Forgotten by LINKIN PARK (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

The Forgotten by LINKIN PARK guitar tone is built on a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, dialed in at gain 8/10, bass 6, mid 5, treble 6.5, presence 6 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

Amp settings (0–10)

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 284 metal tones in our researched catalog: Gain 8 sits right around the metal average (7.3); mids at 5 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

Original gear

Guitar: PRS Standard 24 · Amp: Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier

Studio recording, year 2000 (Hybrid Theory album). No direct evidence for pedals or alternate guitars for the riff section; PRS Standard 24 and Mesa Dual Rectifier are widely cited as Brad Delson's main studio rig for Hybrid Theory-era heavy rhythm parts.

Gear used on this tone

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

PRS Standard 24 → Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor (likely, based on era and genre) → Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier

Effects

noise_gate, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 2)

Tone character

tight and percussive, aggressive palm muting, saturated high-gain, articulate attack, modern nu-metal chunk, scooped but present mids, crisp, defined high end, heavy, compressed sound, focused, punchy low end, low noise, tight gating

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, fast tempo, aggressive dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Forgotten sound.

Difficulty

3.5/5 · Riff

The riff requires tight, fast palm muting and precise alternate picking at a high tempo, with syncopated rhythms typical of nu-metal, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Worth knowing

• No direct source confirms exact pedal usage or amp settings for 'Forgotten' riff; settings estimated based on genre, era, and typical Linkin Park studio rig for Hybrid Theory.
• No evidence of modulation or time-based effects in the riff section; distortion is from amp and/or possible pedal boost.
• PRS Standard 24 and Mesa Dual Rectifier are widely cited for Hybrid Theory rhythm tones, but not explicitly confirmed for 'Forgotten' riff in studio.
• Settings are estimated based on typical Dual Rectifier usage for nu-metal rhythm tones and forum discussions.
• Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Linkin Park's 'Forgotten' riff uses a tight, modern nu-metal tone: high gain for aggression, slightly scooped mids for clarity in a dense mix, tight bass to avoid muddiness, and boosted presence/treble for attack. Reverb is essentially absent, matching the dry, punchy production style of Hybrid Theory.

Forgotten guitar tone — FAQ

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Sources

• settings for Linkin Park - forum topic | Ultimate Guitar

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