A brief, but in depth analysis of the world-renowned band, Muse. Includes details of the band's bio, style of playing, evolution of their sound, and such.

1. By: Joel Fontana

2. What you’ll be learning
• Who’s Muse?
• What did they do?
• How are they doing it?
• Who are they influenced by?

3. Matt
Bellamy:
Lead vocals
Lead guitar
Lead piano
Dominic
Howard:
Lead drummer
Chris
Wolstenholme:
Bass player
Backup vocals

4. About...
• Muse formed in 1994 in Devon, England
• Had six main albums released
• Mainstream success in much of Europe since 2003
• Mainstream stateside success after 2007
• One of the most successful “rock” acts in the U.S.
• Featured in Twilight series, Guitar Hero, World War Z,
Need For Speed, etc.
• Many platinum and gold records in Europe, Australia,
and U.S.

5. Genre?
• They are first and foremost a rock band
• However, their music does not have a singular unified
style
• Many genres are incorporated into their sound (Blues,
funk, new wave, grunge, electronica, rock, metal, punk,
etc.)
• If you want to be picky, you could also say they’re
alternative rock

6. Playing style
-Virtuosity vs. Power
-Riffs and licks opposed to power chords.
-Fuller, cleaner, complex sound.
-If their music was a cheese, it would be shredded cheese.
-Power chords used sparingly
-Only used to emphasize emotion, triumph, or powerful sections of a song
-Non-traditional solos
-Weren’t necessarily long or complex, 30 seconds at MOST.
-Inspired by a “space rock” sound
-Looming, futuristic sound. Guitar effects were used liberally.
This is a riff

7. Discography

8. Knights of Cydonia
Starlight
Supermassive
Black Hole
Uprising
I Belong To You
Undisclosed
Desires
Neutron Star
Collision
Madness
Panic Station
Unsustainable
Survival
Popular songs

9. Showbiz
Origins of
Symmetry
Absolution
Black Holes
and
Revelations
Resistance The 2nd
Law
Popularity trend based on
generalized critic reviews and
awards received (NME, Metacritic,
Amazon, BBC, etc.)

10. Experimental
phase.
“Chunky/Choppy”
Aggressive.
Punky. Classical.
Reminiscent of
Grunge era.
Riff oriented.
Heavier tones.
More piano
accompaniments.
Cleaner guitar.
Liberal with rock
guitar licks
Symphonic
rock. More
explosive,
and fantastic.
More
orchestral.
Soft rock/Alt
rock, but
heavier still
on classical
influences.
More experimentation with
electronic music and
modern alt rock
influences. Less emphasis
on classical influences.
Classical
influences still
present,
though mostly
now
electronic and
soft rock
based.
Evolution of their soundShowbiz
Origins of
Symmetry
Absolution
Black Holes
and
Revelations
Resistance
The 2nd
Law

11. Influences
Classical
• Frederic Chopin
• Sergei Rachmaninov
• Hector Berlioz
• Franz Liszt
Modern
• Queen
• AC/DC
• Franz Ferdinand
• Foo Fighters
• Metallica
• Nirvana
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Radiohead
• Phil Collins
• Depeche Mode
• Skrillex (Electronica bits)
• Deftones
• Smashing Pumpkins
• Green Day
• U2

12. Classical and rock influences ?
Many of frontman Matt Bellamy’s songs are based and influenced by many
Romantic era pianists and musicians like Chopin, Liszt, and Rachmaninov.
With some songs he even outright copies them.
As a whole, the sheer orchestral nature of his music coincides
with the vigorous energy, passion, and
excitement of the music of romantic era piano players.
This translates into the energetic guitar licks and riffs, layered and saturated
music structure, and the
operatic nature of performance that
Muse is famous for today.

13. Other notable musical influences
Bass groove. High
emphasis on bass.
Funk Rock influences.
Booming voice.
Pop guitars.
Jagged musical
structure.
Fast, aggressive chord
changes. Fast, aggressive
drum beats. Reminiscent of
punk.
Piano ballad. Tells a colorful narrative. Freddie
Mercury’s trademark choral lyrical backdrops.
Triumphant guitars playing alongside a
chugging, marching piano rhythm.

14. Fun Facts
●
● They wrote their first and second albums almost entirely under the
influence of ‘shrooms.
● They were a driving force behind the comeback of the modern day
guitar solo after the grunge era of the ‘90’s.
● Their song, “Survival”, was the official song of the 2012 olympics.
● Matt Bellamy’s vocal type is “Dramatic Tenor”, a high, robust,
ringing, triumphant tenor.
● All members of Muse have received Honorary Doctorates Degree
of Arts from the University of Plymouth in Devon, England.
● For all intents and purposes, they are all doctors.

15. We hope our presentation
A D
you.

16. Sources
• http://www.nme.com/reviews/artist/muse
• http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-2nd-law/muse
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/9c9f1380-2516-4fc9-
a3e6-f9f61941d090
• http://www.musewiki.org/Influences
• http://www.ultimate-
guitar.com/lessons/guitar_gurus/matt_bellamy_of_muse
.html
• http://www.nme.com/news/muse/40081