The Bash
04-29-2003, 12:19 AM
Some Basic Iron Maiden Like Harmony
Here’s a few simple, yet cool harmony ideas based on 3rds/6ths depending on your point of view.
I’ve written a few out in power tab.
This is a small guide that goes along with the sections marked A-H
A) This is simply an A minor scale Harmonized in 3rds/6th (depending on who you consider the melody line to be) over a pedal A in the bass.
B) The same only guitar 1 now takes guitar 2’s part and I’ve repositioned it and now I’ve included a very Maiden Like Am-Am-F-G progression and a very Maiden like temp of 250 bmp.
C) This is a little lick/riff I made up that I might play over the above progression.
D) This how Maiden use this idea for the Aces High riff.
E) This is the ole A minor scale again over a A pedal only this time harmonized with the 3rd being dropped and octave. We could again view this as 6ths. This is two basic Metal like Harmony Techniques: Harmonize a note a 3rd above such as A up a 3rd to C or Harmonize A down a 6th to C. This is the same type idea as E except over the ole Am-Am-F-G.
F) This is the same type idea as F only I played with it a bit so it’s not straight 3rd/6th. . It’s not ingenious either but it works. Note how the bottom voice leaps over the top voice at the end. This is a very basic example of how you can break the straight 3rd/6th thing. I’ll often write lines in straight 3rd/6ths then tinker with the notes till I get something I like. Often I’ll stay in straight mode (maybe tinkering a note here and there) cause it sometimes works best for Metal sounding stuff.
G) Here’s my little Riff/Lick again harmonized with the second method.
If I remember right the Trooper uses this method for its main riff.
Here’s a few simple, yet cool harmony ideas based on 3rds/6ths depending on your point of view.
I’ve written a few out in power tab.
This is a small guide that goes along with the sections marked A-H
A) This is simply an A minor scale Harmonized in 3rds/6th (depending on who you consider the melody line to be) over a pedal A in the bass.
B) The same only guitar 1 now takes guitar 2’s part and I’ve repositioned it and now I’ve included a very Maiden Like Am-Am-F-G progression and a very Maiden like temp of 250 bmp.
C) This is a little lick/riff I made up that I might play over the above progression.
D) This how Maiden use this idea for the Aces High riff.
E) This is the ole A minor scale again over a A pedal only this time harmonized with the 3rd being dropped and octave. We could again view this as 6ths. This is two basic Metal like Harmony Techniques: Harmonize a note a 3rd above such as A up a 3rd to C or Harmonize A down a 6th to C. This is the same type idea as E except over the ole Am-Am-F-G.
F) This is the same type idea as F only I played with it a bit so it’s not straight 3rd/6th. . It’s not ingenious either but it works. Note how the bottom voice leaps over the top voice at the end. This is a very basic example of how you can break the straight 3rd/6th thing. I’ll often write lines in straight 3rd/6ths then tinker with the notes till I get something I like. Often I’ll stay in straight mode (maybe tinkering a note here and there) cause it sometimes works best for Metal sounding stuff.
G) Here’s my little Riff/Lick again harmonized with the second method.
If I remember right the Trooper uses this method for its main riff.