#-----------------------------PLEASE NOTE-----------------------------#
#This file is author's own work and represents their interpretation of#
#the song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship  #
#or research.                                                         #
#---------------------------------------------------------------------#

Future Breed Machine

by

Meshuggah

from the album

Destroy Erase Improve

Transcribed by Pasi Piitulainen (mailto:p_piitulainen@hotmail.com)

This is my transcription of Meshuggah's propably the most well-known song. I've put also some timings here (see tabulature explanation) but some of them you'll have to figure out yourself.

The song is based to C Phrygian-Dominant scale, which is actually the fifth mode of F harmonic minor. (OK, except the b5 in the riff 5).

Meshuggah uses 7-stringed guitars tuned down a half step. This is transcribed for 6-stringed one. I still recommend to tune down a half step, unless you play over the CD, when you should tune down three steps.

Tabulature explanation

                                                                       h   p 
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------14-15-15--|
|-------------------------------------------------------------'-----------------|
|---2----------------------------------------------(8)--------12----------------|
|---2------------------------/9--------9\---------------------------------------|
|---0---------0--0--0--0--------------------------------------------------------|
              x  x  x  x   

  Bb5-chord   Palm mute    Slide   Slide         Ghost     Staccato   Hammer on 
                            up     down           note                & pull off
Timings:

W=whole note               w=whole rest
H=half note                h=half rest
F=fourth note              f=fourth rest
E=eighth note              e=eighth rest
S=sixteenth note           s=sixteenth rest
d_=dotted note/rest

The song

Intro riff: 

4/4                          8 times
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|-2-2-2------2-2------2-2------2-2-2----|
|-0-0-0------0-0------0-0------0-0-0----|
  x x x      x x      x x      x x x 
  S S S s  s S S s  s S S s  s S S S


Intro lead played over intro riff: 
[I don't know if this is guitar or what, but these are the pitches] 

|-22---22---22---22---|
|-18---18---18---18---|
|-'----'----'----'----|
|---------------------|
|---------------------|
|---------------------|
  F    F    F    F


Riff 1: (guitar 1, other instruments tacet)

|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|
|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|
|-2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
  x     x     x        x     x     x  

(both guitars)

|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4---|
|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4---|
|-2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2---|
        x     x     x        x     x     x


Drums and bass enter. The riff is repeated (with damn difficult timings!)


Riff 2: ("AN EVEN STROBE...")


 5/4                       2 times
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-5-4---4------5-4---4----4---4-----|
|-3-2---2------3-2---2----2---2-----|
  x x   x      x x   x    x   x
  S S s S  f   S S s S  s S s S  f

6/4
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------5----|
|---------------------------------------5----|
|-5-4---4------5-4---4----4---4-----5-5-3----|
|-3-2---2------3-2---2----2---2-----3-3------|
  x x   x      x x   x    x   x     x x 
  S S s S  f   S S s S  s S s S  f  S S E


Repeat riff 2: ("OF SYNTHETIC SOULS...")


Riff 3: ("A SIGN OF TIMES...")

 5/4                               2 times
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|-------4-(4)--------------------4-(4)--------|
|-5-4---4-(4)-4---5-4---4----4---4-(4)---4----|
|-3-2---2-(2)-2---3-2---2----2---2-(2)---2----|
  x x         x   x x   x    x           x 
  S S s S  E  E   S S s S  s S s S  E    E

6/4
|------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------5-----|
|-------4-(4)--------------------4-(4)-----------5-----|
|-5-4---4-(4)-4---5-4---4----4---4-(4)---4---5-5-3-----|
|-3-2---2-(2)-2---3-2---2----2---2-(2)---2---3-3-------|
  x x         x   x x   x    x           x   x x 
  S S s S  E  E   S S s S  s S s S  E    E   S S E


Repeat riff 3: ("A NEW WAY...")


Riff 4a: ("HERE I AM...")
 
|-------------------------|--------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------|
|-4---5---2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2---2---2---2----|
|-4---5---2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2---2---2---2----|
|-2---3---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0----|
              x       x         x       x       x
  F   F   F   F   F   F     F   F   F   F   F   F (w/lazy triplets)

Riff 4b: ("I CANNOT HATE...")

4/4
|-------------------------|--------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------|
|-5---4---2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2---2---2---2----|
|-5---4---2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2---2---2---2----|
|-3---2---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0----|
              x       x         x       x       x
  F   F   F   F   F   F     F   F   F   F   F   F (w/lazy triplets)


Play riff 4a: ("I CANNOT WAKE...")


Fill:

 3/8   4 times  2/4
|-------------|------------|
|-------------|------------|
|-------------|------------|
|-------------|------------|
|-------------|------------|
|-0-0---0-----|-0-0---0----|
  x x   x       x x   x
  S S s S e     S s s S f


Play riff 2 two times: ("NEW INTELLIGENCE...", "TURGID FLESH...")

Play riff 3 two times ("THROUGH NOT KNOWN CODES...", "IN GENOCIDE...")


Riff 5: ("EVOLUTION IN REVERSE...")

12/8
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|-3----3----------3----3-----------------|
|-1----1----5--4--1----1----5--4--2--4---|
|-----------3--2------------3--2--0--2---|
            x  x            x  x  x  x 
 dE   dE    E  E  dE   dE   E  E  E  E


 13/8                  (end riff 5) 4 times
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-3----3----------3----3--------------------|
|-1----1----5--4--1----1----5--4--2--4--5---|
|-----------3--2------------3--2--0--2--3---|
            x  x            x  x  x  x  x
 dE   dE    E  E  dE   dE   E  E  E  E  E


Riff 6: ("PROGRAMMED TO APPEASE YOU...") 16 times


|-0-0-0----0-0-0----0-0-0----0-0-0-0--|
  x x x    x x x    x x x    x x x x 
  S S S s  S S S s  S S S s  S S S S
(with sixth string only)

Intro lead is played over riff 6 after the 8th time.


Acoustic part: (guitar 2) 

 13/8
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------6--------0--------------0-----|
|-------4--------------4--------4--------|
|----4-----------2-----------2-----------|
|-2-----------0-----------0-----------3--|
  E  E  E sim.


|-------------------------------0--------|
|----------------------3-----3-----3-----|
|----------6--------0-----0--------------|
|-------4--------0-----------------------|
|----4--------1--------------------------|
|-2-----------------------------------3--|
              


Gtr 1:
 13/8
|------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|---(3 bars tacet)----------------|
|------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-4---------------(4)----------------|---------------------------------|
|-4---------------(4)----dim.--------|---------------------------------|
|-2---------------(2)----------------|---------------------------------|
                         w/vol.knob

                        (last two bars) 2 times
|---|--------------------|---------------------|
|---|--------------------|---------------------|
|---|-------4------------|-------3-----4-------|
|-5-|-4-----2----------5-|-4-----3-----4-----5-|
|-5-|-4-----2----------5-|-4-----1-----2-----5-|
|-3-|-2-----0----------3-|-2-----------------3-|
  E   H     W          E   H     H     H     E 


Solo (gtr.1) Listen to the CD to get the feel and the timing.

 13/8
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------'-----------------------------|
|---9---11-----------(11)\--------/12---11---9---8-------------'------|
|----------------------------------------------------9----7--7/9------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------'----------------------------------------------15--------------|
|------9---11---------(11)\-------11----12----14--12------17--16------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
                        
|---------'-------------h--p--------------'---'-------------'-----------|
|----14--14----14-----14-15-14-------14--14---14--15--17----15--14--'---|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------16--|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----15--'------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------17--16--'---14-----16-----(16)\---------12---14---11---------|
|----------------17---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------/14-----------------14--15--18--15--14--|
|-------------------------'------12----------------------15--17----------------------|
|---------------------9---11--11-----12--11------------------------------------------|
|-------8--9--11--12-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----9-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

End of solo:

|--21-----------------------------(21)---------dim.-------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
                                            no vol.knob

Rhythm guitar enters:
 
    4/4          (last 2 bars) 3 times
|---|----------------|-----------------|---------------|------------------|
|---|----------------|-----------------|---------------|------------------|
|---|---------4------|-(4)-------------|---------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3----|
|-5-|--4------2------|-(2)----------5--|--4-----2------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-5--|
|-5-|--4------2------|-(2)----------5--|--4-----2------|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-5--|
|-3-|--2------0------|-(0)----------3--|--2-----0------|---------------3--|
  E    H      H        ddH          E     H     H        E E E E E E E E

              (last 2 bars) 3 times
|----------------|-----------------|---------------|------------------|
|----------------|-----------------|---------------|------------------|
|---------4------|-(4)-------------|---------------|-3----------------|
|--4------2------|-(2)----------5--|--4-----2------|-3----------------|
|--4------2------|-(2)----------5--|--4-----2------|-1----------------|
|--2------0------|-(0)----------3--|--2-----0------|------------------|
   H      H        ddH          E     H     H        W


Riff 6:

 7/4                                       (4 times)
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---4------4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---4----|
|-2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---2------2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---2----|
  x x x x   x x x x   x      x x x x   x x x x   x
  S S S S   S S S S   E dF   S S S S   S S S S   E e


Repeat riff 6: ("REMOTED MINDS...")
               ("DISCORGED...")
               (2nd solo, improvising! I ain't gonna even try to transcribe it!)

Riff 7a: ("MECHANICAL THOUGHTS...")
There's a slight difference between riffs 7a and 7b. Be careful! Listen to the
drums to get the strict timing. I think this is the coolest part to play in this 
song at least if you play with a drummer.

7/4
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--2--2--2--2-------2--2--2--2---|
|--2--2--2--2-------2--2--2--2---|
|--0--0--0--0-------0--0--0--0---|
   x  x  x  x       x  x  x  x
   F  F  F  F  h    F  F  F  F
w/lazy triplets-------------|

Riff 7b: ("HUMAN PATTERNS...")

 7/4                    3 times                            
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|------|-------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|------|-------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------4---|-(4)--|-(4)---|
|--2--2--2--2-------2--2--2--2---|--2--2--2--2-------2--2--2--2---|-(2)--|-(2)---|
|--2--2--2--2-------2--2--2--2---|--2--2--2--2-------2--2--2--2---|-(2)--|-(2)---|
|--0--0--0--0-------0--0--0--0---|--0--0--0--0-------0--0--0--0---|-(0)--|-(0)---|
   x  x  x  x       x  x  x  x      x  x  x  x       x  x  x  
  dE dE dE dE  f   dE dE dE dE     dE dE dE dE  f   dE dE dE  dE      W     W


Play riff 8: (Guitar 2 plays accented (>) notes.)


|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|
|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|
|-2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
  x     x     x        x     x     x  
  >        >     >  >     >     >


|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------'----|
|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4----|
|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4----|
|-2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2----|
        x     x     x        x     x
  >  >     >     >     >  >     >     >  f
 
Play riff 1: ("SEE ME BE ME...")
  
Play riff 4a ("THE CURRENCY OF OURS NO MORE...")
     riff 4b
     riff 4a
     riff 4b

Play riff 5: ("EVOLUTION IN REVERSE...") as written before (4 times)

Then play intro riff and intro lead: ("BY THE NEW MACHINE...") 8 times.

Ending: |-------|
        |-------|
        |-'-----|
        |-2-----|
        |-2-----|
        |-0-----|
          F dh



That was it.



"Four months of hell
 Thousands of bombs fell
 Antaa tulla tänne vaan!
 SUOMI-FINLAND PERKELE!!!
 Perkele!"         
 -Impaled Nazarene: Total War - Winter War
Transcription copyrights © Pasi Piitulainen.

Questions, corrections etc. to p_piitulainen@hotmail.com

Have fun & keep fretting! Selur Hagguhsem!