(MUSE) "Chaos Pad"

rockschool Guitar Grade 7 
Rockshool Ltd 2012

This is a Muse inspired entry from a series of books designed to teach people how to play electric guitar. 

OVERVIEW
'Chaos Pad' is a rock composition in the style of Devon rock power trio Muse. The main areas of influence that are evident within this song are a fast alternate picking riff on the fifth string using the open A note as a repeated pedal tone, as well as the use of notes drawn from the A harmonic minor scale - specifically the sound of the major 7th interval (G#) in a minor context. 

THE BIGGER PICTURE
 Muse are one of the world's most successful contemporary power trios. Guitarist/frontman Matt Bellamy has a distinctive style that combines classic rock techniques with a modern player's sensibility and approach to riff writing. His guitar playing is often heavily processed and effects such as fuzz and pitch-shift have in part created the distinctive Muse sound. Bellamy will often contrast melodic lines with heavy riffs and his use of the harmonic minor scale adds the dark neo-classical sound to his writing. The band often use synth lines that give their music an industrial or prog flavour. Bellamy is considered a pioneer of the guitar, taking effects-laden six string sounds to new territories. 

RECOMMENDED LISTENING 
 All five Muse studio albums showcase Bellamy's individual style. Their 1999 debut Showbiz is influenced by the alt rock sound of groups like Nirvana and Rage Against The Machine, and indie acts such as Jeff Buckley. From their second album onwards, Muse incorporated more instruments, from strings to pipe organs. Their sound became heavier due to electronics and classic rock influences from Queen, Pink Floyd and others. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"NO ONE TELLS US WHAT TO DO!" - MUSE are one of the world's most successful bands, thanks to the power of bananas — and outmaneuvering Madonna.

Image
The Red Bulletin August 2015 They’ve sold more than 17 million albums, won a Grammy and go on huge sold-out tours; Muse have now been superstars and critics’ favorites since 1999. Lead vocalist and guitarist Matthew Bellamy, one third of the British band, explains why they won’t settle for second best, whether we’re talking instruments or record contracts. Q: What does it feel like being heralded as the Jimi Hendrix of your generation? MATTHEW: Compliments like that are flattering, of course, but they’re total nonsense. Q: But they’re not baseless. You’ve revolutionized the guitar like Hendrix did back in the 1960s. MATTHEW: I’ve been playing the guitar since I was 11. The better I got at it, the more constrained I felt by what it could do. No wonder most creative people now make music on computers. That’s why I’ve made a guitar for the 21st century. Q: What’s your guitar capable of? MATTHEW: It’s got a built-in touchscreen linked directly to a computer, which gives the musician a comp...
Read more

Slipknot's craziest member? Meet Sid Wilson (Unmasked & Unhinged)

Image
Get On The Bus c.April 2026 SLIPKNOT SID: So everyone else, I think...we weren't all born in Des Moines, but we grew up there. Paul went there as an adolescent. Um, but he was, you know, he went there when he...I think he was already in his teens, or close to it. So, he already had a good sense of who he was, and what kind of music he liked by the time he went to Iowa, and he had that LA influence. So, he already knew he was like 'the DJ is what's up'. We need a DJ. And he'd seen me scratching. So, he was just like 'this is amazing'. And then everyone, they started talking to and asking, like 'who...who do we get for a DJ?'. Everyone was like, 'Sid'.   Q: Right SID: 'Sid's the guy'. You know, so I don't know. I just...I..it just happened like that. You know what I mean? I went over there, and some of the guys, were like 'I don't know', cuz they were just like straight metal heads. But once I started jamming with th...
Read more

(MUSE) Matt Bellamy: the ONLY guitar interview!

Image
Total Guitar December 2003 (Issue 117)  As anthemic as it is experimental, Absolution is Muse's greatest achievement yet. Matt Bellamy tells us about taking chords apart, getting the ultimate tone, and the making of a masterpiece.   It starts with the sound of massed armies approaching, and ends with a single dying power chord. It's called " Apocalypse Please " and it's the opening track on Muse's extraordinary new album, Absolution . From here on in it's a non-stop lunatic ride through some of the grandest, most unashamedly epic guitar music ever created, taking in mournful death marches ( Blackout ), sound-and-fury riffing ( Stockholm Syndrome ), as well as thunderous end of the world anthems ( Time Is Running Out ).   In the months leading up to the album's release, Matt Bellamy told the press that the coming Muse record would be more 'uplifting' than previous efforts. We needn't have worried. From it's portentous opening bars to its...
Read more