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Riff Tone
Smooth Criminal (2026 Remastered)
Alien Ant Farm
Guitarrock2000s
Original Gear
GuitarSuhr Classic T Pro
AmpMesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (or Kemper profile of Dual Rectifier/Marshall high-gain stack)
Amp Settings
gain7
bass6
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Notes
Studio recording, 2026 remaster of original 2001 session. Gear based on Terry Corso's known studio rig and direct source recommendations for the riff section. Alternative amp: Boss Katana (for modern covers), but original likely Dual Rectifier or Marshall high-gain stack.
Tone Character(10)
tight and percussivearticulate riff clarityaggressive attackmodern high-gain saturationcontrolled low endcrisp top endslight chorus shimmersubtle phaser movementcompressed punchminimal ambient reverb
Difficulty
The riff requires tight palm muting, fast alternate picking, and precise timing to maintain the percussive, aggressive feel. Syncopated power chord changes and maintaining clarity at tempo add to the challenge.
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock2000s
Original Gear
GuitarSuhr Classic T Pro
AmpMesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (or Kemper profile of Dual Rectifier/Marshall high-gain stack)
Amp Settings
gain7
bass6
Create an account to see all tone details
Create Free AccountEffects & Signal Chain
Notes
Studio recording, 2026 remaster of original 2001 session. Gear based on Terry Corso's known studio rig and direct source recommendations for the riff section. Alternative amp: Boss Katana (for modern covers), but original likely Dual Rectifier or Marshall high-gain stack.
Tone Character(10)
tight and percussivearticulate riff clarityaggressive attackmodern high-gain saturationcontrolled low endcrisp top endslight chorus shimmersubtle phaser movementcompressed punchminimal ambient reverb
Difficulty
The riff requires tight palm muting, fast alternate picking, and precise timing to maintain the percussive, aggressive feel. Syncopated power chord changes and maintaining clarity at tempo add to the challenge.