Steve Harris

[Tommythecat99]

I've been playing a lot of different styles on bass lately and i was wondering if there was any special technique Steve Harris from Iron Maiden has for playin so damn fast and the galloping rythm and junk its just hard to get down

 

[MammaryVest]

No special technique from him, he just busts it out. As far as the galloping goes, I've always done it ring, middle, index, which I find to be easier than index, middle, ring, but I don't know which way he does it. Best advice is to play his lines slow, then speed them up.

 

[clayton]

I think he only uses two fingers, the middle and the ring finger. He doesn't use the index.

 

[richard simmons]

Yes, he only uses two fingers. Just practice it as often as you can and you will get it. It takes a while to learn the skill, but just keep practicing. Its all about finger strength and endurance.

 

[joeyl]

make sure you use some heavy flatwounds like he does, so that you can pluck really fast without the strings bouncing around, and kill your rhythm

 

[Tommythecat99]

aight thanks for thee advice yeah i have flatwounds theyre fun as hell and never break so ill get workin on my iron maiden skillz

 

[these_go211]

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. and wear spandex and sleeveless iron maiden shirts.

 

[Tommythecat99]

haha exactly that sounds like a funass time right there

 

[scourge]

You gotta get a monitor to put your foot on as well.

 

[bhawk1]

Oct. '06 Bass Player has him as their cover story, really good article. What others have said in the thread is dead-on, he uses two fingers for everything including the Trooper gallop, and flats on his oft-painted P-Bass. The other thing you're likely to hear in his playing is his use of chords, which he plays by fanning his right-hand out and striking the strings with the fingernail side of his plucking hand.

There are lots of recordings of his where you'd swear he was picking the line, but it's just him keeping his nails a bit long.

 

[bhawk1]

I think he only uses two fingers, the middle and the ring finger. He doesn't use the index.

Er, not according to his interview. Index, middle. You can see him plucking with his index in the accompanying photos too.

 

[VanillaO]

The fact that he uses two for everything just.... wow.

 

[Tommythecat99]

Oct. '06 Bass Player has him as their cover story, really good article. What others have said in the thread is dead-on, he uses two fingers for everything including the Trooper gallop, and flats on his oft-painted P-Bass. The other thing you're likely to hear in his playing is his use of chords, which he plays by fanning his right-hand out and striking the strings with the fingernail side of his plucking hand.

There are lots of recordings of his where you'd swear he was picking the line, but it's just him keeping his nails a bit long.

yeah the trooper is actually very fun and not too difficult for me but yeah his basslines are pretty awesome i must say...Run to the hills is one i have trouble with once again because of the galloping rythm he has so i just need to practice that a lot

 

[clayton]

Oct. '06 Bass Player has him as their cover story, really good article. What others have said in the thread is dead-on, he uses two fingers for everything including the Trooper gallop, and flats on his oft-painted P-Bass. The other thing you're likely to hear in his playing is his use of chords, which he plays by fanning his right-hand out and striking the strings with the fingernail side of his plucking hand.

There are lots of recordings of his where you'd swear he was picking the line, but it's just him keeping his nails a bit long.

I don't know how anybody can play with long fingernials. I remember on one rehaersal I played with my fingernails and after the first song I had the most terrible pain in the upper part of my nails....I thought they were gonna fall off!!

 

[SteveC]

2 well executed and practiced fingers will always be faster andd sound better than 3.

 

[Otso]

According to an article from Bass Player my bassteacher showed me, Harris plays the gallop as follows: the staccato 1/8 note is index, the first of the two 1/16's is index and the second is middle. My teacher told me to stop the string vibration on the staccato 1/8 by lifting the fretting finger a bit, instead of using my right hand for that.
So it is: index - index - middle

 

[Thunder_Fingers]

2 fingers(index and middle) a light "hard attack"

I love playing Maiden songs and harris basslines, i play through about all of "live after death" once in a week just to keep my fingers up to speed, and it also helps stamina..

great songs, great player, great band, seeing them in 5 days

 

[aceshigh92]

its a good thing to just learn by ear and play your ass off.
when i started playing bass 4/5 years ago all i listened too was maiden if you just play, you will find that he is good but you can be better or just as good as his speed not warmed up.