The harmonized melody Literally made me a metal fan! 🤘🏼 I was strictly into hip hop and gangster rap, some dude in high school Played the trooper and i was hooked Picked up a guitar right after
this was the first song i learned at music school. my teacher was just as much into the details as you, it surprises me he was actually right with most things! i still think the main riff is probably the greatest metal riff ever written
Thanks man! My way of playing the chorus was a weird bastardization of both parts that managed to be slightly wrong for each :) I can finally get it right. Really excited for the solo videos. This was the first tune I learned all the way through.
The thing you said about this song being underappreciated is so true, and for Fear of the Dark too. It would be weird to have a Maiden concert without them, even if it's the 30th time you're hearing them. That Ibanez Destroyer is such a mouthwatering guitar. If it were mine, I'd just spend my entire life looking at it! I find Adrian's part on the main riff really bloody hard! Most of this song's rhythm is about manageable for me to play at my own low standard, but that riff is hard!
One of the most impressive things about "The Trooper," other than the song, is the production. This is, hands down, the best classic metal production I have ever heard (while Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is the best progressive Maiden album in terms of production). It seems that Martin Birch employed close mics and room mics, but how they got the tone, and how they exactly captured it (what mics, how many, where), will forever remain a mystery. In addition, Martin would have the guys double-track their guitar parts "for width," as he himself referred to the technique, but how he mixed the double-tracked guitars in the stereo field, we will probably never find out.
Good comment. I actually was recording this song lately for pleasure, and found out it's not just simple LEFT and RIGHT guitars. If I did this, it felt really empty. My best guess after hours of trials and listening to the original and comparing them was that there is either 100 left and 100 right guitar and another two in the exact center. or something like 80 left, 80 right, two in the center. The mix is not as wide as nowadays recordings, or so I think at least. But, if there are 4 tracks, or only 2 but with 4 microphones with some effects on them - I don't have any idea. BTW where did you get your info about double-track from?
@@andrew_kay Actually, Martin did on occasion pan the guitars hard left and hard right. For example, he did that on Live After Death and on Maiden England. Granted, those were live albums, but one could speculate that this is also how he went about studio projects, and then double tracked the guitars. In a 1982 (ca. The Beast on the Road tour) interview with the Rock Chronicle, when Adrian was asked, "Does the band try to play as live as possible for the tracks?," he replied, "Yeah. You put the drums in a nice live room, then you get that symphony big sound. It's hard to get a really big live guitar sound in the studio. So you have to sometimes maybe put on a 2nd one." When asked, "Did he [Martin Birch] do anything special for guitar sounds?", Adrian replied, "I think we just did the backing tracks with just 2 mics, 1 close mic and 1 far away screened off because there were 3 of us. That's the only drawback to the studio we used. It wasn't very versatile. You had 1 live room with a drum room, and 1 just studio. Yeah, but he used different effects. I don't know exactly what he used." In an interview about The Number of the Beast, which can be found here on RUclips, Martin mentions that he "tracked [the guitars] for width" as he brings up the second pair of faders. So, at least for The Number of the Beast, we know that Martin used one close mic, one room mic, and we know that he double-tracked the guitars "for width." However, we don't know anything about his mic choice, mic placement, and mixing decisions as it relates to panning, EQ, and compression. On to Piece of Mind. In Maiden's first Guitar World feature from 1983, Adrian states that "The room is the most important thing about recording. We kept the guitars separate and put the amps up in a big wooden room and just put mikes everywhere." Other than a better room, it doesn't seem that Martin used any new techniques for Piece of Mind, since Steve explained somewhere in another interview form a tab book that I have that the reason for the big improvement in the sound on Piece of Mind is that Adrian and Dave had finally figured out/optimized their rig by that point. In the Nov. '83 issue of Guitar Player, Steve mentions in the interview that his bass was recorded with "a mike in front of the cabinet and a couple of mikes for ambience." So, it seems like Martin used room miking as a crucial ingredient to his productions. In the liner notes of Live After Death, Martin talks about how the mics he uses to record in the studio are much more sensitive than the mics he uses to record a concert performance. This does not necessarily mean that he used different mics for guitars live vs. in the studio, but since he used a close and far mic in the studio, we definitely know that the far mic had to be a more sensitive mic (probably an LDC, or possibly a small diaphragm condenser, but that latter is not very likely). In that same interview, Dave mentions that they "normally double up guitar parts on the basic tracks," and Adrian further explains that "this isn't mechanical doubling, we play the parts twice. We try to set up in a nice corner of the studio where it's really live, and put mikes around." What's very hard to figure out from the recordings is, whether Adrian's guitar that we hear on Dave's side is bleed, or the double tracked take. If it's the double tracked take, then it is probably panned slightly inward, so that it sounds almost like faint bleed on the opposite channel. Speaking of which, I can't believe the guys were able to play in the same room and not get much bleed, especially with sensitive room mics, but apparently it is possible to record like that and not get a lot of bleed by using some sort of physical separation between the amps.
That's the catch with Maiden's songs, it always looks "easy" at first on tabs. Then you play it and it just doesn't sound right ... All these little details, add-ons makes such a big difference.
Would absolutely love a wasted years tutorial (for rhythm) quite a choppy and tricky rhythmic piece I find and sometimes drop out of pocket with it. As always, a great video Nicko, truly a Maiden aficionado! ❤
I actually love the third harmony line in the main riff they do live. It's my favorite part of the song now! Brings such great added motion to the riff and elevates it when it is used in only a couple of times
Excellent tutorial!!! Please make more tutorials for the songs on this album "Piece Of Mind" 🙏🙏 which in my opinion are the best songs that Iron Maiden composed in their entire career.
I love this breakdown! Thanks for sharing! When I saw a beginner I didn't know about the lower note at the end of each stroke of the intro. A loooooooot of people miss it. When my teacher taught me, I didn't want to believe it because it makes the intro that much harder to play as a beginner haha
Great video as always Nicko! Your attention to all these subtle details is what makes your channel unique. As you mentioned the added harmony by Adrian since he rejoined the band, can I suggest you an idea for future videos? It would be cool to have in depth analysis like this one about the live version of the songs, considering also their "evolution" on stage throughout Iron Maiden's live performances. For example: "Evolution of Aces High live", checking the differences between the various live version of the song (1985, 1999, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2022) and the studio version. Keep going! 👋🏻
Terrific video here again! You really surpassed yourself my friend. This was a genuine "etude" of the song's parts and how they come together. I think you really tapped into the Adrian/Dave dynamic by touching on so many idiosyncrasies that really set them apart. I wonder if they thought all those little details out ahead of time or if they're just part of how they, individually, interpreted Steve's riffs and played them. I've been playing this song since 1986 and you taught me something...again. Thanks as always!
Hey brother, that makes me really happy to read! Thank you 🤜🤛 I try to add some bits that might be cool for the more seasoned players as well and it's not easy with a song that's been so well covered for decades! I take your words as a very encouraging compliment. 😊
Great and detailed analysis as usual Nico it's great to see the little nuances of the rhythm guitars of Adrian and Dave and their harmonies. I honestly didn't know a couple of them it's never too late to learn after all these years, especially the rhythm of Adrian with the embellishment in the chorus section. Horns up, cannot wait for the solos video 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘.
Thanks for the quick gear check. I was thinking it didn't sound like your normal digital setup, unless something was wonky and you had to mic the monitor! Watching for the Adrian solo video! I've been struggling with a part of it. Thanks again Nico!!
Well done, Sir. The Trooper could be the most covered IM song, and like many songs, could be described as easy to play, if you want to sound like pub rock, but tricky to get right if you're going to for the authentic, as IM plays it version. Thanks for sharing your rig, that was an expected bonus.
Great video! I spent hours when Live after Death came out with one speaker turned off to figure out what each was doing. Definitely one of the greatest songs of all time! I love the Destroyer as well, looks to be in phenomenal condition!
Lots of details that I never noticed, I've played this song quite a few times live. I'm definitely going to incorporate some of these next time that I do, thanks Nico!
That's awesome! I find it cool when someone shows me something new about a song I know quite well overall, so I'm glad I could contribute in the same way with some of these tunes! 😊
Thanks Nico, it would be great to have more videos like this which unpick the harmonies and subtle differences in playing between Dave and Adrian to help get the true sound of the tracks. It’s sometimes difficult to unpick this, and gives you a great niche in the RUclips market. Your similar video on Infinite Dreams is the best I’ve ever seen along these lines. Thanks and keep it going!
Nicko you are my favourite foreign youtuber (as Im Portuguese). Not only because you teach me a lot about Iron Maiden, Music and Guitar Playing but overall due to your approach, humble personality and wonderful communication skills. Greetings from Lisboa, Portugal. Bless You! Wonder if you know MOONSPELL, the best known Portuguese Metal band? I recommend you "In Tremor Dei" song, by Moonspell. It depics the devastating Lisbon earthquake of 1755. Its worth watching... genuine Portuguese heavy metal.
Piece of Mind took Maiden straight to superstar status . Still my Favorite album from Maiden. When Eagles Dare with the opening drum fill was a Chef’s Kiss. The Trooper kicks Ass. Wrote the opening riff? Its Awesome
Wow!" I'm jst a casual player but the details I learn from you are so intricate. Idk how you figure this stuff out [guitar genius] but it really makes sense. Tabs..never. play by ear. Emotion over theory. You seem to have it all. ThankYou so much! I prefer the 2 over the 3 but I'm old school and just can't even hear Janick over Dave & Adrian. He is for the newer generation which is acceptable
Thank you for the very kind comment and I'm really glad you're getting so much out of these videos! I am definitely nowhere near being a guitar genius and my skills are quite limited, but I have been listening to and playing this stuff passionately for 4 decades... People take 10 years to get doctorates in the craziest scientific fields of study, playing guitar for 4 times as long is bound toget you some results, right? 😅 And I do think music theory can be very useful and it's a great way to reference what is happening musically in a given piece. Learning songs by ear is easier when you know some basic theory! Cheers! 🤜🤛
So I've been learning The Trooper in parts the past while and that adjustment in palm muting was literally my missing ingredient to controlling the tones 😅 Real talk, I actually ended up organising some guitar tutorials, such as yours and all, into a playlist for my own little note-taking and reference! Would love to see more videos like this, and on the Guitar World channel 😁 Youve got a great teaching style that resonates with different learning styles, hits a lightbulb moment! And I agree, it is an underrated gem 😅 but thanks again for another insightful lesson Nico! 🤘😁
That's so awesome to read! Thank you!! I really appreciate the kind compliments and I'm so glad to know these videos on both channels are helpful. Cheers! 🤜🤛
I actually don't mind the 3 part harmony as i feel it makes it more interesting to listen to instead of always leaning on the original recording, although i always thought Janick played it, but should've known adrian would be the one to find a way to keep it fresh. Trooper is one of those songs that comes alive when it's played on stage, and i think the best they've ever performed it on a live recording is th le Death on the Road version. Adrian has some really cool backing vocals on that one too!
Thanks for putting in the work on this one. Just brilliant! You straightened a few things out for me and this was most helpful. I was wondering if you might consider doing a lesson on how you were able to so successfully fine-tune your vibrato technique to be along the lines of Gilmour and Smith? I know you’ve said that you’ve spent a lot of time working on this and I’m curious what your approach and practice routine might’ve looked like and what you focused on the most. I don’t think I’ve missed a video lesson on this already, but if I have let me know! My best to you and Sara, and thanks again for such an entertaining and informative lesson.
I will definitely do that, maybe on my other channel since it applies to everything - not just Maiden. I had to overcome a lot of technical deficiencies because I was focused on other aspects of playing. Worked out pretty well in the end but I often feel I'm playing catch-up on some things. So yeah, I'll be happy to share my approach to course correction in the new year! Andi really appreciate you noticing that - it feels good to know the hard work was worthwhile 😊
Hahaha just keep in mind that the reason I can point out those "don't do this" bits is because I also did it that way at one time. It's the same process for all of us...which is actually kinda cool! 😃 Glad you enjoyed the video! 🤜🤛
Hey thanks so much! We're trying to make things consistently better, little by little as we keep learning. It's so great to see it doesn't go unnoticed 😊🤘
About the 2 -part vs 3-part harmony: having the original 2-part harmony with Jan doing the gallop behind would be killer - I guess it should add even some more enery to that section!
@@LicksOfTheBeast wow, nice catch, thanks for pointing it out! - i was thinking something exactly like that. Maiden is now in my DNA at this point in my life i believe. Up the Irons!
Love the breakdown! The trooper, children of the dammed, revelations and phantom of the opera some of the all time best maiden songs! Of all your maiden replica guitars which is your favourite? Up the Irons!
The Jackson Adrian Smith is probably the best overall guitar I own. I absolutely love the Destroyer I'm playing in this video but that's not a signature model. Adrian just happened to be given one by Ibanez while they were in Japan. 😊
My uncle sings in maiden scotland tribute band ive learned the basics of Mtr of life and dth...i need to learn most of the lead and rythm so ill be learning everything i can
I know you broke down both Dave’s and Adrian’s solos in Powerslave a while ago but it would be awesome to see a break of the rest of the song like in this video.
Well played like always Nicko! I watched an old 1987 Iron Maiden Documentary called 12 wasted years, have you seen it ? In it there is a live show where Adrian Smith plays the song Iron Maiden on a Dean ML guitar, almost the same guitar that Dimebag Darell later played on, I did not know Adrian played a guitar like that back then I sooo want that guitar, do you got one since you have almost every other guitar Maiden plays on ?
I used to watch that video all the time on VHS when it was a new release 😁 I don't have a Dean ML. Cool guitar for sure... I just have others on my wish list 😊
@@LicksOfTheBeast Thats great! Both Adrian and Dimebag had it, I got to have it. Since I last wrote you I bought an early christmas present for myself, a second guitar so I now have a PRS SE Standard besides my Jackson SDX. I love the PRS too, so nice tone and the tremolo is surprisingly stable even though it is not locked like on the Jackson. Merry Christmas Nicko!
Nico how do you mute the low E when you do that D to G power chord roll in the verse section? This part has been giving me nightmares for ages🙉😅. Is it with a right hand palm muting?
I always mute with the right hand but when I'm actually playing it (not demonstrating slowly) I also use the thumb over the top of the fretboard to mute things like that as well 😊
Awesome vid just a question are you gonna do a tutorial for hallowed be thy name and the solos would be pretty cool, but only if you have the time of course😊
i was wondering about your gear, as your sound is similar to mine, though different equipment... then i saw we have the same EQ setup lol... i use volume and gain up to max, with the tube screamer on with almost nothing on... as for the song tutorial it's amazing for beginners to learn it right from start... i already know how to play it, and it's great to see the differences and what makes each sound unique, to refine my playing... like that "soft" pm in the intro, which i learned "the hard way" (sounded really shitty without it lol)
Hola, excelente tu canal. Son increíbles tus interpretaciones, no soy guitarrista, soy bajista. Aprendi tocando canciones de iron maiden y Helloween. Me gustaría que pudieras hacer el cover de empire of the clouds. Saludos desde Argentina 🇦🇷. 😊
Dave's gallop on this song is very difficult to replicate, as he's not really completely palm-muting the strings, but he's also not playing them open. It sounds more like he's using the left hand, by lifting the fingers to briefly mute the strings, which gives the rhythm a unique, pulsing sound that I haven't been able to replicate.
Yeah the alternating pressure from the left hand is definitely a part of it. Dave does that a lot and Steve does something similar too. I do think it helps give the rhythm a unique bounce which is a bit different from the standard metal gallop. It's a detail I probably should have included in this video. I am going to make shorts about those little things in the next year... on both channels.
@@LicksOfTheBeast Yeah, I suspect that Dave's gallop on "The Trooper" is mostly controlled by lifting the left hand rhythmically, but I suspect that that is not all that there is to it, as I have never been able to replicate the exact same sound and feel. The Trooper rendition on Live After Death features an even better example of Dave's gallop, where it almost sounds like he's just strumming the power chords wide open with no muting from either the left or the right hand, but if I try to play it that way, it sounds too buzzy, too out of control, whereas Dave's gallop still has a certain amount of control to it. Long story short, I know that he's doing something differently, but I am not sure what it is.
99% play this intro wrong because we think instinctively on the E minor scale. But if you notice carefully, especially live, you'll see that the descending pattern is not E-E-E-D-B/ D-D-D-C-A/ C-C-C-B-G, but E-E-E-D-B/ D-D-D-Dflat-A/ C-C-C-B-G. I know it sounds awkward but like Steve often says "it is what it is". This way, he must have thought, gives a less darker tone to the intro, making it sound major on that particular part. Try this and see that if fits.
On the album, the bass does play a C# but both guitars are playing that note as a C, as shown here. Live, however, Adrian plays a C# like the bassline (as does Janick) but Dave continues to play it as a C. This sort of dissonance is found in a fair bit of Iron Maiden's music. Still, I don't really consider stuff like this to be "wrong" because it's a choice that can add a cool effect but the note goes by so quickly that most people don't even notice either way. On the album, Steve plays it quite slurred that you can't clearly make out the note without slowing it down 😄
Harmonized tail intro was used in their 1993 tour, I believe. I had the tab book for that, which is what started that belief. But tab books are, as you say, not very reliable.
It's not harmonized on the version form A Real Dead one and I never heard Dave harmonize that tail on any clips from that tour either so... My guess is it's just some people played it that way following the natural instinct to harmonize the whole second half and it just got passed on that way over time.
Been playing this thing for 20 years and still picked up some new stuff. Great work as always, Nico! Also, the two part harmony is better imo. Like you, I think the 3 part is just a bit too much and it kinda loses the impact.
hey im trying to get into electric guitar. im looking into the $260 squire starter pack and also a ts9 tube screamer pedal. is there anything else i would need in order to get a decent sound as to iron maidens? i also plan on recording my progress i have a scarlett solo interface that i currently use on my 12 string acoustic and tips or recomendations? id highly appreciate it
That's totally fine - just make sure you get the one with the humbucker in the bridge if you go with the Squier pack. For that amp, I would get a distortion pedal rather than a tube screamer. Another option is to get something like a an Epiphone Les Paul, an Ibanez Gio or even a Harley Benton like the one I recently tested on my other channel: ruclips.net/video/9CCWu5yXd3M/видео.htmlsi=yzuyuZ_OP4DT8mZc Then you can get something like a Line 6 Spider or the Spark Amp so you won't even need any effects pedals. Either way, they're all fine options, and that's all the gear I would get for now. You're gonna need a bit of time to get the basic techniques down and no gear will make you sound good or "like Iron Maiden" during that process. The fun part of this first stage in what I hope will be a life-long journey for you, is that results come quickly with consistency, so every time you pick up the guitar is a chance to get a little better! Good luck and have fun! Cheers 🤜🤛
@@LicksOfTheBeast sorry for the what may be dumb questions but how do i know which guitar has humbucker in the bridge? i really liked the guitar that you reviewed but it wont be in stock untill 6 to 9 weeks :(
I think Adrian's come back kind of "forced" them to have some additions to the songs, so he would basically have something to do when they play concerts😂. I think even though there are 3 of them, they make it work adding things and switching between who's doing what🎸🎸🎸. Even if sometimes it feels slightly too much
@@odpro5587 I have to disagree, because of the work that he has done on the newer albums. Love his solos for example and when I saw them in june I was thrilled to hear him play his own solos from the SIT album
0:45 they didn’t play it on the 2006 AMOLAD tour or the 2010 FF tour. Great song for the casuals, if you’ve seen them a few times live it’s boring, but at least it’s not Wrathchild I guess.
I saw the Final Frontier tour in Ft. Lauderdale. They played The Trooper. I didn't catch them in 2006. I wish Maiden would play To Tame A Land and/or Still Life from POM album. I've seen Maiden dozens of times live, cause I'm old.....But I've never witnessed them playing either of these songs live. Never. And I know they have played them live, but not at the shows I was at.
@@thefonzkiss You're probably right. If I remember correctly it was 2011 when i saw the FF tour. I remember it was one of the last shows they did for that tour. But the did play the Trooper and it was the Final Frontier tour. But it was the 2011 leg and not The 2010 leg. Thanks for confirming. Peace.
I met this channel yesterday, and we need more channels with this knowledge on another bands.
I have a second channel called Nico's Guitar World that focuses on other bands if you'd like to check that out 😊
The harmonized melody
Literally made me a metal fan! 🤘🏼
I was strictly into hip hop and gangster rap, some dude in high school
Played the trooper and i was hooked
Picked up a guitar right after
this was the first song i learned at music school. my teacher was just as much into the details as you, it surprises me he was actually right with most things! i still think the main riff is probably the greatest metal riff ever written
Thanks for pointing out all the nuances of Adrian and Dave's amazing playing! It's always so much more than you expect.
Like always Nico, brilliant work👏🤘
Just started learning this so you couldn't have posted this video at a better time.👍🤘
Thanks man! My way of playing the chorus was a weird bastardization of both parts that managed to be slightly wrong for each :) I can finally get it right.
Really excited for the solo videos. This was the first tune I learned all the way through.
This is the tutorial I needed 10 years ago. Those hammer-on/pull offs were always eluding me.
The thing you said about this song being underappreciated is so true, and for Fear of the Dark too. It would be weird to have a Maiden concert without them, even if it's the 30th time you're hearing them.
That Ibanez Destroyer is such a mouthwatering guitar. If it were mine, I'd just spend my entire life looking at it!
I find Adrian's part on the main riff really bloody hard! Most of this song's rhythm is about manageable for me to play at my own low standard, but that riff is hard!
The 3 part harmony honestly adds another layer of substance to the song and i love it. Sounds so much more full
The Trooper has such energy it could wake me from a coma. Great video!!!
One of the most impressive things about "The Trooper," other than the song, is the production. This is, hands down, the best classic metal production I have ever heard (while Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is the best progressive Maiden album in terms of production). It seems that Martin Birch employed close mics and room mics, but how they got the tone, and how they exactly captured it (what mics, how many, where), will forever remain a mystery. In addition, Martin would have the guys double-track their guitar parts "for width," as he himself referred to the technique, but how he mixed the double-tracked guitars in the stereo field, we will probably never find out.
Good comment. I actually was recording this song lately for pleasure, and found out it's not just simple LEFT and RIGHT guitars. If I did this, it felt really empty. My best guess after hours of trials and listening to the original and comparing them was that there is either 100 left and 100 right guitar and another two in the exact center. or something like 80 left, 80 right, two in the center. The mix is not as wide as nowadays recordings, or so I think at least. But, if there are 4 tracks, or only 2 but with 4 microphones with some effects on them - I don't have any idea. BTW where did you get your info about double-track from?
@@andrew_kay Actually, Martin did on occasion pan the guitars hard left and hard right. For example, he did that on Live After Death and on Maiden England. Granted, those were live albums, but one could speculate that this is also how he went about studio projects, and then double tracked the guitars. In a 1982 (ca. The Beast on the Road tour) interview with the Rock Chronicle, when Adrian was asked, "Does the band try to play as live as possible for the tracks?," he replied, "Yeah. You put the drums in a nice live room, then you get that symphony big sound. It's hard to get a really big live guitar sound in the studio. So you have to sometimes maybe put on a 2nd one." When asked, "Did he [Martin Birch] do anything special for guitar sounds?", Adrian replied, "I think we just did the backing tracks with just 2 mics, 1 close mic and 1 far away screened off because there were 3 of us. That's the only drawback to the studio we used. It wasn't very versatile. You had 1 live room with a drum room, and 1 just studio. Yeah, but he used different effects. I don't know exactly what he used." In an interview about The Number of the Beast, which can be found here on RUclips, Martin mentions that he "tracked [the guitars] for width" as he brings up the second pair of faders. So, at least for The Number of the Beast, we know that Martin used one close mic, one room mic, and we know that he double-tracked the guitars "for width." However, we don't know anything about his mic choice, mic placement, and mixing decisions as it relates to panning, EQ, and compression. On to Piece of Mind. In Maiden's first Guitar World feature from 1983, Adrian states that "The room is the most important thing about recording. We kept the guitars separate and put the amps up in a big wooden room and just put mikes everywhere." Other than a better room, it doesn't seem that Martin used any new techniques for Piece of Mind, since Steve explained somewhere in another interview form a tab book that I have that the reason for the big improvement in the sound on Piece of Mind is that Adrian and Dave had finally figured out/optimized their rig by that point. In the Nov. '83 issue of Guitar Player, Steve mentions in the interview that his bass was recorded with "a mike in front of the cabinet and a couple of mikes for ambience." So, it seems like Martin used room miking as a crucial ingredient to his productions. In the liner notes of Live After Death, Martin talks about how the mics he uses to record in the studio are much more sensitive than the mics he uses to record a concert performance. This does not necessarily mean that he used different mics for guitars live vs. in the studio, but since he used a close and far mic in the studio, we definitely know that the far mic had to be a more sensitive mic (probably an LDC, or possibly a small diaphragm condenser, but that latter is not very likely). In that same interview, Dave mentions that they "normally double up guitar parts on the basic tracks," and Adrian further explains that "this isn't mechanical doubling, we play the parts twice. We try to set up in a nice corner of the studio where it's really live, and put mikes around." What's very hard to figure out from the recordings is, whether Adrian's guitar that we hear on Dave's side is bleed, or the double tracked take. If it's the double tracked take, then it is probably panned slightly inward, so that it sounds almost like faint bleed on the opposite channel. Speaking of which, I can't believe the guys were able to play in the same room and not get much bleed, especially with sensitive room mics, but apparently it is possible to record like that and not get a lot of bleed by using some sort of physical separation between the amps.
Love this kind of detailed breakdown of bits. 🤘
That's the catch with Maiden's songs, it always looks "easy" at first on tabs. Then you play it and it just doesn't sound right ... All these little details, add-ons makes such a big difference.
22 Acacia Avenue is another prime example
I don’t know how to use tabs; I’m so fucking old, I’ve always learned by ear…
Yeah kind of like Randy Rhoads..
I also like the live 3 part harmony with Janick. It sounds huge and if their setup is perfect it's not messy at all.
I love the added dimension of the 3rd harmony part
Nico, Awesome thanks for sharing! ☕🎯🔥
Would absolutely love a wasted years tutorial (for rhythm) quite a choppy and tricky rhythmic piece I find and sometimes drop out of pocket with it.
As always, a great video Nicko, truly a Maiden aficionado! ❤
Wasted Years does have that very tight but bouncy Adrian-ism in the picking. Definitely worth looking at!
Excellent video. I love Iron Maiden. One of the greatest bands of all time. To be able to play like these guys has been a life long goal.
I actually love the third harmony line in the main riff they do live. It's my favorite part of the song now! Brings such great added motion to the riff and elevates it when it is used in only a couple of times
Best Iron Maiden channel...they are my inspiration to keep trying to play better...thanks Nico
Thank you!!
Excellent tutorial!!! Please make more tutorials for the songs on this album "Piece Of Mind" 🙏🙏 which in my opinion are the best songs that Iron Maiden composed in their entire career.
I love this breakdown! Thanks for sharing! When I saw a beginner I didn't know about the lower note at the end of each stroke of the intro. A loooooooot of people miss it. When my teacher taught me, I didn't want to believe it because it makes the intro that much harder to play as a beginner haha
Perfect timing a I have just started learning this with my guitar teacher!
Great video as always Nicko! Your attention to all these subtle details is what makes your channel unique.
As you mentioned the added harmony by Adrian since he rejoined the band, can I suggest you an idea for future videos?
It would be cool to have in depth analysis like this one about the live version of the songs, considering also their "evolution" on stage throughout Iron Maiden's live performances.
For example: "Evolution of Aces High live", checking the differences between the various live version of the song (1985, 1999, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2022) and the studio version.
Keep going! 👋🏻
Grazie Nico, sarebbe bello avere analisi così dettagliate anche di altri pezzi storici degli Iron! Complimenti 👏🏻🔥
Grazie! Sembra che questo tipo di analisi/tutorial sia gradito quindi sicuramente ne farò altri 😃
Terrific video here again! You really surpassed yourself my friend. This was a genuine "etude" of the song's parts and how they come together. I think you really tapped into the Adrian/Dave dynamic by touching on so many idiosyncrasies that really set them apart. I wonder if they thought all those little details out ahead of time or if they're just part of how they, individually, interpreted Steve's riffs and played them. I've been playing this song since 1986 and you taught me something...again. Thanks as always!
Hey brother, that makes me really happy to read! Thank you 🤜🤛
I try to add some bits that might be cool for the more seasoned players as well and it's not easy with a song that's been so well covered for decades! I take your words as a very encouraging compliment. 😊
Great and detailed analysis as usual Nico it's great to see the little nuances of the rhythm guitars of Adrian and Dave and their harmonies. I honestly didn't know a couple of them it's never too late to learn after all these years, especially the rhythm of Adrian with the embellishment in the chorus section. Horns up, cannot wait for the solos video 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘.
That guitar is PERFECT 🤘
I always loved that they added third parts to their songs...few bands can pull it off.
Thanks for the quick gear check. I was thinking it didn't sound like your normal digital setup, unless something was wonky and you had to mic the monitor!
Watching for the Adrian solo video! I've been struggling with a part of it. Thanks again Nico!!
Yeah I think we had the amp a bit too low so it feels weird. We'll do better next time 🙏
Well done, Sir. The Trooper could be the most covered IM song, and like many songs, could be described as easy to play, if you want to sound like pub rock, but tricky to get right if you're going to for the authentic, as IM plays it version. Thanks for sharing your rig, that was an expected bonus.
I have one of these guitars. Mine is a 82 Ibanez destroyer 2. They are awesome!
What a GREAT GREAT tutorial !
Merci!
Mille mercis à toi!!! Fort apprécié, man 🤜🤛
Great video! I spent hours when Live after Death came out with one speaker turned off to figure out what each was doing. Definitely one of the greatest songs of all time! I love the Destroyer as well, looks to be in phenomenal condition!
Thanks man! And I totally hear ya about LAD...I did the same thing. Ahhhhh good times 😊
Excellent tutorial. I appreciate your focus on the nuances of the performances. Thank you.
Lots of details that I never noticed, I've played this song quite a few times live. I'm definitely going to incorporate some of these next time that I do, thanks Nico!
That's awesome! I find it cool when someone shows me something new about a song I know quite well overall, so I'm glad I could contribute in the same way with some of these tunes! 😊
Thanks Nico, it would be great to have more videos like this which unpick the harmonies and subtle differences in playing between Dave and Adrian to help get the true sound of the tracks. It’s sometimes difficult to unpick this, and gives you a great niche in the RUclips market. Your similar video on Infinite Dreams is the best I’ve ever seen along these lines. Thanks and keep it going!
Hey thank you so so much, man!!
I really appreciate that and I will definitely do more tutorials and breakdowns in the future.
Cheers! 🤜🤛
Class as always, Nico! Great video
Nicko you are my favourite foreign youtuber (as Im Portuguese). Not only because you teach me a lot about Iron Maiden, Music and Guitar Playing but overall due to your approach, humble personality and wonderful communication skills.
Greetings from Lisboa, Portugal. Bless You!
Wonder if you know MOONSPELL, the best known Portuguese Metal band? I recommend you "In Tremor Dei" song, by Moonspell. It depics the devastating Lisbon earthquake of 1755. Its worth watching... genuine Portuguese heavy metal.
Hey man, I really appreciate that a whole lot!
I do not know Moonspell but I'll check it out. Thanks for the recommendation 🤜🤛
Piece of Mind took Maiden straight to superstar status . Still my Favorite album from Maiden. When Eagles Dare with the opening drum fill was a Chef’s Kiss. The Trooper kicks Ass. Wrote the opening riff? Its Awesome
Hello and Greetings from Poland 🇵🇱
Actually, I have needed this tutorial for my whole life by now! Just brilliant work
Wow!" I'm jst a casual player but the details I learn from you are so intricate. Idk how you figure this stuff out [guitar genius] but it really makes sense. Tabs..never. play by ear. Emotion over theory. You seem to have it all. ThankYou so much! I prefer the 2 over the 3 but I'm old school and just can't even hear Janick over Dave & Adrian. He is for the newer generation which is acceptable
Thank you for the very kind comment and I'm really glad you're getting so much out of these videos!
I am definitely nowhere near being a guitar genius and my skills are quite limited, but I have been listening to and playing this stuff passionately for 4 decades... People take 10 years to get doctorates in the craziest scientific fields of study, playing guitar for 4 times as long is bound toget you some results, right? 😅
And I do think music theory can be very useful and it's a great way to reference what is happening musically in a given piece. Learning songs by ear is easier when you know some basic theory!
Cheers! 🤜🤛
Great explanation & and great advice. Thank you. Cheers 🤜🤛
So I've been learning The Trooper in parts the past while and that adjustment in palm muting was literally my missing ingredient to controlling the tones 😅
Real talk, I actually ended up organising some guitar tutorials, such as yours and all, into a playlist for my own little note-taking and reference! Would love to see more videos like this, and on the Guitar World channel 😁 Youve got a great teaching style that resonates with different learning styles, hits a lightbulb moment!
And I agree, it is an underrated gem 😅 but thanks again for another insightful lesson Nico! 🤘😁
That's so awesome to read! Thank you!!
I really appreciate the kind compliments and I'm so glad to know these videos on both channels are helpful.
Cheers! 🤜🤛
That Ibanez though....drool ❤
Hadn’t picked up on Adrian’s embellishment in the chorus before. Great video once again 🤟🏼🤟🏼
Love all these details in your videos, great content as usual!!! Thanks you and cheers from Portugal
Muito obrigado! Cheers man 🤜🤛
great as usual!
Very detailed and professional explanation, thanks a lot Niko, keep it up. When do you have some time to provide a tutorial on Run to the Hills?
Excellent tutorial
I actually don't mind the 3 part harmony as i feel it makes it more interesting to listen to instead of always leaning on the original recording, although i always thought Janick played it, but should've known adrian would be the one to find a way to keep it fresh.
Trooper is one of those songs that comes alive when it's played on stage, and i think the best they've ever performed it on a live recording is th le Death on the Road version. Adrian has some really cool backing vocals on that one too!
Iron Maiden, iconic.
Great breakdown! I now feel a strong desire to do a companion breakdown of Steve’s part! Maybe one day…
You absolutely should!
@@LicksOfTheBeast that’s very kind, thank you! 🙏
I checked to see if I was subscribed, just in case, yes I am , thanks for the great content, with a straightforward Canadian approach!
Thank you for doing this love the tutorials
Thanks for putting in the work on this one. Just brilliant! You straightened a few things out for me and this was most helpful.
I was wondering if you might consider doing a lesson on how you were able to so successfully fine-tune your vibrato technique to be along the lines of Gilmour and Smith? I know you’ve said that you’ve spent a lot of time working on this and I’m curious what your approach and practice routine might’ve looked like and what you focused on the most. I don’t think I’ve missed a video lesson on this already, but if I have let me know!
My best to you and Sara, and thanks again for such an entertaining and informative lesson.
I will definitely do that, maybe on my other channel since it applies to everything - not just Maiden.
I had to overcome a lot of technical deficiencies because I was focused on other aspects of playing. Worked out pretty well in the end but I often feel I'm playing catch-up on some things. So yeah, I'll be happy to share my approach to course correction in the new year!
Andi really appreciate you noticing that - it feels good to know the hard work was worthwhile 😊
@@LicksOfTheBeast - Awesome! Thanks.
Your "don`t do this" still sounds better than my best effort. Great break down! THX
Hahaha just keep in mind that the reason I can point out those "don't do this" bits is because I also did it that way at one time. It's the same process for all of us...which is actually kinda cool! 😃
Glad you enjoyed the video! 🤜🤛
amazing tutorial, love your channel man!
That destroyer is in good condition
Indeed! It was very well loved by the original owner as it was a Christmas present from his parents back in 1981 🙂
So tasty guitar choices there, thanks for the analysis ❤❤❤❤
Content is top notch as always. I notice you upgraded you camera / lighting set up. Good job, looks better than ever!
Hey thanks so much! We're trying to make things consistently better, little by little as we keep learning. It's so great to see it doesn't go unnoticed 😊🤘
I have that same guitar. It's a great axe!
About the 2 -part vs 3-part harmony: having the original 2-part harmony with Jan doing the gallop behind would be killer - I guess it should add even some more enery to that section!
Interesting idea! Like the album version of CSIT
@@LicksOfTheBeast wow, nice catch, thanks for pointing it out! - i was thinking something exactly like that. Maiden is now in my DNA at this point in my life i believe. Up the Irons!
Also. I have been looking for one of those Ibanez destroyers.
Awesome job!
Great tutorial, I subbed
Thanks so much!!
Love the breakdown! The trooper, children of the dammed, revelations and phantom of the opera some of the all time best maiden songs! Of all your maiden replica guitars which is your favourite? Up the Irons!
The Jackson Adrian Smith is probably the best overall guitar I own.
I absolutely love the Destroyer I'm playing in this video but that's not a signature model. Adrian just happened to be given one by Ibanez while they were in Japan. 😊
I love that you have Kurt Cobain's skateboard that Tony Hawk had up for sale! I've been wanting to get one.
My uncle sings in maiden scotland tribute band ive learned the basics of Mtr of life and dth...i need to learn most of the lead and rythm so ill be learning everything i can
I seen them in Dunfermline a few months ago, they kicked ass!
I know you broke down both Dave’s and Adrian’s solos in Powerslave a while ago but it would be awesome to see a break of the rest of the song like in this video.
agree!
Well played like always Nicko! I watched an old 1987 Iron Maiden Documentary called 12 wasted years, have you seen it ? In it there is a live show where Adrian Smith plays the song Iron Maiden on a Dean ML guitar, almost the same guitar that Dimebag Darell later played on, I did not know Adrian played a guitar like that back then
I sooo want that guitar, do you got one since you have almost every other guitar Maiden plays on ?
I used to watch that video all the time on VHS when it was a new release 😁
I don't have a Dean ML. Cool guitar for sure... I just have others on my wish list 😊
@@LicksOfTheBeast Thats great! Both Adrian and Dimebag had it, I got to have it. Since I last wrote you I bought an early christmas present for myself, a second guitar so I now have a PRS SE Standard besides my Jackson SDX.
I love the PRS too, so nice tone and the tremolo is surprisingly stable even though it is not locked like on the Jackson.
Merry Christmas Nicko!
Nico how do you mute the low E when you do that D to G power chord roll in the verse section? This part has been giving me nightmares for ages🙉😅. Is it with a right hand palm muting?
I always mute with the right hand but when I'm actually playing it (not demonstrating slowly) I also use the thumb over the top of the fretboard to mute things like that as well 😊
@@LicksOfTheBeast Thanks a lot, I'll give it a go!
Awesome vid just a question are you gonna do a tutorial for hallowed be thy name and the solos would be pretty cool, but only if you have the time of course😊
Wow you got it down to a science! Sheeeeesh
i was wondering about your gear, as your sound is similar to mine, though different equipment... then i saw we have the same EQ setup lol... i use volume and gain up to max, with the tube screamer on with almost nothing on... as for the song tutorial it's amazing for beginners to learn it right from start... i already know how to play it, and it's great to see the differences and what makes each sound unique, to refine my playing... like that "soft" pm in the intro, which i learned "the hard way" (sounded really shitty without it lol)
Very informative! Any chance you could put the tabs/notes along with the playing on future videos? 🤘🤘❤❤
Awesome stuff, would love to see same detailed approach for maybe Alexander The Great,Somewhere in Time or Powerslave:D
I have a Destroyer just like that one, only in blue!
Hola, excelente tu canal. Son increíbles tus interpretaciones, no soy guitarrista, soy bajista. Aprendi tocando canciones de iron maiden y Helloween. Me gustaría que pudieras hacer el cover de empire of the clouds. Saludos desde Argentina 🇦🇷. 😊
Awesome...
Great video. Please do a similar one for Hallowed be thy Name.
Yes! It's really difficult for me to get the intro spot on
wow! I own that version of the Destroyer 2!
Its also notable that there is a pinch harmonic blended into the first intro on the last 3 notes
Dave's gallop on this song is very difficult to replicate, as he's not really completely palm-muting the strings, but he's also not playing them open. It sounds more like he's using the left hand, by lifting the fingers to briefly mute the strings, which gives the rhythm a unique, pulsing sound that I haven't been able to replicate.
Yeah the alternating pressure from the left hand is definitely a part of it. Dave does that a lot and Steve does something similar too. I do think it helps give the rhythm a unique bounce which is a bit different from the standard metal gallop. It's a detail I probably should have included in this video.
I am going to make shorts about those little things in the next year... on both channels.
@@LicksOfTheBeast Yeah, I suspect that Dave's gallop on "The Trooper" is mostly controlled by lifting the left hand rhythmically, but I suspect that that is not all that there is to it, as I have never been able to replicate the exact same sound and feel. The Trooper rendition on Live After Death features an even better example of Dave's gallop, where it almost sounds like he's just strumming the power chords wide open with no muting from either the left or the right hand, but if I try to play it that way, it sounds too buzzy, too out of control, whereas Dave's gallop still has a certain amount of control to it. Long story short, I know that he's doing something differently, but I am not sure what it is.
99% play this intro wrong because we think instinctively on the E minor scale. But if you notice carefully, especially live, you'll see that the descending pattern is not E-E-E-D-B/ D-D-D-C-A/ C-C-C-B-G, but E-E-E-D-B/ D-D-D-Dflat-A/ C-C-C-B-G. I know it sounds awkward but like Steve often says "it is what it is". This way, he must have thought, gives a less darker tone to the intro, making it sound major on that particular part. Try this and see that if fits.
On the album, the bass does play a C# but both guitars are playing that note as a C, as shown here.
Live, however, Adrian plays a C# like the bassline (as does Janick) but Dave continues to play it as a C.
This sort of dissonance is found in a fair bit of Iron Maiden's music.
Still, I don't really consider stuff like this to be "wrong" because it's a choice that can add a cool effect but the note goes by so quickly that most people don't even notice either way. On the album, Steve plays it quite slurred that you can't clearly make out the note without slowing it down 😄
I just login on yt to comment it. Very well observed.
Subscribed, supported
Much much appreciated!!
Where’d you get those posters of the boys???
From this guy:
instagram.com/creativedave66?igsh=NWpvNmYxejJtcXM1
He's a cool dude and makes awesome prints!
Harmonized tail intro was used in their 1993 tour, I believe. I had the tab book for that, which is what started that belief. But tab books are, as you say, not very reliable.
Had to check around some, but haven't been able to find it. I strongly suspect the tab book having started a myth here.
It's not harmonized on the version form A Real Dead one and I never heard Dave harmonize that tail on any clips from that tour either so... My guess is it's just some people played it that way following the natural instinct to harmonize the whole second half and it just got passed on that way over time.
Ciao Niko! Si Si! Certo! La musica dei Maiden è "molto semplice"! 🤔🙄😁😂. Sei un GRANDE!
Questo pezzo è, sì, molto semplice dal punto di vista armonico.
Non per questo è necessariamente facile da suonare correttamente...😁
Top!
Can You play please of Bruce Dickinson tattooed millionaire a tutorial excellent your channel
Top!!
Been playing this thing for 20 years and still picked up some new stuff. Great work as always, Nico! Also, the two part harmony is better imo. Like you, I think the 3 part is just a bit too much and it kinda loses the impact.
hey im trying to get into electric guitar. im looking into the $260 squire starter pack and also a ts9 tube screamer pedal. is there anything else i would need in order to get a decent sound as to iron maidens? i also plan on recording my progress i have a scarlett solo interface that i currently use on my 12 string acoustic and tips or recomendations? id highly appreciate it
That's totally fine - just make sure you get the one with the humbucker in the bridge if you go with the Squier pack. For that amp, I would get a distortion pedal rather than a tube screamer.
Another option is to get something like a an Epiphone Les Paul, an Ibanez Gio or even a Harley Benton like the one I recently tested on my other channel: ruclips.net/video/9CCWu5yXd3M/видео.htmlsi=yzuyuZ_OP4DT8mZc
Then you can get something like a Line 6 Spider or the Spark Amp so you won't even need any effects pedals.
Either way, they're all fine options, and that's all the gear I would get for now.
You're gonna need a bit of time to get the basic techniques down and no gear will make you sound good or "like Iron Maiden" during that process. The fun part of this first stage in what I hope will be a life-long journey for you, is that results come quickly with consistency, so every time you pick up the guitar is a chance to get a little better!
Good luck and have fun! Cheers 🤜🤛
I appreciate the tips guys! Thanks
@@LicksOfTheBeast sorry for the what may be dumb questions but how do i know which guitar has humbucker in the bridge? i really liked the guitar that you reviewed but it wont be in stock untill 6 to 9 weeks :(
I think Adrian's come back kind of "forced" them to have some additions to the songs, so he would basically have something to do when they play concerts😂. I think even though there are 3 of them, they make it work adding things and switching between who's doing what🎸🎸🎸. Even if sometimes it feels slightly too much
Adrian's come back was unnecessary, a burden for the band
@@odpro5587 I have to disagree, because of the work that he has done on the newer albums. Love his solos for example and when I saw them in june I was thrilled to hear him play his own solos from the SIT album
@@odpro5587 if he didnt come back we wouldnt have got his "Writing On The Wall" solo
@@dusitn_ the most boring solo ever
I'm surprised your not running an the two MXR pedals, made famous by Maiden, on your pedal boards.
Subscribed.
0:45 they didn’t play it on the 2006 AMOLAD tour or the 2010 FF tour. Great song for the casuals, if you’ve seen them a few times live it’s boring, but at least it’s not Wrathchild I guess.
I saw the Final Frontier tour in Ft. Lauderdale. They played The Trooper. I didn't catch them in 2006.
I wish Maiden would play To Tame A Land and/or Still Life from POM album. I've seen Maiden dozens of times live, cause I'm old.....But I've never witnessed them playing either of these songs live. Never. And I know they have played them live, but not at the shows I was at.
@@freddyferrillo9704 they did it on the 2011 leg not the 2010 leg.
@@thefonzkiss You're probably right. If I remember correctly it was 2011 when i saw the FF tour. I remember it was one of the last shows they did for that tour. But the did play the Trooper and it was the Final Frontier tour. But it was the 2011 leg and not The 2010 leg. Thanks for confirming. Peace.