# Lesson Series - How Meshuggah Choose Which Notes to Play



## freepower (Feb 9, 2019)

Hi all!

Almost all lessons on Meshuggah focus on their rhythms (for obvious reasons!) but I've rarely seen discussion of their note choice. I've created this lesson series that's designed to give you an idea of the way they write their riffs but it requires no previous theory knowledge - everything you need to know will be described as you go through the lessons. I'll update this OP as I do more lessons, I hope you find em interesting! 

Would appreciate feedback on -
Most useful ideas to you
What parts are entertaining/boring
Speed at which material progresses
Anything you'd cut/add?

Generally people seem to dig these but I'd like to know these things so I can keep improving my content! 

Currently planned future lessons -
Layering and soundscapes
Guitar solos
By The Ton detailed analysis

*Lesson 1 - Tritones in Neurotica/Stengah/Entrapment *


*Lesson 2 - Diminished Scales in Demiurge/Swarm/Born In Dissonance/Bleed*
**

*Lesson 3 - Chromaticism in Neurotica/Monstrocity/Dehumanization/I Am Colossus

*


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## freepower (Mar 25, 2019)

And now a titanic analysis of By The Ton, guitar pro files in the video description -


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## gunch (Apr 2, 2019)

Really awesome dude thank you


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 2, 2019)

I've heard other ppl give their best guesses on how Meshuggah was choosing notes but I was never quite sure if they were guessing or certain. I'll definitely be taking a look at this after work. Sounds very interesting.


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## freepower (Apr 5, 2019)

gunch said:


> Really awesome dude thank you



Thanks bud I'm doing my best! I've got a couple more to do then I'll branch out into some other artists. 



Konfyouzd said:


> I've heard other ppl give their best guesses on how Meshuggah was choosing notes but I was never quite sure if they were guessing or certain. I'll definitely be taking a look at this after work. Sounds very interesting.



Lemme know what you think - I'm presenting what I think are some good guidelines for how they pick notes and I present my evidence in the form of the examples.


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## BananaDemocracy (May 8, 2019)

freepower said:


> Hi all!
> 
> Almost all lessons on Meshuggah focus on their rhythms (for obvious reasons!) but I've rarely seen discussion of their note choice. I've created this lesson series that's designed to give you an idea of the way they write their riffs but it requires no previous theory knowledge - everything you need to know will be described as you go through the lessons. I'll update this OP as I do more lessons, I hope you find em interesting!
> 
> ...



Dude these are excellent

Thanks for sharing your hard work

I think it’s great 

You did an amazing job, and you seem like a genuinely positive nice person, like I actually said,”how does such a nice young lad know so much about the evil Tritones!??” Lol but no it’s a compliment 

Keep it comin 
(BTW are you in Berkeley or music college?)


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## freepower (May 17, 2019)

Ah cheers! I'm a pretty positive person when I get to nerd out about Meshuggah 

I'm taught guitar professionally for about 8 years, nowadays I work in tech. This is my way of keeping up my love of music and teaching ^_^

I've been prepping the Meshuggah layers video and procrastinating the guitar solo analysis cause it's kinda intimidating, but I think I'll still probably end up doing it!


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## Lorcan Ward (May 17, 2019)

I'm not sure where you'd start with breaking down the solos!


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## freepower (May 21, 2019)

I have plans and a big Google docs spreadsheet to help me!


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## Joan Maal (May 21, 2019)

Great work !! 

Most people are unable to understand (or even imagine) that this type of music is much more elaborate, refined and advanced than all that shit that sounds on the radio


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## freepower (Jul 6, 2020)

Hey all, it's been a while but for those who are still following this I just did a mammoth lesson how how Meshuggah use layered guitar parts in their compositions -


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## freepower (Nov 8, 2020)

And now for the first Meshuggah solo - Straws Pulled At Random:


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