Tone library / Rage against the machine / Killing in the name

Killing in the name amp settings — Blackstar DEBUT50RBLK

The Rage against the machine guitar tone for “Killing in the name”, dialed in for a Blackstar DEBUT50RBLK with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Rage Against the Machine self-titled debut (1992)

Original rig

Marshall JCM800 2205 50W, Fender Telecaster (stock single coils), DigiTech Whammy WH-1, MXR Phase 90, Boss DD-3 delays, DOD FX40B EQ boost

Aggressive, tight palm-muted crunch with flat EQ and dry mix — no reverb
Amp settings — Blackstar DEBUT50RBLK
CHANNELOverdriveBOOSToff
GAIN 7 BASS 6 MID 6 TREBLE 5 PRESENCE 0 REVERB 0 MASTER 5
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain7
Bass6
Mid6
Treble5
Presence0
Reverb0
Master5
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Boss MT-2W Metal Zone

Use Standard (S) mode. Dist at 0 — use as a mid-boost/EQ only to push the amp's overdrive channel harder and add JCM800-style mid presence. Do NOT stack distortion.

Level 5 · High 4 · Low 5 · Mid Freq 6 · Mid 7 · Dist 0
Why these settings

The Blackstar Debut 50R's ISF should be set fully clockwise (British/Marshall voicing) to approximate the JCM800's mid-forward bark. Your Strat's single coils are brighter and lower output than Morello's Tele, so bass is raised +1 and treble dropped -1 from the original flat settings. The MT-2W with Dist at 0 acts purely as a mid-focused EQ boost — Morello's tone has less gain than expected, so the amp's overdrive channel handles the dirt.

PRO TIPMorello gets his clean tones by rolling back the guitar volume knob to 3-4 while staying on the overdrive channel — practice this for the song's dynamic shifts instead of switching channels.

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These settings are for a Blackstar DEBUT50RBLK. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Blackstar DEBUT50RBLK settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Killing in the name on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Rage against the machine tonesALL SONGS Fender Player Stratocaster tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

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