Galloping

[fetfet]

I just got into Maiden, and am having a hard time galloping, even to slower songs, like Powerslave, and the intro to Wrathchild. I refuse 3-finger technique, it feels weird to me, and after a while of galloping with 2 fingers my joints feel sore and i cant go for much longer. Should i practice more, or just give up and switch to 3 finger? Or is there some way to increase the speed of my galloping?

Thank you for your potential responses

[Amitio]

I say practice, after all, doesnt steve use two fingers?

[Audiophage]

You don't need to use 3 fingers, just slow the rhythm down and count your 16th notes.

[mvw356]

this is extremely boring,but you are going to have to practice at a slow speed on one string, then alternate strings and then speed up. some things can only be learnt the hard way.......

[Widdershins]

Are you making each note with a downward pluck?
I tried that and failed miserably. I could have "worked at it" until I did irreparable damage to my hand/wrist.
So I got to thinking, if he's been doing it this way for umpteen years, wouldn't his hand have fallen off by now? This can't be right.

hmmm...


So I watched some videos of him playing and: Ah HA!

You can produce that last note with the upstroke with your finger(s).
For me it's the index.

After ironing out (pun not intended) the rhythm for less than 15 min I was able to play "The Gallop" WAY faster than I have ever heard him on any recording, or have the endurance to do it for hours at a normal speed.

Of course, if you have already figured this out - then by all means, keep at it... success is just around the corner.

For the rest of you lurkers (i.e: the 60 million guys struggling to do this on YouTube), don't hurt yourself.

[FingeringAm]

look into Muse - the bassist likes to gallop and it may be easier to learn as there music is slower

[TAOspeedwagon]

knight of cydonia by muse is a good song to practice galloping

[Widdershins]

Originally Posted by TAOspeedwagon

knight of cydonia by muse is a good song to practice galloping

Like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV1bRfLHA3A
He's using a pick... or at least his fingernail like a pick.

Nice song though... I've never heard of Muse until now.
Don't get to hear much 'new stuff' under this rock.

[hartke20g]

Originally Posted by Widdershins

Like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV1bRfLHA3A
He's using a pick... or at least his fingernail like a pick.

Nice song though... I've never heard of Muse until now.
Don't get to hear much 'new stuff' under this rock.

regardless of whether or not Wolstenholme uses a pick, it is a pretty good song to practice galloping. it's got a slower tempo (i think) than most Maiden and relatively simple. i used to play it a lot when i was learning to gallop. i don't like to play triplets with a pick anymore as i just find it tiring to move my entire wrist that fast.

[Hiromakuta]

Are you always alternating your fingers when you gallop?
I used play gallops by doing IMI IMI all the time. I already could play Iron Maiden songs through this pattern but then I thought about using IMI MIM. Voila, now I´m much faster and I don´t get nearly as tired doing gallops.

[Pete C]

I always used three finger for Steve Harris lines. It makes the triplets a lot easier.

I'd say the best thing for you to do would be practicing eighth-sixteenth note triplets with a metronome at a really slow speed, then speed up.

[ga_edwards]

I use 2 fingers for galloping too. I'm actually using 3 fingers in a lot of my playing nowadays, part of the Billy Sheehan influence.

I find that my stamina has increased by a huge margin, as my finger don't get as sore or ache playing long sets and fast passages.

Refusing to learn a technique that may help you progress because it feels weird sounds a bit odd to me. If that is the case then learning bass in the first place should have stopped you in your tracks, it's hardly a natural thing for the body to do.

Any valid technique is worth persevering with till you find what works best for you.

[Jensby design]

Learn to use as many of your fingers as you can,that will give you more options.

[wizay]

I wanted to play galloping with two fingers myself, I just played alot of Middle-index-middle-index as fast as i could, so you get the quickness. Helped me alot ^^

[rarisgod]

I prefer to use the index-middle-index method, but in times of desperation, I let my middle finger hit the string on it's way back out, so it's index-middle-other side of middle. It's kind've like picking up and down when playing with a pick.
Not sure on the best way to explain this... :S

[WhiteKnuckles]

Pet peeve time!



Galloping and Triplets are not the same thing!

...that is all.

[Lefty Geek]

Originally Posted by Amitio

I say practice, after all, doesnt steve use two fingers?

Doesn't Steve use all his fingers? Seriously, check out some live videos.

[John Wentzien]

Originally Posted by Lefty Geek

Doesn't Steve use all his fingers? Seriously, check out some live videos.

Watch this interview-
Steve plays with 2 fingers-He says so himself in the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajD1d...eature=related

[Infernal Affair]

Originally Posted by Lefty Geek

Doesn't Steve use all his fingers? Seriously, check out some live videos.

It just looks like he's using all his fingers since the rest of his fingers go all over the place. He uses two as shown in that interview.

[megadethjohn]

I usually play with 3 fingers for everything, from straight 8ths/16ths, triplets, ect... but when galloping I can never get the precision I want unless I only use 2 fingers. I've tried evening out the gallop with 3 fingers but I can never get it right.