"Rolling, turning, DIVING" - Whammy tricks in Iron Maiden's "Aces High"

[Number Of The Priest]

Damn, the bar dive in Iron Maiden's "Aces High" in the chorus is impossible. I mean, the trick is seemingly easy, but sustain dies before the final big dive due to the little dives.

Run, live to fly, fly to live
Do or die, won't you
Run, live to fly... [natural harmonics, a couple of mini dives, and then the big dive]

I'm using an amount of gain typical for a Maiden sound, but even with the gain turned all the way up, there's still not enough sustain to last the whole time.

Suggestions welcome.

[charvel750]

Re: "Rolling, turning, DIVING" - Whammy tricks in Iron Maiden\'s "Aces High"

Well, there's a few ways to handle that. One is when you perform the mini dives before the big one, just barely move the bar, like with your fingertips or even the middle of your palm and kinda "slap" at it. The more firm your hold on the bar the more the sustain dies down. (Grab the bar with your whole hand and wiggle it hard and then just do some finger taps on it, you'll see what I mean). The other way if the amount of pressure applied still doesn't help is to repick the harmonic. You'll have to do it quickly so it's not heard as a "newly struck note" but this adds back all of the string vibration that may have been lost. I know the lick you're talking about, could it have been performed by both players? Did Dave begin the mini dives and Adrian finished it off? While they both had individual tone unique to each, they blended well together. Just wondering...

[MetalChef]

Re: "Rolling, turning, DIVING" - Whammy tricks in Iron Maiden\'s "Aces High"

Although they are seldom 100% correct, I have the Tab book of PowerSlave/Somewhere in time.

I looked for the part in question...
Harmonic on 5th fret D string, followed by harmonic on 5 fret G string.

I agree with the touch on the bar..you just have to be very light and let the harmonic scream.

Also, I will bet they recorded it with a tube amp cranked up...this will make a HUGE contribution to that harmonic sustain. I also bet they had some hot pickups too.

Just keep on trying!

[Baum83]

Re: "Rolling, turning, DIVING" - Whammy tricks in Iron Maiden\'s "Aces High"

Yeah, I also play it on the 5th frets. I use to press the bar down using just my middle-pinky fingers, sustain is okay then.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: "Rolling, turning, DIVING" - Whammy tricks in Iron Maiden\'s "Aces High"

Tube amp, loud, and echo... Does fairly well... We used to do that song, and that was my part...