# Meshuggah BLEED



## Devon8822 (Jun 2, 2010)

Which picking sequence is the correct way to play the intro riff of Bleed. Please don't vote if you can't actually play the riff. Also, can anybody give some tips as to getting the polyrhythm down? What timing should I be hearing/thinking about the riff in? I am having trouble staying in time with this particular polyrhythm.


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## anthonyferguson (Jun 2, 2010)

duddu dun dun duddu dun dun duddu dun dun duddu dun dun duddu dun dun

etc....


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## Durero (Jun 2, 2010)

It's definitely dud u

It's a very strange pattern where you're switching between a 16th note feel with bursts of 32nd notes.

try searching for the videos that have been posted of Fredrik and Martin demoing the riffs.


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## splinter8451 (Jun 2, 2010)

tonywozere said:


> duddu dun dun duddu dun dun duddu dun dun duddu dun dun duddu dun dun
> 
> etc....



It is most definitely this. 

Then part way through it switches to duddu dun dun dun duddu dun dun dun and so on and so forth.

EDIT: and about staying in time with it. If you just focus on the guitar part it is simple, blur out everything else but the steady tempo and DUDDUD DU DU DUDUD DU DU your heart out. It just repeats and repeats then changes then repeats that over and over then it changes again.


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## Durero (Jun 2, 2010)

Guys I'm sure the original post was referring to d=downstroke and u=upstroke

I see now that both of you are focusing on the rhythm (not the picking direction) and you're both right as far as that goes.


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## splinter8451 (Jun 2, 2010)

Durero said:


> Guys I'm sure the original post was referring to d=downstroke and u=upstroke
> 
> I see now that both of you are focussing on the rhythm (not the picking direction) and you're both right as far as that goes.



 Thought for sure he was talking about the rhythm/sound of it. We are all correct then


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## Durero (Jun 2, 2010)

To feel the 4:3 polyrhythm (four groups of three 16th notes in the span of 3 beats) you need to pick in this manner and feel the beat on the two capitalized downstrokes and one upstroke.

D=downstroke on the beat
d=downstroke off the beat
U=upstroke on the beat
u=upstroke off the beat


```
Dud u duD u dud U dud u D...
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4...
```


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## Durero (Jun 2, 2010)

splinter8451 said:


> Thought for sure he was talking about the rhythm/sound of it. We are all correct then


Yup we're all right


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## Pirate Life (Jun 2, 2010)

They gave a lesson on it a while ago !


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## TomAwesome (Jun 2, 2010)

I've been playing it dud u dud u, but it looks like they play it dud d dud d. Looks like I need to work my chops up a little.


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## glassmoon0fo (Jun 2, 2010)

oh, i thought you were being a smart-ass with the "duh-duh-dun-duuuh"s lol

its the first one.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jun 3, 2010)

Someone on here did a really good cover, I forget his username but he did it using a custom Illustrated Luther...I found the youtube video though, might be helful


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## TomAwesome (Jun 3, 2010)

He posts here as cataclysm_child, though he's not so active anymore.


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## cataclysm_child (Jun 3, 2010)

I'm still here. Just watching you

First when I tried to learn that song I picked like this:
dud d dud d dud d dud

It was easier right off the bat, but I often accidentally hit the string when I moved the pick upwards in the d d d part. Was only going to hit it on the way down.

So I switched over to dud u dud u dud u dud, which felt really weird in the start. But that's definitely the way to go. And that's ho Fredrik plays it. Got to play it like Fredrik


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jun 3, 2010)

^ It was this guy!


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## Durero (Jun 3, 2010)

TomAwesome said:


> I've been playing it dud u dud u, but it looks like they play it dud d dud d. Looks like I need to work my chops up a little.



 I don't know how you're managing to see it that way. To me it looks very clear that he's picking dud u.


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## TomAwesome (Jun 3, 2010)

Durero said:


> I don't know how you're managing to see it that way. To me it looks very clear that he's picking dud u.



Hmm. After looking again, I think you're probably right.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jun 4, 2010)

^ Never doubt Leo, he's always right :


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## anthonyferguson (Jun 4, 2010)

Durero said:


> Guys I'm sure the original post was referring to d=downstroke and u=upstroke
> 
> I see now that both of you are focusing on the rhythm (not the picking direction) and you're both right as far as that goes.




my bad... sorry


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## darbdavys (Jun 4, 2010)

And I was thinking, what kind of stroke 'n' is


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## penguin_316 (Jun 4, 2010)

It's played with strict alternate picking...down up down up...yadda yadda


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## Origin (Jun 5, 2010)

I pick it udu d, but I always seem inclined to upstrokes for anything tremolo-picking or difficult rhythm-related. I hope it doesn't screw up my technique later on, but so far it doesn't seem to do any damage, it's just kinda how I do it. That said, I strongly believe it's officially played with the upstroke instead of another down at the end of the phrase.


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## LamaSabachthani (Jun 7, 2010)

Durero said:


> To feel the 4:3 polyrhythm (four groups of three 16th notes in the span of 3 beats) you need to pick in this manner and feel the beat on the two capitalized downstrokes and one upstroke.
> 
> D=downstroke on the beat
> d=downstroke off the beat
> ...



Forgive me if I ask/say something here which is infinitely stupid, but do you mean a 4/3 time sig for Bleed? I had read somewhere that the guitar/kick part was 23/16 with a 4/4 snare/cymbals beat over the guitar/kick part?

Damned odd meter


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## Kwonnie (Jun 7, 2010)

F*ck Bleed. I prided myself on being an epic fast picker before this song. Now I'm angry with myself not being able to play it lmao...


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