Riff Tone
Sleep
My Chemical Romance
Guitarrock2000s
Original Gear
GuitarEpiphone Les Paul Elitist (Ray Toro's main studio guitar for The Black Parade era)
AmpMarshall JMP head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, The Black Parade era)
PickupsSeymour Duncan JB (bridge), Seymour Duncan '59 (neck) humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain7.5
bass6
mid6.5
treble7
reverb1.5
presence6.5
Effects & Signal Chain
fuzzElectro-Harmonix Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (likely Russian or NYC reissue)
Notes
Studio recording, 2006. Ray Toro used the Epiphone Les Paul Elitist with Seymour Duncan pickups into a Marshall JMP head for the main riff sections. No evidence of live/touring substitutions for the studio recording. No evidence of additional layering or alternate guitars for the main riff section.
Tone Character(10)
tight, saturated distortionchunky, palm-muted power chordsaggressive, mid-forward attacksinging sustain on single notesarticulate pick attackcontrolled feedback in transitionsthick, compressed wall of soundslightly scooped but present midscrisp, defined highsdense, layered rhythm texture
Difficulty
The main riff requires tight palm muting and consistent alternate picking at a moderate tempo, with dynamic control to maintain clarity and aggression in the dense, high-gain mix.
Sources
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Original Gear
GuitarEpiphone Les Paul Elitist (Ray Toro's main studio guitar for The Black Parade era)
AmpMarshall JMP head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, The Black Parade era)
PickupsSeymour Duncan JB (bridge), Seymour Duncan '59 (neck) humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain7.5
bass6
mid6.5
treble7
reverb1.5
presence6.5
Effects & Signal Chain
fuzzElectro-Harmonix Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (likely Russian or NYC reissue)
Notes
Studio recording, 2006. Ray Toro used the Epiphone Les Paul Elitist with Seymour Duncan pickups into a Marshall JMP head for the main riff sections. No evidence of live/touring substitutions for the studio recording. No evidence of additional layering or alternate guitars for the main riff section.
Tone Character(10)
tight, saturated distortionchunky, palm-muted power chordsaggressive, mid-forward attacksinging sustain on single notesarticulate pick attackcontrolled feedback in transitionsthick, compressed wall of soundslightly scooped but present midscrisp, defined highsdense, layered rhythm texture
Difficulty
The main riff requires tight palm muting and consistent alternate picking at a moderate tempo, with dynamic control to maintain clarity and aggression in the dense, high-gain mix.
More My Chemical Romance tones
- Thank You for the Venom · riff
- Welcome to the Black Parade · riff
- I'm Not Okay (I Promise) · riff
- It's Not a Fashion Statement It's a Deathwish · riff
- Demolition Lovers · riff
- The Ghost of You · riff
- I Don't Love You · riff
- Give 'Em Hell, Kid · riff
- Demolition Lovers · solo
- Helena · riff