Other gear

Backing tracks and click-tracks

Muse make increasing use of backing tracks when performing live. This is a recorded track that the band play along to in order to add extra layers to their music which cannot be played by only three people.

This includes, for example, the orchestral strings in "Butterflies & Hurricanes", the synthesizer arpeggio in Bliss and the "Now, I want it now" backing vocals in "Hysteria", and are played by Morgan Nicholls.

To keep in time with this track, the band have a digital metronome – synchronised to the recording – playing through their In-Ear Monitors, which the audience do not hear. A click track is also used in some songs which do not have backing tracks in order to keep in time with synchronised guitar effects like delays, for example in "Sing For Absolution".

FOH console and rack

Front of House engineer Marc Carolan uses a Midas XL4 console along with a rack filled with:

• Midas XL42 preamps for that classic Midas sound;
• Empirical Labs Distressors and BSS Audio 901 multiband compressors for vocals;
• Dbx 160s on kick and snare;
• Tube-Tech LCA-2B on bass and guitars;
• Eventide H3000 for vocal processing;
• Yamaha SPX2000s for drum effects.

Monitors

In-ear monitors

E5 In-ear monitors

Matt with Sennheiser EK300 beltpack

All three band members use 'Shure' E5 In-Ear Monitors (IEM's). They are the top of the range brand of IEM's used by many artists worldwide.

This whole purpose of IEM's is to reduce outside noise so that only a small volume of the monitor mix can be sent to each artist - thus saving the artist's ear-drums, and as each set are custom made to fit their ear perfectly, over 20dB of isolation is given.

Bellamy uses standard E5's, while Wolsteholme and Howard use E5's with custom made ear pieces.

All three band members use Sennheiser G2 300 systems.

Monitor console and rack

• Digidesign D-Show console
• DBX160a used on the male vocals

PA System

The PA system used for The Resistance Tour consists of d&b audiotechnik J-Series for the main hangs and Q-Series for the front fills.

Plectrum

Main article: Plectrums

Maraca

Two maracas were used by Christopher Wolstenholme for the verse of "Endlessly" during the Absolution Tour.

Cabasa

Morgan Nicholls uses a cabasa during Supermassive Black Hole, live. It was previously referred to as a "shaker" by fans, but when asked at the Royal Albert Hall gig on 12th April, 2008 he revealed that it was a cabasa. This has become a point of humour amoung Official Message Board members.

Llama toenails

Used on "Screenager" and a song on The Resistance, on which Matt described them as being "back with a vengeance".

References

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