The math behind: Dancers to a Discordant System by Meshuggah

[@craigfrober316]

"How would you describe Meshuggah's music?" "Humbling."

[@HerbalistGuybrush]

Buncha numbers but good

[@SpiritofPoison]

@@HerbalistGuybrush it’s only numbers when people make it numbers

[@thenuttednutter2669]

Trying bleed thinking its nothing:

[@nomusician4737]

I've got a drummer friend who said something like: 'Tomas Haake has built a career trying to figure out how complicated ha can make a simple 4/4.' Sounds about right.

[@ric3160]

s

[@ric3160]

a

[@ric3160]

a

[@ric3160]

a

[@ric3160]

a

[@M2Mil7er]

I'm one of the sadists who voted for this. Sorry man. But what an incredible breakdown. You should be proud.

[@thelastdaybreathinginetern1385]

Meshuggah!!!!

[@davecrupel2817]

You absolute *madman!*

[@n.penston8341]

I had a music professor that made us dance our parts without our instruments until we had internalized the rhythms. He was a very serious guy, and no one was brave enough to be "too embarrassed to dance". Very important lesson for me.

[@tesselllation]

Amazing

[@BFG-hv2ml]

Were you rushing, or were you dragging?

[@crimm2465]

That always seemed weird to me, does anybody want to listen to music whom's primary concern is technicality, instead of creativity and the unquantifiable emotional aspect of music? Sounds completely soulless.

[@matsmcmats]

​@@crimm2465meshuggah is extremely captivating and emotional! Go to a concert and you get it after a minute. Just watch the audience.

[@bassplayerbyrne]

@@crimm2465i mean technicality gets you closer to the unquantifiable in some ways

[@deathmetalanddoom]

Yogev you are an absolute legend - I've never seen anyone make something so dense/complex as Meshuggah so easy to follow along with and understand.

[@Zeta9966]

It’s basically like a preschool class for those of us beneath Meshuggahs level.

[@YogevGabay]

Thanks a lot bro, I'm super happy you like these!

[@donovandorrance]

yeah seriously. thank you so much Yogev. Has the band seen your videos? i'm sure they would appreciate it. and perhaps they could help you to have more followers/more patreon supporters by sharing... honestly, i'm gonna go sign up right now cause you deserve the $$!!!

[@YogevGabay]

@@donovandorrance Thanks! And I'm trying to get them to see these, no success yet. Any ideas about how to do so?

[@donovandorrance]

@@YogevGabay reddit magic never ceases to amaze me. i bet in the /r/meshuggah subreddit or one of the many metal subgenre subreddits there are folks who know the band and if one of your videos were posted there and made popular enough, might reach their eyes. that's my only idea!

[@Onamorata]

I really love how meshuggah says everything in 4:4. It’s like, yeah... but what about all that other shit where you play a phrase 7 full times with 21 beats and then add 5 beats on the 8th lmao.

[@choronzon69]

Haha yes, this, yeah the time signature is 4/4, but they're dividing crazy groups of odd numbers over that and chucking remainders at you so all the multiples line up... 🤣 It's very complex but to them it's natural.

[@shadow105720]

The remainders are literally to get the phrases back into a division of 4/4 lmao. The most complex part 'for simplicity'

[@Onamorata]

@@shadow105720 right, to them it’s 4/4 but to everybody else that shit is ridiculous 🤣

[@axhed]

i mean, the cherry hill guitar tab book at guitar center says it's all 4/4. like come on folks... it's not that hard...

[@ilay829]

Sum?

[@cmloegcmluin]

I have spent about an hour listening to you count Riff #2 at 0.25x playback speed lol. I am realizing that while I've headbanged to this riff about 100 times before, I never fully understood it. Amazing. Thank you.

[@cmloegcmluin]

Also I then just headbanged to it 50 more times in a row until I could really feel every nook and cranny of it. And my enjoyment increased, as it always does whenever I really get my head around a Meshuggah riff! YAAAA!!!

[@YogevGabay]

That is awesome!

[@djc741]

Riff 7 is one of my favorite Meshuggah riffs. Thank you for dissecting it so well.

[@nasyithrahman9594]

Love that hidden 0 in the calculator

[@NoEasyFeet]

how wild would it be to see Yogev get into ALL of Catch33 or I

[@voidabstraction]

Catch 33 except for 1 section is pretty basic. It's one of my favourite albums for sure, and would love to see an entire live set of it. But it's realitively simple (again except for that 1 section haha).

[@educostanzo]

It would be amazing to see "I" dissected like this, but I'm afraid we would lose him.

[@Koropokel]

@@voidabstraction the complexity comes to you when you see it as one giant symphony

[@guitaristssuck8979]

He's got all the month of May

[@Dslayer066]

to do "I" he has to do a Lord of the rings trilogy or some shit like that!

[@MittensOnly]

I cannot imagine the amount of work and effort that went into analyzing and recording/editing this video Amazing work Now do Stengah

[@YogevGabay]

Thanks a ton!

[@Enthalpiste]

Ah yes. Riff number 5. The one I called "Where the fuck is the snare?". Because I always mess it up and end up like "1, 2, *bang* , 4, 1, 2, *bang* , 4, ...,1 2 *wtf? no snare?* , 4 *bang* ..." and my counting is fucked.

[@ivenssiqueira]

I always thought Haake was like Imma gonna hit it whenever the fuck I feel like

[@meters_and_madness]

The snare sounds really confusing under what they're playing in that part, but it's just a half time 4/4 snare on the 2 and 4. The snare never changes from the part leading into it, but the whole band starts playing a 14/16th override on top counted: 1234 1234 123 123 1.. I've been drumming for 20+ years and I still struggle to keep track of both rhythms at the same time :')

[@gaseredtune5284]

this is awesome. Do the entire album of Catch 33 now

[@marciosantana5365]

lmao you're gonna kill the man 😂

[@fonesrphunny7242]

Disenchantment alone could kill a lesser man.

[@marciosantana5365]

@@fonesrphunny7242 ok I guess

[@coloripple]

Haha the length of that breakdown would be a full movie xD (but yeah that would be insane!)

[@999Tyrael]

Or "I"

[@kyatzz]

Meshuggah always has that fantastic combination of being almost alienatingly jarring and exceptionally groovy and it just draws you in to listen again and again to actually get a grasp of what you're hearing.

[@thenuttednutter2669]

Its like freakn metal Jazz lmao. Just got the immutable album on vinyl. Made my whole day.

[@redwildrider]

On riff 7, add up all the bends... 40 beats each half for a total of 80. Add in the 112 beats from the 12s and 16s, and that gives us 192... which is 16 times 12, so still locked into the 4/4.

[@scosstard3542]

"Yogev the Dissector" should be your nickname ;) Amazing man!

[@YogevGabay]

That's my WWF name

[@cmcp975]

@@YogevGabay 😆

[@blaeser13]

I didn't vote for this song, but I watched the whole thing anyway cuz I'm addicted to Meshuggah, polyrhythms, and Yogev's content

[@metalheads-golf]

Yeps and there is no helping it. 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻

[@amidstdisgust]

Listening to Strong Bad talk about metal is one of my favorite things.

[@OnlyWayToPlay]

OMG I’m so glad you said that cuz I thought I was the only one LOL he’s amazing regardless. I’m addicted to Meshuggah now 😂😂😂

[@misterlizard]

lol show me your skills of an artist

[@amidstdisgust]

For real, these videos are great!

[@MegaCurtisimo]

When is the musical breakdown of Limozeen and/or Tarantula?

[@benjamincoggins6568]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGiVf36Irr1khKM

[@maximilian_ggdas]

Literally commenting for engagement because you need to have more views. Next level man. Awesome!

[@bendorshai123]

riff number 7 required much more exploration, this is the precious momnet of this song to me

[@superking208]

Dude, you have rapidly become my favorite music KZbinr. So incredibly stoked for Mayshuggah!

[@metalheads-golf]

🤘🏻😎🤘🏻

[@thomasw178]

Wonderfully put together video. I get to see them tonight in Seattle and I couldn't be more excited.

[@qasderfful]

STOP INTERRUPTING MY HEADBANGING DAMNIT!

[@niklasp93]

This channel is pure gold!

[@jmricks]

Riff #8 is my favorite part of the song from a drumming perspective. I wish you would have explained that section from the drum pattern point of view. It's sort of similar to a triplet grid exercise where you displace the accent one triplet eighth note forward every measure. In this case, it's the patten that's displaced forward every measure, all while keeping the right hand hitting constant quarter notes. It's such a fun and groovy section of the song.

[@meters_and_madness]

It's my favorite part too, really hits on the The Ophidian Trek live version. It's pretty simple from a drumming perspective. The snare follows a 1 - 2 - 1 - 3 pattern where each snare hit is preceded by two kicks and each grouping is ended with a single kick: kkSk kkSkkSk kkSk kkSkkSkkSk. As a drummer, I really only focus on the 1 - 2 - 1 - 3 snare count while the feet fill in the blanks. It sounds amazing because it takes 16 repetitions before it resolves back with the 1, so its constantly tugging you in different directions relative to the 4/4 pulse.

[@jheremiahsimon3298]

I wonder if we spammed meshuggah enough would they do a reaction video to one of these breakdowns?

[@YogevGabay]

PLEASEEEE

[@kwilcox417]

Riff #8 is my favorite and I love trying to tap my fingers to it. Yogev, you're amazing. This song is way more complicated than I ever knew.

[@ivenssiqueira]

Either hands or feet, it's just too polyrythmic for me

[@enriquegrajeda7872]

Riff #8 is just perfect. Im in a loop with it… i just repeat and repeat and repeat…

[@horseradish4046]

Very excited for next episode. Any of the three songs would be amazing to see broken down like this. I think Electric Red would be the most interesting EDIT: the madlad did it!

[@concrete_dog]

For that section at 14:38, I always count it in the form of "1 - 2 - 1 - 3". Not to count the beats, but to count (or group) the accents of the snare drum.

[@ginger_cryptid]

I am not a drummer nor am I any good at maths, but this series is incredible and gives me hope that, one day, I might possibly be able to play Meshuggah songs. Gods bless you, Yogev.

[@JahlisMan]

honestly, the way you present all these numbers, I'd be happy to watch even a half-hour vid, or even longer! would my brain give up near the end and not digest the information? probably. would I still be entertained though? hell yeah

[@TheSadSadBanana]

Absolutely stellar work, I just repaired my 8 string after leaving it in a dark sad corner for the better part of year, finally decided to fix the wiring and not I'm bashing through all the Meshuggah songs I can. This video is so incredibly helpful and well done, thanks a lot Yogev and keep doing you thing!

[@YogevGabay]

Glad it helped!

[@rnhtube]

I love seeing how you (a drummer) break things down differently than I think of them. It has helped me learn more about music and musical minds a lot more.

[@taranloses]

Man this video was intense, I could feel my brain working. And those are some excellent choices for next month, can’t wait for that.

[@johannschiel6734]

To quote Thomas Kaake himself: "No one knows how "I" goes"...

[@randyscreations835]

Anyone else have a headache after watching this? Lol My gawd, the patience and tenacity needed to follow this through, bravo sir

[@23ograin53]

11:32 Very important to understand this comment. These mathematical breakdowns of the songs are useful for figuring out the patterns being played over 4/4, BUT it's crucial to hear the song in 4/4 NOT the patterns! Otherwise you will be forever lost, completely missing the actual 4/4 groove.

[@benjamincoggins6568]

So true. It’s very much a 4/4 pulse throughout which gives it its groove.

[@Chris_Ha_Trio]

The Magic starts when you are able to hear both, the groove AND the patterns and can enjoy them simultaneously.

[@benjamincoggins6568]

@@Chris_Ha_Trio Yep. It’s that ‘contradiction’ that makes it work so well. It’s like moving your brain and your body in polar directions. Always anchored so it holds firm, but also always shifting so it stays cerebral. It’s the thinking person’s metal.

[@mattshu]

Drumming aside this is one of the most creative video styles I’ve ever seen on KZbin ❤

[@YogevGabay]

Happy you think so !

[@hendrikwasgehtsiedasan7103]

Dude i dont comment that much on videos but i have to on this one. this was AMAZING! i was hyped for this video since the poll from the do not look down video (which was awesome too!) because dancers has to be one of my favorite Meshuggah songs The editing was on point and im sure it must have taken ages to deconstruct this song, make a script etc. Thanks for the Amazing content Yogev keep it up! now im off to listen to obzen for the rest of the day :D and since i cant find the poll right now ill just comment that i'd vote for electric red but the other songs would be great too :D

[@YogevGabay]

Yo here it is! kzbin.infoUgzmAeZATHreUyttQd14AaABCQ

[@hendrikwasgehtsiedasan7103]

@@YogevGabay Thanks! :D

[@skullkrusher4418]

This breakdown was as good as most Djent breakdowns!

[@rodolfotrevisan6690]

Thank you man! I'm really excited to whatch this!

[@michaelhackman3195]

YOU'RE a dedicated person and should be proud

[@YogevGabay]

muhahahahahhI see what you did there

[@calebgivens2549]

I spend a lot of time thinking about... time in heavy metal, like Meshuggah and DT. A LOT of time. I cannot begin to express how happy I am to have found your channel!

[@YogevGabay]

I appreciate it brother !

[@marcusknutsson2714]

Great job dude!!!

[@joudi6958]

1- Clicking on the video 2- Pausing 3- Liking 4- Commenting 5- LET'S GOOOOOO

[@speakwithanimals]

feeding the algorithm because your breakdowns are almost as good as Meshuggah's ;D

[@HannibalBarga]

I have been air playing and instrument playing this song for the Last 4years every Day to relax and it's only now that i feel i grasp it à bit better Dude you are a legend. And the life version is better then album btw. Side note. The Light Guy on this song also goes nuts... On the the live version. I hope to see them once before they/i die. 🤞🤘

[@michabula5763]

8:57 I'm glad I didn't take a sip of coffee when you said that LOL

[@calebhartsell9667]

You're an absolute legend for doing the entire song!

[@alexandrosvavatzanidis4850]

Now I can break my neck amplified by math equations. Much love to you Yogev!

[@morganneher8643]

Your approach and the creativity and fun you have makes your material all the better. I always wanted someone to break apart the Meshuggah catalogue’s theory and you do it super fun and super clear. You are super charming too! YOU ARE AWESOME, thank you!

[@YogevGabay]

Wow, thank you!

[@franlovelsimic8421]

Another insanely good breakdown, you're setting a new standard my man!

[@fr33433]

OMFG this song... came from another dimension Thanks for this math class

[@mistamop]

Every time I watch one of these videos it’s just another reminder that this is my favorite band for a reason. The effort you put into these is incredible and unfathomable! Seriously grateful for creators like you!

[@munckbeats]

I have always had trouble understanding the placement of the snare hits when listening to the riff 5 section, but this video made a lot more sense of it. thanks man!!

[@Alchemic49ers]

Summarising Meshuggah to a new fan, Math metal for the decisively indecisive.

[@ronshbl]

I WAS JUST THINKING IF YOU DID A VIDEO ABOUT THIS ONE happy independence day btw

[@j3z0m374l]

Thank you so much for the effort you are making, what you are doing is incredible and I can only imagine how much time and energy it takes to make a video like this! You're a legend!

[@gabrielalvarado5347]

I absolutely love this channel omg

[@Goodstuff12345666789]

Riff 5 always messes up my feel. As much as I can headband to the whole song in a steady way, the crash cymbals that are played on accents are so counterintuitive, even thought the snare plays on 3 in every measure. Amazing breakdown, man! I love it. Now I only quietly wish that you would break down the outro of Lethargica🖤

[@tatoarg9508]

In my life I played Stockhausen. Trying to grasp this reminded me of that.

[@Skavengerx]

I love how the disappearing stuff in the background is becoming an evolving meme. But you know at some point it will get out of control ^^

[@crispinmcfiddlesticks5125]

random keyboard or screen being yanked out of frame lol.

[@alexlevesque9687]

You break these awesome songs down in such an easy-to-follow way that's also entertaining! We've always needed a channel like this!

[@Reads_]

Aahhh I’m so happy, I’ve wanted this video for months! Thank you!

[@BuddhaDog93]

Riff #7 & Riff #9 are ironically my favorite. The groove displayed with those 2 riffs is what draws me to metal and music in general. First time seeing your channel, and since I have zero knowledge of music theory as a guitarist, I greatly appreciate and respect this breakdown. DTADS is one of my fav meshuggah songs and love to listen to the instrumental version, but never got a chance to learn these Riff as it can be difficult to follow wtf is going on sometimes with Meshuggah. "No one knows how I Goes" < quote from Tomas Haake regarding their song/ep "I" Thanks again for this video Yogev!

[@juliennolissep5459]

Man, that is incredible work. Thanks !

[@coloripple]

This has to be your best video to date! That Meshuggah-calculator is amazing! It also helps that Mesuggah is one of my fave bands ever xD super hyped for Mayshuggah!

[@robertovudoyra9856]

This video is pure gold! Thank you!

[@JTNat]

These videos are insanely detailed. Blows me away every time.

[@andreasurbanik9565]

Good Content, very well done! Thanks for bringing light to this monster of a song.

[@facepalmjesus1608]

riff 7 is one of the most mind blowing polymeters ever....and of course....SOUL BURN!!!!! my top 3 Meshuggah songs

[@chasedavisson56]

Riff #5 completely fucks up my headbanging (which is usually to the snare on 3) but I can still feel the groove perfectly if that makes sense. Insane.

[@dimalisovyk5277]

Very cool breakdown. Great visual representation. Nice!

[@supermot34]

I Am Colossus is another song where Meshuggah do a triplet type sub division

[@carbon239]

Yes man, the math behind metal songs is such a good idea; I'd definatly watch more often. This is more tailored towards musicians but I absoloutely love the concept, although you know it isn't going to go mainstream 100% because of the lack of people who know proper music theory, you still go hard on the math; extra props man, appreciate this content.

[@YogevGabay]

Thanks man ! And yeah, I know I have a pretty niche audience, but the people who DO watch these videos, seem to really appreciate it :)

[@tonymark2709]

This is amazing. The amount of times I've listened to this and tried to count out sections (and only got confused) and here you've gone so much further to map it all out so well. Kudos sir, you are awesome

[@YogevGabay]

Glad it helped!

[@josephabdalla84]

No but seriously, can you all imagine people actually dancing to Meshuggah or djent in general? Like a distorted pop-and-lock break dancing style. Moving with the strange beats, lagging body movements to the extended timing. It should be Djancing. Someone do it.

[@H_azzard]

Was just looking through your channel thinking 'ahh it's been a month since the do not look down video, should mean the next one is soon' and then I saw it uploaded 32 seconds later lmao. Great vid

[@KidneyFailureGaming]

Riffs #7, 8 and 9 are my favorite parts of this masterpiece song and I love how you ended the video with it. Its so powerful.

[@david57boring]

Friend I have NO idea how I ended up on this video but GOOD GOD, this is amazing!! Can't wait to see what else you've got!!

[@OrianIglesias]

Amazing as usual! Thank you for doing these!

[@fekiee]

My fav Meshuggah song, a well deserved “Like” and a new subscriber 🤟🏼 Can’t wait to see what’s next 😁

[@yfz450rider39]

Instant follow after this. This is the most I've ever been able to understanding timing in a Meshuggah song.

[@frankofranko8506]

I loved the video! You obviously put a lot of hard work into every video and it shows. Big fan of the channel and have been waiting for this one for a while. You did not disappoint ❤️

[@gunnardenton5972]

This is such an immensely helpful resource. Seeing how one might approach stacking all these components is working wonders for my creativity

[@johannesburstrom7314]

These videos are always super amazing! I would like to have a visual representation of the time signature over the guitar riff. Like in som of your other videos. Love all you do!

[@rxforlife05]

Your visual representation of everything is impressive!

[@liamst.hilaire7359]

Dude, I'm only 3 minutes in, and I'm already super impressed with the presentation! This channel is a gem :)

[@dissonantprotean5495]

Yogev, you're such a beast for making these Obzen breakdowns 13 years after it's release ... Finally getting the proper attention here

[@YogevGabay]

Man this album is worth it !

[@the1khronohs40]

Oh no, I’m still here, at the end, because I’m a shuggah-nerd. Have been so since the 90’s. I’m absolutely fascinated by the way people make their songs so complicated! I don’t know why or how, but I just feel their music/riffs/rythms… It’s actually more interesting to me to analyze the different ways people think about and count their music, so that I can get a clue as to what I am feeling, or rather how I am feeling it. 🤘

[@melanphilia]

I don't even know what am looking at but loving every bit of it 😀😊 Album is solid as heck❣️

[@VictorPageMusic]

Amazing video as ALWAYS. Looking at the melodic structures of the riffs and the finger-patterns they come from on the neck also give great clues to understand the logic behind those crazy numbers !

[@TheProgSchool]

Awesome analysis as always!!

[@timmyb8694]

Favorite Meshuggah song... So amazingly perfect...

[@alexisaasteel]

Bravo, bravo, bravo! That is really excellent work, thank you so much.

[@SylarTheBest]

You deserve so much praise and love bro, your content and dedication is amazing 🔥

[@dougbuck123]

I watched every second of this video like ten times. And i can honestly say I have no f...ing idea what you're talking about for most of it. But the one thing I do understand is how much time and energy you must have taken to do this. And you couldn't have picked a better band and better song. TY

[@YogevGabay]

We'll, you tried and that's what matters hahahah thanks a lot! Happy you like the stuff!

[@Gatapotata]

@@YogevGabay your lack of uploads had me worried. Seeing your comment was relieving...

[@YogevGabay]

@@Gatapotata Thanks man' it's been intense, but I'm coming back with more stuff very very soon! Like tonight soon hahahah

[@freelookmode9837]

Great video. Stayed to the end. Meshuggah is life.

[@308atalay]

your videography is improving so reliably and consistently that you have become one of the most enjoyable music channels on youtube fast. congrats and love your playing and taste!

[@YogevGabay]

Man thank you so much ! I put a lot of hours into this so it better improve hahahaha

[@jvolz283]

I love all the content! Keep it coming; I’ll be watching!

[@kttyfl1p]

god i love these videos, you're so good at teaching these complex concepts in such intuitive ways i could never think of. you'd make a really good teacher!