Matt Bellamy - Tumblr Posts
How do you write?
Generally, it’s the music first. I’m always trying to find chord structures that haven’t been used before. That’s the first thing I look for; I try to find a chord structure that inspires the melody to just fall out of my mouth automatically. That usually inspires the lyrics. The words come very naturally to me. I think if you’re struggling to write words to a piece of music, it’s probably not inspiring you enough.
In a song like “Apocalypse Please” on Absolution, the chord structure was so epic and in your face, and the words just fell out. The lyrics weren’t the kind of words I ever expected to sing. But in finding those kinds of weirder chords first, it inspired me to want to say something.
Matt on songwriting, lyrics and Apocalypse Please | "Innocence And Absolution", Keyboard Magazine, June 2005
Tbf that is exactly how the riff sounds.
Sometimes riffs are just like that yknow.
"It started with the riff, just like, jaoow, paka-waoo waoo."
Muse on writing Break It To Me
Okay, I'm gonna try and explain it. If this doesn't make sense, I have a sheet of notes explaining it I can post, but my handwriting sucks so I'm gonna try this first. I'll put it under the cut cause it'll probably be quite long.
Happy to explain though, if people have further questions about Muse/Matt Bellamy's use of harmony feel free to ask! I love music theory so I'm straight up doing this for fun, but it's all really interesting and if you know what to look for you can see classical influence in most of their songs, even ones you might not expect.
So, in a scale you have 7 notes, eg. CDEFGAB. Chords are built based off these notes, eg. C, E, G makes a C major chord, D, F , A is a D minor chord. The pattern of major/minor chords in a major scale is this: major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished. It's often written in roman numerals, where capitals are major chords and lowercase are minor chords. Diminished chords are lower case with a small circle next to them or in italics (here I'll be using italics).
So the pattern goes I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii. (eg. C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim)
In a minor key, the pattern is more complicated, but assuming it's a natural minor: i, ii, III, iv, v, VI, VII (eg. Cm, Ddim, Eb, Fm, Gm, Ab, Bb)
Cadences are used in most kinds of music, but I would say generally more deliberately in classical music, since there's this attitude in popular music I think where it's 'cool' not to know any music theory and it makes you a 'better musician' because you don't stick to the 'rules'. There are 4 main types (in a major key):
Perfect: V-I. Solidifies a key and sounds quite final, so are often used at the end of phrases/pieces and after a key change.
Imperfect: anything-V; often I-V.
Interrupted: V-anything except I; often V-vi.
Plagal: IV-I. Also called the 'amen cadence' as it's used in a lot of religious music.
Matt has also used regular plagal cadences. There's one at the end of Drones when 'amen' is sung.
A minor plagal cadence is used more often in popular music I think? Basically, you 'borrow' the minor 4th chord from the tonic minor, which is the minor that has the same starting note as the current major key you're in. Eg. C minor is the tonic/parallel minor of C major. In C major, a minor plagal cadence would be Fm-C, whereas a normal plagal cadence would be F-C.
Minor plagal cadences sound ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING like the entire world is ending.
Examples in Muse songs can be found in the following (and probably more, these are just ones I've found in my analysis so far).
Aftermath: at the end of the chorus over 'the loneliness has gone' (this should be illegal).
Citizen Erased: in the outro over 'erase all the memories' and 'I've seen all I'll ever need' (double illegal)
Explorers: In the verses over 'to seek the new and unknown This planet's overrun' and lyrics in that position in the following verses
Falling Away With You: At the end of verses over 'maybe I just misunderstood', 'memories I will never find', the first 'I think our lives have just begun' (followed by a 'faux' minor plagal at the repeat which goes to E instead of C, giving us a perfect cadence into the chorus), 'I hope I won't forget a thing', 'Nothing will ever stay the same' and then again at 'Making the same mistakes again' with the 'faux' minor plagal on the repeat. The final one is right at the end of the song on both 'memories I will never find'. (Peak devastation, I think that's a big chunk of why this song is so utterly heart-wrenching; the placement of minor plagal cadences over already devastating lyrics).
Falling Down: Start of verses over 'I'm falling down' or lyrics in the same place.
Liberation: In the chorus over/in-between 'take you down/we intend to'
Soaked: Verses towards the end over 'it's not the first time' into 'it's not the worst crime' and 'take shelter' into 'and hide forever'.
I hope this somewhat makes sense, and if it doesn't let me know and I can try explaining it in a different way or post the sheet I made when planning this post.
Damn, Matt Bellamy sure does love using minor plagal cadences to make me want to RIP MY SOUL OUT MY BODY AND THROW IT AT THE SUN.
I reckon most Muse songs that just utterly devastate you have a minor plagal cadence.
(I am also guilty of using minor plagal cadences in my own songs bc they also sound nice).
Genuinely, I finished the chords for a song I'm writing today (the one with French poetry in the bridge), and EVERY SECTION has a minor plagal cadence.
Damn, Matt Bellamy sure does love using minor plagal cadences to make me want to RIP MY SOUL OUT MY BODY AND THROW IT AT THE SUN.
I reckon most Muse songs that just utterly devastate you have a minor plagal cadence.
(I am also guilty of using minor plagal cadences in my own songs bc they also sound nice).
THIS is the interview I've been looking for for AGES. Matt Bellamy playing classical guitar. I am a classical guitarist (as in, that's what most of my formal training has been in) and I NEED to know how he managed to pull off a decent tremolo a). in the cold and b). WITH NO FINGER NAILS. Tremolo is like THE technique you NEED nails for!!! How!?!?!??!
Since the last Muse ask game took off but was a bit old, and since we all seem to like to get nerdy on the details on here, here's a new one:
Muse Down-To-The-Nitty-Gritties Asks
What's your favourite live performance?
What's a Muse song that sounds better live than in the studio?
What's a Muse song that sounds better in the studio than live? (if any!)
Favourite Muse cover?
Favourite Muse acoustic song/version?
Favourite one of Matt's dances?
Favourite Muse outfit? (from whenever, not just gigs)
Favourite 'live' performance? (mime ;) )
Favourite iconic Muse post (*Question originally said 'favourite iconic Muse Tumblr post' but that would disqualify 'wub wub fuckers' which came from Reddit)
Favourite non-studio lyrics (demos, live additions, etc.)
Favourite song that's never been played live
Favourite Muse/members Tweet/Instagram post
Favourite scene from a making-of DVD
Favourite live riff/jam/intro/outro
Favourite Dom live moment?
Favourite Chris pic?
Dan or Morgan?
Favourite Muse merch (including cover artwork)/fave era for Muse merch of any sort?
Favourite photoshoot of the band?
Favourite live moment?
Favourite wtf moment in an interview?
Favourite guitar/bass riff/drum fill?
Favourite Muse lyric?
What's something you wish Muse did that they don't normally do?
Dream Muse setlist (or just a few songs you'd like to see live if not a full setlist)
Favourite Muse pop song
Favourite Muse heavy song
Favourite Muse piano part/song(/organ, for obvious reasons)
Favourite Muse rarity (including hidden tracks)
Favourite Muse fan art?
Have Muse impacted your life?
Have you ever followed Matt's advice to not give a fuck if people think you're a pretentious wanker?
Which Muse member's autograph do you like most?
Have you met any of the band (/if not, any favourite fan interaction/gig stories)?
Favourite Muse moment that's overused in the fandom to literal meme status (e.g. fuck off you cunt, Soldier's Poem was on Absolution, anything at all from Panic Station, Hey You Crazy Kids!, etc.)
Favourite song to sing along to
Songs with lyrics that embarrass you in front of other people (no shame, our Matty has plenty of those too lol)
Favourite Muse instrumental to play (if you play an instrument, otherwise to listen to if you don't)
Do you prefer Muse in a club/small venue or a stadium?
Favourite live era?
Favourite stage/set?
Favourite festival performance?
Who's your favourite out of Muse's influences?
Have/Would you block someone for posting too much about Muse (asking for a friend)
Tell me a little-known fact about Muse
(Biased question but) Best Muse fan community? (Tumblr, Twitter, Reddit, muse.mu messageboards, MuseWiki, any other old fansite, your IRL group of Muser friends)
Petition for takeabow19 to post again
Have you made friends through Muse fan communities?
Have you ever taken part in old Muse easter eggs? (e.g. anagram puzzles, the 2005 bicycle treasure hunt, etc.)
Chris' curls or the legend of Pedro?
Dom - bleach blond era, 90s slacker-band, wraparound shades-era, surfer dude era, Drones black era, 2022 'pornstache' baby blue era, or 2006 aviators era?
Matt offered £50,000 to whichever member of Muse is the first to go shirtless in the 2015 Nick Grimshaw Radio 1 interview. Who's getting paid?
brie or bananas?
Mirror Manson or Glitterati? (or any other Muse gear?)
Favourite catchphrase? ("Cheers!", "I've lost the plot", It's WOTPing time!, etc.)
Favourite silly Muse video (general)
Favourite music video?
Does the singer from Muse have only one tooth
(Okay I promised niche) Favourite Muse accessory? (Matt's OOS era thick necklace, the guitar-pick necklace, any rings, etc.)
(Let's pretend it's 2011 for a minute and the fandom is still losing their mind over Matt swearing in song) Favourite song/lyric that has Matt swearing?
I need it etched into my brain permanently omg. He just plays recuerdos, beautifully IN THE COLD. And does Grace, and Brower and THAT version of falling down?
Tomorrow, I'm gonna post a video of me playing it so you can see what it is he's doing. I haven't done it in a while, so it might sound a bit rough, but it'll get the jist across.
Museblr, I need to know something.
What happened to the softé Mattiaß joke? When did that die?
Muse write songs that make me want to be gay and trans even harder tbh.
I'm sorry, but Matt Bellamy had NO RIGHT to walk around calling Dom gay over colourful trousers when he would REGULARLY prance about the stage wearing various sparkly suits to match his various sparkly guitars.
My guy, that's exactly the kind of thing I, a gay musician, would KILL to do, so. Think about that.
So, I'm thinking about going back to music school (again, lol) and so I went for an open day yesterday. Met one of the song writing teachers, who was absolutely lovely, really funny and made me feel like song writing was definitely the best path for me to go down.
He then noticed I was wearing a Muse t shirt and said 'can I tell you a story about Muse?' and I was like 'oh God are they secretly pricks or something?' and he said no. What he DID do was GO ON A MINI UK TOUR WITH MUSE IN 1999?!?!?!? Some of the best gigs from that period were Muse SUPPORTING this guy's band. He also mentioned that he played Reading and Leeds when I said one of my goals was to play Reading and Leeds.
Apparently Matt was very shy, but also very nice, and Chris and Dom were nice too and very happy to be in a band (and were fans of a surprisingly pop-y band that I can't remember now).
Also when I said I feel that I relate a lot to Matt he said 'I'm sure he relates a lot to you too'. Excuse me????
For the ask game: 1, 10, 38 and 57 :))
What's your favourite live performance?
Honestly for a band that's been going for 30 years this is an INSANE question. From the ones I've seen online, I've always enjoyed Astoria in 2000 and ofc HAARP. Of Muse gigs that I've actually been to it's gotta be WOTP, if for no other reason than they did Resistance.
10. Favourite non-studio lyrics (demos, live additions, etc.)
Difficult one, probably a tie between 'just like a virgin blows' in live versions of Sunburn, or 'give me complete control' in the Hysteria demo.
38. Favourite Muse instrumental to play?
Not sure if this means actual instrumentals (songs with no lyrics) or just the instrumental part of songs. I'm gonna answer the latter because I don't actually know how to play any of the instrumentals.
Guitar: Reapers or New Born
Bass: TIRO or Cave (not quite got it but made a solid start).
Piano: Ruled by Secrecy (again not done yet but really enjoying it so far).
Voice: HOODOO!!! Glorious and I Belong to You (+Mon Coeur S'Ouvre a Voix).
57. Favourite music video?
Euphoria or Sunburn.
Thank you so much!!!!
when you walk past a music store and you see something Muse-related in the display
Found a shirt in h&m a couple of days ago that was SOOOOOO 1999 Matt Bellamy core, and I kinda wish I'd bought it tbh.
As a semi-related add-on 5 seconds later: today I found someone making replicas of THE ring he wore during the OoS era, but it's £350?!?!?!?! Very sad.
Found a shirt in h&m a couple of days ago that was SOOOOOO 1999 Matt Bellamy core, and I kinda wish I'd bought it tbh.
This is me if you even care.
