Does anyone know exactly how he picks? i would love to play with his speed and my techniques never feel comfortable. I know it will take years of practice, but anything that can help me gain good speed in the meantime, im trying to master maiden. Its tough without a pick
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Steve harris fingerstyle help?
- Thread starter Ironderby
- Start date
Yeah i get what you mean, he's just sooo good. :') i can only dream, and practice for the next 30 years.
I am a massive Harris fan although my technique is very different.
He plays with standard 2 fingers(actually he plays a lot of stuff with just 1 finger - sorta like the Metallica downpicking - check out the solo bass part in the centre of Phantom of the Opera). He does pluck very lightly with an incredibly low action(you can hear the ping of the fretboard on each note - even the open ones). This is how he gets his speed.
Interestingly he also never anchors his picking hand either on string or tops of pickups. This I think allows easy skipping of strings.
He plays with standard 2 fingers(actually he plays a lot of stuff with just 1 finger - sorta like the Metallica downpicking - check out the solo bass part in the centre of Phantom of the Opera). He does pluck very lightly with an incredibly low action(you can hear the ping of the fretboard on each note - even the open ones). This is how he gets his speed.
Interestingly he also never anchors his picking hand either on string or tops of pickups. This I think allows easy skipping of strings.
Maybe so, but it's still a good way to work out what works for you as you're learning to find your own style and voice.
I'm not suggesting anyone should strive to emulate, but there's nothing wrong with taking a little bit from different player's approaches to playing bass. I personally have a bit of John Deacon, Jack Bruce, Stu Hamm and Billy Sheehan in my arsenal. Actually, taking some bits of Billy onboard unlocked a lot of things that I had been struggling with - specifically tone and 3 finger plucking.
I don't really have any advice other than just to practice and totally OT here, but I've had the 2 finger gallop down for awhile now, to where now its pretty easy, but as of a few months ago I started practicing a 3 finger technique just for the sake of speed, and I'm really enjoying it and try to play everything 3 fingers now. But when I go back to play my old Maiden faves and use the 3 finger technique, I just feel like a dirty rotten cheater playing Steves lines with 3 fingers, eventually switching back to 2 because of that reason alone, it just makes it too easy...
Has anyone else ever had this happen, or am I alone in my 3 finger shame?
Has anyone else ever had this happen, or am I alone in my 3 finger shame?
I'm a huge fan of Steve Harris sound, and like someone already said, you need your string action very close to the neck. As for the right hand technique is difficult to explain but I saw a very good video by Bryan Beller explaining this, here is the link Bass Lessons from premiere instructors throughout the bass community - BassPlayer.com and look for the "bryan beller strikeforce masterclass". I hope this helps. 
The key is the touch. Brush the strings lightly (Nicko has it on good authority that Steve is an excellent tickler...) and keep them moving. By not digging into the strings too much, you can keep going at higher speeds. It'll take time to get up to his speeds for the full song, but you'll get there. I recommend playing The Clairvoyant for a medium-quick 'line over 4ish minutes, and Children of the Damned for ludicrous speed over the last 2 or so minutes.
And Wrathchild is a good one to get cracking on. It's not too fast but it's a classic. Maybe even Running Free.
Use 3 fingers. Particularly for the gallop-y songs like The Trooper. Helps get that triplet thing down.
One thing that helps me keep up with stuff like The Trooper is alternating my gallops. Instead of always starting off the gallop on one finger, I switch it to the next finger with each gallop. So instead of it always being 121 121 121 121 i play so its 121 212 121 212 if that makes any sense.
Learn from others and develope your own style. Simple as that. I am sure we all (most of us) have learned a lot by watching and trying to copy others. All that will mix and blend into how you develope your own technique and style.
watching live sets on you tube(brazil?),,looks like 3 fingers to me?,,you might do a search for Abe Laboreal,i'm sure i mispelled his name there but you should find him on the web by googling that,he uses 4 fingersand(sigh) when i really go off and the house is empty i'll drag as much armament as i can into the living room,jam with the Black Keys
,thumb AND 'chicken pickin' (to clarify'pickin',i'm not useing a pick i'm playing the higher registers with my 3rd and little finger and the lower registers with the other two or three as nec to hold down the groove/lead format they do;one guitar and a drummer. so then i'm using 4,it's an odd practise jam for sure but it opens up the mind and limbers up the fingers(tons of distortion) do a search on you-tube; Black Keys live heavy soul HQ,and,,dime it out!it's all good practise,i thumb play old(no i mean OLD) country or bluegrassy stuff(although havent been doin the bluegrassy stuff this summer),,2 fingers for the vast majority of rock buuut,,i try to work on dif.technics as well as learning the theory end of it,just keep it fun it'll come to you,ok back to work for me
Definitely only 2 fingers. Search Youtube for live at Abbey Road - they do some cool live versions of Hallowed Be Thy Name and Brighter Than 1000 Suns and he is definitely caught talking to one of the interviewers admitting to only 2 fingers.
Even apart friom that I've been a fan since the early 80's and studied his technique a fair bit. Only 2!
Even apart friom that I've been a fan since the early 80's and studied his technique a fair bit. Only 2!
- Aug 5, 2005
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- Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses
Insanely low action, Rotosound flats, lots of hammer-ons/pull-offs, and playing as quickly and aggressively as possible with 2 fingers will get you there.
The speed will come with practice.
The speed will come with practice.
I once had a guy tell me "I didn't know you were bangin' Steve Harris' wife?".
I assumed it was a compliment with the way I play.
I assumed it was a compliment with the way I play.
+1 That's all there is to it. I recall seeing an interview where he said that if anyone else played with his rig they would immediately blow speakers. He plays VERY LIGHTLY.
