So how do YOU play Steve Harris?

[moon-bass]

No. It's all good. I'm getting too old to get the joke sometimes.

I might be getting to old to make jokes lol Either that, or I should make more drummer jokes!

 

[corvette_br]

Yes, he plays the Precision with .50 flats and sounds that bright. Quite unexpected.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Last time I played Steve Harris he was playing midfield, and I was the opposing goalkeeper. We lost 5-0.

 

[Slevage]

Because I learned 50 years ago,
I can play as fast as Steve Harris using my two fingers.
These days, I don’t need to play very fast but developing 3 finger plucking would be a good skill to work on for a player working in any style of music.
Practice slowly, then increase speed- to improve any technique.

 

[Johnny Crab]

Just practice over time. It's just about building stamina and as others have suggested, the nails help. Maybe his signature Tech 21 pedal can also help you get close to the sound.

Yes to all of the above.

 

[srosenthal13]

Steve's a dead-pull hitter. If I hang one low and inside, he's taking me downtown. Just feed him a steady diet of sliders, low and away. Get him to roll over on it. Easy ground out to short.

 

[perfektspace6]

The Trooper would be a good Maiden song to master the Harris technique. Can use two or three finger approach. Just have to build up to the speed and get the rhythm and attack right to nail that clink he has. It's not that hard.

 

[d180fuzz]

This.

I can play most Maiden songs as fast as Steve Harris, using only my index and middle fingers. That said, Steve has been my primary bass playing influence for 30-something years - so I have been doing it for a very long time. All I can say is practice will get you there.

Also this:

he does indeed seem to drum or tap his strings rather than dig in with two fingers.

I remember reading an interview with Nicko where he describes Harris' playing style as "tickling" the strings.

 

[d180fuzz]

Call me neurotic, but I need to clarify: I certainly cannot "play most Maiden songs" at all. In fact, I've never even heard most of their output after Seventh Son. I'm one of those "Dickinson's cool, but Di'Anno rules" kind-of Iron Maiden fans. My earliest days of learning bass (jr high age) were spent jamming along to cassettes of the early stuff in my buddy's bedroom. He was fortunate enough to have been gifted (by his parents) an old white P-bass that was stained yellow from cig smoke (and had the tell-tale burn mark on the headstock under the G string) and a Fender tube combo (Bassman 10 maybe?). Ah, the early 80s, and not a care in the world. We would spend hours challenging each other to see who could play the tunes better. I remember he started taking lessons at one point and he asked me what song he should ask his teacher to teach him. "Dude! Phantom of the Opera!" haha

TLDR for sure, thanks for humoring me, Talkbass.

Finally, and lest we forget:

 

[icarus88]

Salud!

Either use three fingers or hit the 8th note with the index, then the 16ths with index+middle, rinse and repeat.

Start today at ANY speed you play that perfect, practice everyday, go up 5 bpm every two days, take the bpm back when you find changing strings challenging, rinse and repeat.

Is it necessary to bend the wrist to bring the fingers to the same level? My middle finger is too long

 

[Krakmann]

Salud!

Is it necessary to bend the wrist to bring the fingers to the same level? My middle finger is too long

Same here. I do bend the wrist slightly, but it's not a conscious thing. To get an even tone when alternating i+m, your hand and head adapt, I suppose.

 

[icarus88]

Salud!



Same here. I do bend the wrist slightly, but it's not a conscious thing. To get an even tone when alternating i+m, your hand and head adapt, I suppose.

As far as I can see there is no alternating only iim

 

[icarus88]

A man named Didier Gerome published an educational publication on this subject, he said that if the middle finger is longer, you should definitely equalize it, he said twist the right hand wrist to the right

 

[icarus88]

Yes to all of the above.

I don't understand how nails don't stop him from playing

 

[Michedelic]

I don't understand how nails don't stop him from playing

Maybe he’s employing a flamenco type technique? I let my nails get a little longer on my right hand as surrogate picks.

 

[Kyle_S]

I used to do it pretty well with three, but at some point my index finger started flying up when my middle finger plucks in the middle of the 3-2-1 pattern. Or maybe I've been doing it forever and just started noticing, but either way it seems to cause a strain in my forearm that doesn't allow me to gallop for very long. I can't seem to break the habit, so I've started experimenting with just playing with two fingers. Both the 1-2-1, 2-1-2 and 1-1-2, 1-1-2. Haven't decided which feels better yet.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Three fingers. He says he uses two, I find it easier with three.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

"Today, listening to some tracks, to try to pick up some Steve Harris licks for this demo, well I am humbled by this guy's chops. He is truly the iron man of rock bass."

— Ed Friedland, reviewing the blue sparkle version of the Steve Harris Signature P. After playing the riff to The Trooper, he shrugs, rolls his eyes and says "my apologies"

 

[icarus88]

Three fingers.

I couldnt get pass 135 bpm in gallop, it's like there's something different there