Riff Tone

Revelation (Mother Earth)

Ozzy Osbourne

Guitarmetal1980s

Original Gear

Guitar1974 Gibson Les Paul Custom (white, Randy Rhoads' main guitar on Diary of a Madman)

AmpMarshall 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head (modded, with Altec 417-8H speakers in Marshall 4x12 cab)

PickupsSeymour Duncan Distortion (bridge), stock Gibson humbucker (neck)

Amp Settings

gain5.5

bass5.5

mid7

treble7

reverb2

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

distortionMXR MXR Distortion +

eqMXR MXR Ten Band Graphic EQ

noise_gateBoss Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

Notes

Studio recording, 1981. Randy Rhoads used his white Les Paul Custom with the bridge pickup for heavy riff sections. The amp was a Marshall 1959 Super Lead, mostly clean with distortion from an MXR Distortion + and EQ boost from an MXR Ten Band Graphic EQ. Effects were added via pedals, not amp. No evidence of effects loop use in studio.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivemid-forward punchaggressive palm mutingcrisp but saturatedarticulate attackslightly scooped low-midsbright and cuttingdefined low endhigh-output humbucker clarityBritish amp crunch

Difficulty

The riff requires advanced right-hand control for palm muting, fast alternate picking, and left-hand accuracy for complex chord shapes and quick transitions, making it challenging for most guitarists.