Master dead notes with RATM! #scottsbasslessons #sbl #basslesson #rageagainstthemachine

Rage Against the Machine’s explosive 1992 debut single, Killing in the Name, is a groundbreaking mashup of hip-hop, metal, and rock, with bassist Tim Commerford exploiting the wide frequency range of his Music Man StingRay (don’t forget to tune your E string down to a D). Commerford’s use of hammer-ons and ghost notes gives the verse riff an extra rhythmic edge. A ghost-note is a note’s ‘dead’ version, muted to the point where it is percussive rather than having a clear pitch. To execute a ghost-note, rest a fretting-hand finger on the string (without pressing it to the fret) and then pluck. Once you learn to mute and pluck a string simultaneously, you can play ghost-notes! 🤘🏻☠️

Added 9 Apr 2026