Links 2-3-4 by Rammstein – Guitar Lesson

Dive deep into the industrial metal juggernaut with our note-for-note guitar lesson of “Links 2-3-4” by Rammstein. Released on their 2001 album Mutter, this track is a sonic battering ram—built on militant rhythms, bone-crushing guitar tones, and the signature Rammstein blend of metal power and electronic precision. A mainstay in the band’s live performances and one of their most recognisable riffs, “Links 2-3-4” is a brilliant exercise in mechanical groove, precision playing, and industrial heaviness.

This complete LickLibrary guitar lesson walks you through every riff and transition with accuracy and clarity, focusing on four essential guitar techniques: power chords, alternate picking, palm muting, and octaves. Whether you're a fan of modern metal, industrial grooves, or looking to develop your rhythm guitar technique, this lesson will strengthen your chops and give you a better understanding of Rammstein’s tightly controlled guitar style. This lesson is taught by Stuart Shields.

Technique Focus

Power Chords

Power chords are the foundation of Rammstein’s sound, and Links 2-3-4 is packed with them. Kruspe plays them with unwavering intensity, creating massive walls of sound with minimal movement. The track uses power chords to drive momentum and anchor the rhythm section in every part of the song.

Learning benefit: Mastering power chords builds strength, stamina, and precision in your fretting hand. These chords are essential for developing solid rhythm technique and are fundamental to any heavy rock or metal guitarist’s toolkit.

Alternate Picking

The verse and pre-chorus sections feature tightly controlled alternate picking, helping maintain the track’s mechanical precision and rhythmic consistency. These quick, down-up strokes create a relentless drive, keeping the energy focused and aggressive.

Learning benefit: Practicing alternate picking improves speed, coordination, and control in your picking hand. It also helps ensure consistent tone and timing during fast-paced or repetitive riffs.

Palm Muting

Palm muting is a crucial technique in “Links 2-3-4,” providing the chugging, machine-like percussiveness that defines the industrial metal genre. Kruspe uses it to tighten up the low-end, control sustain, and give riffs a rhythmic, staccato feel.

Learning benefit: Working on palm muting trains your right-hand to regulate dynamics, articulation, and silence between notes. This is vital for precision riffing and adds intensity to your rhythm playing.

Octaves

Octave melodies are used to layer melodic movement over the rhythmic crunch of the riffing sections. These high-register octave parts add texture and help separate the guitar from the dense mix of synths and drums, especially in the chorus.

Learning benefit: Practicing octave melodies helps improve fretboard awareness and your ability to add harmonic interest to riffs without cluttering the mix. Octaves are a staple in rock and metal arrangements for creating melodic tension.

Why Learn This Song?

Links 2-3-4 is more than just a heavy song—it’s a rhythmic study in precision and restraint. It teaches guitarists how to play with total control, how to lock into a groove, and how to make even the simplest riffs feel massive. It’s the perfect lesson for players who want to strip back to the essentials and focus on tone, timing, and tight rhythm execution.

Learning this track will strengthen your foundation in metal rhythm playing, refine your technique, and give you tools to play with more power and authority. Whether you're into Rammstein or simply want to develop clean, articulate metal rhythm chops, this lesson delivers.

About the Song and Rammstein’s Guitarist

“Links 2-3-4” is driven by the commanding guitar work of Richard Z. Kruspe, Rammstein’s lead guitarist and sonic architect. Kruspe’s style combines brute force with laser precision, using minimalistic riffing, digital-tight timing, and high-gain textures to craft a sound that’s both heavy and meticulously structured.

Kruspe’s approach to guitar playing has helped define the industrial metal genre. Eschewing flashy solos in favour of driving rhythm parts, he has demonstrated how power, dynamics, and tone can be achieved through restraint, structure, and discipline. Learning “Links 2-3-4” provides insight into Kruspe’s uncompromising musical vision and teaches the foundational skills needed to master modern metal rhythm playing.

What You’ll Learn in This Lesson

In this LickLibrary lesson, you’ll break down the crushing intro riff, militaristic verse grooves, and anthem-like chorus transitions of “Links 2-3-4”. Each section is carefully explained and demonstrated, with a focus on achieving accuracy, articulation, and tone. You'll develop both left- and right-hand coordination, control over dynamics, and a more refined sense of timing in riff-based playing.

This lesson is especially useful for intermediate players who want to tighten their rhythm work, explore palm muting and alternate picking in a real-world context, and build stamina for longer, locked-in sections.

Techniques Used in This Lesson

• Power Chords
• Alternate Picking
• Palm Muting
• Octave Melodies

Channel the crushing weight and militant groove of Rammstein with our in-depth Links 2-3-4 guitar lesson—perfected by LickLibrary to help you play harder, tighter, and smarter.