Muse - Hysteria

[NewYorkSamurai]

This is the most intense bassline I've attempted. The song is awesome, so if you don't know it, check it out on youtube.

It's fast, it's spans a lot of frets and according to a tutorial video, it's played by quickly alternating the index and middle finger. I can't seem to hit the strings that way and hold different notes. Any advice on how to do this?
Tutorial Video

[Danny G]

I find it easier to play on two strings at once, plucking the lower string with my thumb and the higher with my index finger.

[JayAmel]

I play it with my cover band, and it appears easiest to me to use exclusively the tonal string for each part of the verse/riff :
A part on A string exclusively
E part on E string exclusively (which leads you up to the 17th fret at the very end of this part)
D part on D string exclusively

TB rules don't allow to post tabs of copyright protected music, but that would have helped illustrate my explanation...

[Nick Kay]

The studio cut was played with a pick, but if you absolutely HAVE to do it with your fingers, slow it down and play it to a metronome, and bring the tempo up SLOWLY, and only after you have it super-clean and tight. For me, it's a lot easier to keep it between the 7th and 12th frets - reach across strings instead of up and down the neck.

[NKUSigEp]

I'd advise you to do a search...it's been covered a LOT. Personally, I think it's an interesting use of effects but the line itself is rather stale. Suits the song I guess, but not my can of beer if ya know what I mean.

[Pete_Wentz]

The main riff is actually 16ths at less than 100bpm. Its really that not fast, u just need to practise alot. practise practise, you'll nail it sooner or later

[dereklol23]

Originally Posted by NKUSigEp

I'd advise you to do a search...it's been covered a LOT. Personally, I think it's an interesting use of effects but the line itself is rather stale. Suits the song I guess, but not my can of beer if ya know what I mean.

I'd hardly call it stale, it's pretty much a line that sticks in my head as "memorable" through many song's i've heard

[king_xanadu]

they way i learned it i started playing slow
D------E------A------D------S------L------O------W
and just work you way up to full speed

[MellowTone]

Originally Posted by Nick Kay

The studio cut was played with a pick, but if you absolutely HAVE to do it with your fingers, slow it down and play it to a metronome, and bring the tempo up SLOWLY, and only after you have it super-clean and tight. For me, it's a lot easier to keep it between the 7th and 12th frets - reach across strings instead of up and down the neck.

I'm with the people that play it up round the 7-12ish frets, using open strings in between. Makes it a whole lot easier. That said, I haven't looked closely enough on a video to see where Chris plays it.

Really? How'd you find out that he used a pick? I assumed he played with his fingers as he plays all (I believe) of his live stuff with fingers and the only videos I've seen of Hysteria, he's playing fingerstyle.

Then again, the hardest thing (I think) with the song is to nail that sound. I haven't heard anything that's gotten it right.

EDIT: +1 to playing it slow to start off with and then slowly taking the tempo up.

[Jared92]

Originally Posted by NewYorkSamurai

it's played by quickly alternating the index and middle finger.

Must be new here

[SubGuitar]

You should be able to use better fingering than the guy in that video. Notice how when he's down at the 7th fret he's having to shift his index around and is making slight slips in the timing as a result?

If you're going to play this on one string per chord (I find it much easier to spread over the strings and keep it in one position), then at least make sure that when you play that 7th fret to the 8th fret you're using your pinky on the 8th.

[mrkreuzschlitz]

I used to have problems with it, but instead of playing like this:

D|--5-57
A|00-0--

I did this.

D|-------
A|00 10 0 10 12


Its just an example, use a pick, and its easier than using more than one string.

[bassmasta05]

just play slowly

and 1 more tip of advice: Check out Muse - Time is Running Out

great bassline, and a tad easier

[GerManson]

and now i feel like a true bassist!
hysteria is EASY!

[Sean S]

I don't go past the 12th fret when I play that song. I find it easier to not have to shift my hand.

[Amitio]

Im sure he didnt use a pick for this song!

He only started using a pick during blackholes and revelations.

[Stingray_EB]

Practise makes this song very easily playable. A few weeks ago I couldt keep it going up to the C part and now I can play the whole song with only a few funny faces.

[gaunten]

that bassline is pretty funkin intense. I like it a lot, I can't understand why I haven't checked out these before, I only heard that song of theirs that reminds a slight bit of britney spears "toxic", or if it was another one of her songs.(don't really remember, and don't care) anyways, I liked it, but never checked them out.
gotta DL some stuff when I get off work today

[Spinal Tapper]

Originally Posted by Amitio

Im sure he didnt use a pick for this song!

He only started using a pick during blackholes and revelations.

+1

Just practice! It's not that hard if you practice you should be able to learn the notes it in a day or so and, master it in a few weeks/months or whatever.

I've noticed the hardest part is in the recording he seems to play all of the notes using his right hand the whole time - meaning he didn't use any hammer-on's or pull-off's to hit notes faster - at least thats what it sounds like to me, and that's how I've been practicing it.

Chris Wolstenholme is a friggin' machine dude

[Contra(Band)]

Alternating index and middle on the right hand, speed really isn't that much of an issue for this sort of song. Mainly (at least for me) being able to play the song on bass was a matter of building the finger endurance, as the the riff itself isn't really that speedy. I'm also quite sure it was never played with a pick. The beefy sound just screams fingers to me.