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

Tim Commerford used a Music Man StingRay bass on "Killing in the Name." The StingRay's active electronics and punchy output make it ideal for cutting through heavy guitar mixes when combined with distortion.

How to get Tim Commerford's bass tone on Killing in the Name?

The key is running a Music Man StingRay through a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal into an Ampeg SVT amplifier. The RAT provides the aggressive bite while the SVT gives the powerful low-end foundation, and aggressive fingerstyle playing is essential for the attack.

What distortion pedal does Tim Commerford use?

Tim Commerford is known to use a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal for his bass tone. The RAT's filter control allows him to shape the aggressive distortion while maintaining the low-end punch needed for RATM's sound.

What amp did Rage Against the Machine use for bass?

Tim Commerford used an Ampeg SVT amplifier for the bass sound on Rage Against the Machine recordings. The SVT provides the classic tube-driven low-end foundation that supports the band's heavy sound.

bass guitar from "killing in the name" by rage against the machine

killing in the name

rage against the machine

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Tone Profile

Aggressive and distorted bass tone with a strong fundamental and biting high-end. The sound is very present and cuts through the mix, providing a powerful foundation for the song.

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Music Man StingRay(instrument)
Ampeg SVT-VR(amp)
Shure SM57(microphone)
Pro Co Rat(processing)

The Story

Tim Commerford's bass tone on "Killing in the Name" was created using a Music Man StingRay bass run through a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal into an Ampeg SVT amplifier. The signal was captured using a Shure SM57 microphone positioned close to the speaker cone. This combination of the StingRay's punchy output, the RAT's aggressive distortion, and the SVT's powerful low-end created the signature biting, present bass sound that cuts through RATM's heavy mix.