OK this is a problem of 2 parts.
I can understand the galloping rhythm, & I can play it on a single string, with no mutes. (a la pain for pleasure's intro) the problem comes when I try to gallop powerchords, Maiden style (see the verse for the trooper or run to the hills).
when I play the rhythm using standard strumming, & then relax my fingers on the last two beats to achieve dead notes, the contrast between the held notes & the dead notes isnt nearly as great as you hear on records, and I dont know how to correct this. Im thinking it might be natural harmonics that are much louder due to the extra gain, but I cant stop it happening
even greater difficulty arises when I try palm muted galloping (a la children of bodom's cover of powerslave) The only way ive found to do the rhythm is a downstroke, followed by a fast up & downstroke. I find this actually impossible to execute while Im palm muting......
can anyone help?
- Cheers, Jack
Hi mate
i'm a big Maiden fan but I've never been able to play their songs (except for Journeyman which is mainly chords) since they're too fast and rely on power chords which are still not in my bag. Listening recently to some of their numbers, I guess that the galloping rhythm is mainly based on Ddu (eight note followed by two sixteen) for each beat played at insanely fast bpm but I'm not sure...sometimes I think it is something like dd dud dd dud
so first of all would you please give me some hints about ghow to play some of their numbers (rhytm, chord changes, whatever) ?
Thanks
Matteo
sure thing man, Ive loved maiden since I started listening to them. the galloping rhythm is an eigth & two sixteens, but I just can't make it work. :(
if youre having trouble with powerchords, dont worry. I struggled with them too at first. I learnt loads from http://www.metallica-tabs.net theres some great metal help on there.
the problem with most maiden stuff is the riffs are quite intricate, but you might want to try the slower stuff (like journeyman) for starters. Id recommend blood brothers, from the brave new world album, and children of the damned from number of the beast album. they were the first maiden songs I learnt.
There are times when you need to practice certain techniques without trying to practice songs or actually making music. How about this, finger a chord but don't push all the way down, which will create a chuck sound when picked. Which is a damping or muting technique, then with your picking hand practice lightly working on the strumming patterens until you get the desired sound. Then move the fingering hand around to different positions around the neck, all along keeping the same strummimg motion and style with hand your picking hand.
After sometime and practice it will all come together.
Joe
