"The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

[Number Of The Priest]

Many people here may know the infamous intro to "The Number Of The Beast" by Iron Maiden. I am having trouble playing the intro on guitar. I have been trying numerous ways earlier this afternoon but couldn't do it too well.

My problem is that I'm not sure how to play it well. Okay... I know there's never really a right and a wrong way to play something, but I want to know how I could play it more comfortably. The current way I am doing it feels extremely awkward.

I start with the middle finger on the A string, 5th fret. I keep the finger there the whole time, because there's string skipping between the A string and the D string.

Then, with my index finger, I hit the D string, 4th fret, and skip back down.

Then, with my ring finger, I hit the D string, 5th fret, and skip back down.

Then, with my pinky finger, I hit the D string, 7th fret, and skip between the A string and D string for he remainder of that riff.

If any of the above was hard to understand, just pull up a tab on the internet to see what I was talking about... but I'm doing this song by ear.

Maybe my problem is that I have really small hands and I can't stretch from my middle finger on the A string, 5th fret, to my ring finger on the D string, 7th fret.

Or, perhaps you have some entirely new suggestions for me on how to play this fun song's intro.

Thanks! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Baum83]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

You might as well play the OPEN D-string instead of fretting the 5th fret of the A-string - it's the same tone (remember when you tuned that thing? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ). Then you can comfortably use the index, middle-finger and pinky on the 4th, 5th, and 7th frets.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

Ah yes, that was the first way I tried to play it, but it doesn't apply when the pattern changes from D to C. I'd have to fret that C note anyways.

[A. Pulver]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

I "roll" my middle finger like a ink blodder and use it on both the a & d strings.
I don't use my ring finger at all on that part.
The tip stays on the A and just flattens to hit the D.
Works for me anyways.

[ January 01, 2003, 07:05 AM: Message edited by: A.Pulverizer ]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

Cool... I'll have to try it out, but I have small hands, so I might not be able to pull it off... we'll see!

Thanks guys.

[VitaminG]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

I just reread your original post and think the problem is with your fingering, not with your small hands. As you described it, you are currently fretting the 5th fret on the D string with your ring finger, and then stretching up two frets to the 7th with your pinky. A two-fret stretch between your 3rd & 4th fingers is going to be tough if you're not used to it. Fingering for this riff should be no different than if you were playing a scale pattern on the 4th, 5th & 7th frets, using your 1st, 2nd and 4th fingers.

Play it as A.Pulverizer suggested, rolling your middle finger, and you should be just fine. And if you're still having trouble with the stretch, try playing the riff further up the neck where the frets are closer together, and then gradually move the riff down the neck as you get used to the stretch. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ January 01, 2003, 05:44 PM: Message edited by: VitaminG ]

[Newc]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

I use my middle finger on the 5th string/5th fret, then my index on the 4th string/4th fret, middle on the 4th string/5th fret, then jump to the 5th/7th frets on 5/4, using my pinky and index.
It's a quick chord change, but it's also a neccessary thing as some songs have quick full chord changes (as opposed to riffs into chords) and it's a good way to practice making clean transitions.

The hardest part is using the same picking technique Dave Murray does - all downstrokes.

Newc

[eaeolian]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

I've played it for years just like Newc describes, including the downstrokes. That's exactly how Dave played it in the "Live After Death" video.

It's a bit quick, but that'll help you out a lot when trying to do other Maiden stuff.

Mike

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

Wow, thanks again guys! Yup, the downstrokes are KEY, and I've been practicing that song that way. A lot of the other riffs I want to be able to play fast and fluently also require this same string-skipping technique (downstrokes only) so this song will be some good practice.

But, you listen to Halford's "Hell's Last Survivor" and it's the same single-note string-skipping style, but it's TOO fast for downstrokes only!

The riff is pretty much the same as the Halford/Dickinson duet "The One You Love To Hate", only two semitones difference, it's downstrokes, and powerchords. Applying the same technique from "TOYLTH" will NOT help me in "Hell's Last Survivor"!

[ January 02, 2003, 09:52 PM: Message edited by: Number Of The Priest ]

[DumpyWumpy]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

For some hard down-picking only riffs, check out the verse part in Live Undead by Slayer...tough stuff!

[ January 19, 2003, 12:17 PM: Message edited by: DumpyWumpy ]

[Emperor Nakoo Hiryuu]

Re: "The Number Of The Beast" intro... help!

Funny. I never played it as string skipping...I always play both the D note on the 5th string along with the others...of course, I DO pick with only downstrokes, though.