Bass Tone: Iron Maiden/Steve Harris?

[silverwulf]

Ater listening a lot to the old Maiden albums over the last few days, like "Number of the Beast," "Piece of Mind," "Powerslave," etc...I've really started to take note of the bass tone on those albums. It's a very distinct tone that's different from a lot of other metal bands, and I was curious if anyone had any insight on how Martin Birch and Steve Harris acheived that tone in the studio?

Also, if anyone would have any suggestions on how to approximate that tone in a studio setting (particular EQ, sample compression settings, etc), any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ArtisanBass]

a P-bass, Rotosound flattwound strings. Steve Harris has some signature series strings. They are .110-.50 which is pretty heavy for standard tuning. He turnes his treble all the way up. I know pre-amp wise he's used everything from Trace Elliot, to Cornish, to Marshall. He uses 4X12's live. That's all I know.

 

[~BURNY~]

I think the playing is 80% of that tone. Galloping fingers...

 

[ReliXKeepeR]

I think the playing is 80% of that tone. Galloping fingers...

Agree!!!

He has unique playing style. But why do you need to sound like someone?

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

being able to create a specific tone type at will is a very useful skill for audio engineering...

 

[silverwulf]

being able to create a specific tone type at will is a very useful skill for audio engineering...

Umm...yeah...and?

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

umm... yeah... and i was reinforcing your need to find out how?

 

[silverwulf]

umm... yeah... and i was reinforcing your need to find out how?

Alrighty then...

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

 

[ArtisanBass]

that Harris clack is gotten by plucking the strings more downward than upward so they smack against the fingerboard. Kinda like slap on crack. Do go for at least a little upward motion though.

 

[ArtisanBass]

OH and one more thing. When he plays chords, he rakes the strings by making a half opened fist and striking the strings with his nails.

 

[Kazrog]

being able to create a specific tone type at will is a very useful skill for audio engineering...

Really?

 

[EtherForBreakfast]

Grr

 

[Kazrog]

number 1.. 1/8 note triplets.

This is one of my pet peeves. Those aren't triplets, or 1/8 notes. They're steady 1/16 notes with a rest instead of a note every 4th note. Hence, the jerky "gallop" feel. Actual triplets, by contrast, don't gallop in this way.

 

[silverwulf]

This is one of my pet peeves. Those aren't triplets, or 1/8 notes. They're steady 1/16 notes with a rest instead of a note every 4th note. Hence, the jerky "gallop" feel. Actual triplets, by contrast, don't gallop in this way.

Yeah...they would actually be a steady succession of 16th notes with the 3rd landing on the beat and the 4th being omitted to rest. But, for right or wrong, most people usually just call them "triplets."

 

[EtherForBreakfast]

This is one of my pet peeves. Those aren't triplets, or 1/8 notes. They're steady 1/16 notes with a rest instead of a note every 4th note. Hence, the jerky "gallop" feel. Actual triplets, by contrast, don't gallop in this way.

I said triplets because it was easier to say and quicker to type and I was quite beer'd.

The typical maiden gallop I am referring to is indeed 1/16th notes but with the "e" omitted, which would be the second note, not the fourth. you know what i meant..

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

GALLOPS! THEY'RE GALLOPS! NEXT PERSON WHO CALLS THEM TRIPLETS...



will be wrong... ?

Also, the Lamb of God kind of thing where it's the four 16ths with the last omitted is called a reverse gallop.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

Yeah, all this is fine but nobody mentionned E-C-D ?

 

[silverwulf]

Yeah, all this is fine but nobody mentionned E-C-D ?

Ah, the basis for 99.95678% of all Maiden songs... But you know, as many times as I hear it, it just never gets old to me.

 

[~BURNY~]

World Slavery Tour:
1 x 70's P-Bass
1 x 59's P-Bass
1 x 82's P-Bass
Rotosound Jazz Bass Strings Flatwood STD gauge
4 x Alectron Preamps (never heard about this brand)
3 x DBX 160 comps
6 x RSD 800 B/C amps, 2 x 400Watt EA
8 x Marshall 4 x 12 cabs with Electrovoice EVM-12L speakers