8
bass6
mid7
treble7
reverb0
presence6.5
Effects & Signal Chain
wahDunlop Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
modulationDigiTech DigiTech Whammy WH-1
delayBoss Boss DD-2 Digital Delay
eqDOD DOD FX40B Equalizer
Sources
The story of Rage Against The Machine's Bulls On Parade: "Our method ofworking was pretty much; jam, roll the cassette tape, then cut the real track" | MusicRadar“One night, I decided to be the DJ in Rage Against the Machine - but I was going to do it all on the guitar”: How Tom Morello used his guitar to drill into the off-limits domain of the turntablist | MusicRadarTom’s guitar tone : r/RATMTom MorelloTom Morello Interview - Premier Guitar
Notes
Studio recording, 1996. Guitar used for entire song including riff. No distortion pedal; all gain from amp. Effects loop used for pedals. Pickup selection and volume knob manipulation are key to tone.
Tone Character(10)
aggressive wah-wah filtered rifftight, focused low endmid-forward punchcutting high-frequency edgepercussive, staccato attackdry, unprocessed amp sounddynamic volume swellscrisp, articulate pick attacksyncopated, hip-hop influenced rhythmminimal ambient effects
Difficulty
The riff requires intermediate to advanced control of wah pedal, creative toggle switch use for stutter effects, and tight, aggressive picking with syncopated rhythms. Not technically virtuosic, but demanding in timing, coordination, and dynamic control.
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