3 Adrian Smith Licks Analyzed

[@gdr1174]

6:16 and it reappeared recently in WOTW. I'd never connected it with past solos till watching this. He manages to reinvent them to sound new 🤯

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Exactly!!

[@mikelecabezaguerrero]

Man that ending was awesome, like if comfortably numb was recorded by Adrian Smith, So cool, thanks for the lesson also very nice stuff I use all those Adrian tricks

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That's super kind of you man! Thank you so much and I'm really glad you liked this one! 🙏🤘

[@FatemeKhodayari]

Yeah I felt some sort of Comfortably Numb through the end of the video! I think you probably know (so sorry if I'm rambling) that Adrian has done a cover of Comfortably Numb solo and in my opinion it was amazing. It's available on Nathalie's Instagram and also here on KZbin. Go check it out if you haven't. :)

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

@@FatemeKhodayari I have seen it and yes it really is a great improvisation! I always found some of the stuff he was doing around SIT (like some of the licks on walking on glass) reminiscent of Gilmour and what he did on that clip of comfortably numb reminded me a bit of that.

[@josephjoestar3275]

Reminds me that adrian actually did play a comfortably numb solo! He kicked ass at it, much like this lesson

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

He did do a stellar job at that indeed!lots of little Adrian-isms that reminded me a bit of his walking on glass licks. And a big thank you!

[@PolarisCastillo]

Adrian is my favorite Maiden guitarist, his solos, melodies, riffs and just overall energy is always something to look forward to on any track. This was fantastic. Please do more videos on Adrian :)

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I think you're gonna like the next one 😁🤐

[@PolarisCastillo]

@@LicksOfTheBeast oooo yesss

[@denisjercinovic9273]

You doing great job on this channel, bro. 👍

[@fatihsendur7544]

Hi. First of all, how have I miss this one for 3 years ^^ Secondly, a very good "Comfortably Numb solo" rendition. Congrats.

[@aaronlane7935]

Dude. Fantastic!!! Thank you!!!

[@FL_Cordis]

Finally someone doing this, i'm a big fan of Adrian, thanks mate, cheers!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank YOU! I'm just glad this is interesting to fans of Adrian and the band... It encourages me to keep working at these videos! 😊

[@thorstenriedel3152]

Thanx for showing...very interesting and pretty cool to play them over the jamtrack

[@anuragthakur4341]

For the first lick, I think we can also cite 22 acacia avenue as an example. Awesome video!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Yesss the first part of the 22 Acacia Avenue solo is a perfect example! 😊 Thank you 🤜🤛

[@giovanidacosta6364]

Great!!!!!!

[@IainFrame]

Great video. Yeah I love playing the Rime of the Ancient Mariner solo. When I was a kid first learning guitar, Dave Murray was *the man* but as I've matured and improved, Adrian is the undisputed champion. Absolutely love his phrasing and feel. Even when he's playing comparatively slowly, it sounds awesome. Very bluesy with contemporary twists.

[@CC-qb9sm]

Great post! Adrian rocks!

[@Gabuguiwerb]

Adrian smith, give me chills since my childhood!! And of corse all the others!!! (If one day you could cover "Legacy" from a matter of life and death :D i put that there.. hehe)

[@harmonygaleria6311]

Super cool! Adrian Smith solos are masterpieces❤️

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Absolutely!! 🤘

[@bluesdude1194]

Glad I found you, subscribed. Adrian is one of my favourite players, I've been a maiden fan for 40 years. I think his solo on powerslave is phenomenal.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Glad you found me too! Thanks so much man!! Adrian is definitely the man. Cheers! 🤘🤘

[@finrodgc3650]

Oh boy, I will practice with this video for months, thanks master 🙌🏼

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Awesome! I'll be sure to make more like this 🙂

[@valarikhtegar4801]

Amazing lesson well done!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@FatemeKhodayari]

Me when the solos are cut in the middle: Nooo just keep playing! Now I gotta listen to all of these songs 😂 In my opinion, the licks are an essential part of Adrian's tasty solos. Thanks for the time and effort put into creating this great video. Amazing playing as always ♥️

[@CC-qb9sm]

Absolutely fantastic lesson Nico! Thanks for this one! I completely agree about Adrian‘s guitar work on AMOLAD and BOS. I really really like those albums too. I very much wanted to see the AMOLAD tour to see them play the entire album. I really like your drawings/portraits of Adrian and Stevie behind you in the video. I actually got to meet Stevie and shake his hand just a few months before his tragic death. I was lucky enough that I met him after he got clean and he was very gracious and very humble, nice, and genuine as was the rest of his band. It was the most starstruck I’ve ever been and I’ve met quite a few famous people (and don’t typically suffer from being starstruck LOL). By the way, love your shirt! Such a great album! Once again thanks for this fantastic lesson, I will be working on the material over the holiday here in the US tomorrow! Thanks for reading my long message! Your content gets me really fired up! Wishing you the best!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you very much man! I really appreciate your support a whole lot! I've no doubt Stevie would have left anyone starstruck... The man's presence must have been absolutely huge!

[@fatarry]

Absolutely love your stuff. I keep sharing it with our Maiden tribute Ey Up Maiden. Brilliant.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

WOW dude that's incredibly encouraging!! Thank you!!!

[@tonyglen33]

I had an Adrian Smith style Destroyer in my hands a few weeks ago. Beast of a guitar from the 1980s

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Oooh!! Not gonna lie... Feelin' a little bit jealous 😄 Those things are absolutely awesome!!!

[@MatteoAn93]

Great analysis video!!!

[@diazarcemateo119]

very useful. Do more videos like this one.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

There will definitely be more videos like that! Thanks so much for watching! 🤘

[@a.kguitars930]

I love to see someone as big a fan of Adrian as me haha

[@peterclarke7240]

Adrian is my favourite guitarist in Maiden. His stuff is very "simple" compared to dave or yannick, but fuck me he plays heavy!

[@CC-qb9sm]

@@peterclarke7240 - You ain’t wrong!

[@hemycyclaspis]

how you play guitar so good.😲 i love it.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! I don't think I'm particularly "good" but whatever skill I do have came from practice, persistence, obsession with getting better so that I can play more of the things I like (and play them better), and passion/love for music and the instrument. Hopefully I'll keep improving bit by bit and you'll continue to find something worth watching on this channel 😊

[@hemycyclaspis]

@@LicksOfTheBeast your chanel is great. with best wishes. 🍻

[@Sebastian_Mroczek]

Great video! Especially how to apply the licks in different contexts. Comfortably numb jam track was a bullseye and very much what I am going for in my playing:D. It was great to see you can mix IM licks in slower tracks. I got here because of your IG reply to my comment on one of your videos. Thanks a lot!!!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank YOU for watching! I'm really glad you checked it out and even more so that it was helpful!! 😃

[@BruceBarrera]

Love your Adrian and SRV pictures on the wall...where did you get them? Some website we can order from?

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

They were gifts so I'm not sure but I do know they're from two different people who sell on Etsy.

[@takacgameshd7003]

I can't belive you only have 880 subscribers, your content quality it's perfect. Keep up the good work \m/ By the way i love your Adrian Smith signature guitar!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hey thank you so much for your kind support! I only started this channel about 6 or 7 months ago so to have close to 1000 people who are interested enough in what I'm doing to subscribe and join me on this little journey... I'm very grateful for that 😊 With a little luck and a lot of work, we'll keep growing and that will lead to more fun and more interesting things! Cheers!! 🤘

[@takacgameshd7003]

@@LicksOfTheBeast i hope that you channel will grow much more in the future i really like your content i already subscribed, i like this community where we all love Adrian Smith for his insane guitar playing hehehe 🤘🤘🤘 And please when your channel get's bigger remember me and my name because im here from the start! ROCK ON 🤘⚡

[@advocaciaschicovski1037]

Hi Niko, love your videos, keep doing that :) greetings from Brazil!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Muito obrigado!! Much appreciated! Greetings from Canada🤘

[@Motocoupemusic]

Awesome man. Wish I could play half as well as this. Great video!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you so much for the kind words man! Much appreciated and I'm happy you liked this video! 🙏🤘

[@anuragthakur4341]

5:00 THE WRITING ON THE WALL!!! This is 100% future prediction omg

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

😆😆😆 Nico Nostradamus 😁

[@anuragthakur4341]

@@LicksOfTheBeast yesss

[@jordimaeso2643]

Good job!!! Would be useful if you could delve on other Adrian Smith solos (e.g. wicker man, hallowed be thy name or live book of souls solo) Thanks and keep going!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thanks!! Glad you enjoyed this. I'm releasing one video per week so I try to mix it up between covers, solo tutorials, some gear stuff and tutorials about technique or concepts like in this video. In time I will get to pretty much everything. Well... That's the goal anyway ☺️

[@Haggath]

Hey man, you put out some great videos and I really enjoy you breakdown of the types of licks Adrian uses. I think it would be really cool to analyse some more of his actual technique as opposed to licks if you get me? His picking style, how he holds the pick etc. The way I see him hold the pick almost looks as if it's completely perpendicular to the strings but he still manages to get a sweet tone. Keep up the good videos!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hey thanks so much! I'm really glad to hear you're enjoying these and especially that they could be interesting and useful. I have a lot of stuff in the works and thetr will definitely be a video on techniques - not just Adrian but for Dave and Janick's playing styles as well. I really appreciate you watching and I hope you'll stick around for what's to come! Cheers!!

[@TomPark1986]

Another thing I notice he does alot with his play is up stroke chords to make them punch a bit more, add vibrato the chords and use a hanging note with vibrato for dramatic pause

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

True... those are definitely important components of his playing style!

[@eighbohr9422]

Dude i just found out your channel and it's amazing! Really great iron maiden content. Keep it up and up the irons lml

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hey man, big thanks for watching and for taking the time to leave some kind words of encouragement here! I really appreciate it very much 🙏🤘

[@gypsyface35]

Nice video friend, Adrian has always been my favourite guitarist in Maiden, love his raunchy approach to his lead work, feel free to tell me I'm wrong but I don't think Maiden would have been as massive without his input, he's always added a touch of class to their sound, something that Ger's struggles to do, just my opinion...Cheers

[@GortholMormegil]

Hi Nico, what do you think of Adrian solo on "Isle Of Avalon"? I ask you because no one ever mention It. To me it's one of his best, if not the best!

[@shubhampoudel9657]

Niko you are another Adrian Smith keep it up

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Much too kind but thank you so much!!

[@felipemonteiro1261]

Please ! I need to know how to play Adrian´s solo on Caught Somewhere in Time !!!!!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I'll definitely do a tutorial on that one soon!

[@felipemonteiro1261]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Thanks man !!!

[@Shayne_Mushin]

Keep the tab on the screen longer lol

[@emersonfernandes9664]

Top demais, que pedal é esse brother?

[@thebeastsworldcovercollab1880]

Yeah! You're a Maiden encyclopedia, Nico! Great video, as usual 👏👏... you could do a review video of Adrian's book 🤪

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I'm a bit obsessed perhaps 🤣 Thank you so much for watching and commenting! Big time appreciated!

[@ledybledybos340]

Sorry to ask but is your SDX a budget one or the USA made im asking cuz it sounds cool and i want to buy budget one , cant really spent 2000 now and also I subscribed bro !

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hey man, thanks so much for watching, subscribing and for your question! This one is the Indonesian model and it's actually quite nice to play! I did a full review a few weeks ago where I also discuss the mods I made. I hope you'll find it useful ☺️ Cheers!

[@ledybledybos340]

@@LicksOfTheBeast ahhh i have seen it ! i didnt realise it was yours video thank you so much i am going to buy one, the only thing that bothers me that im playing Dean custom 88 now with double humbucker and in all revieews SDX sounds so flat to me i am a bit worried hah but ill try this and you bro make more videos please you are the man ! great guitar playing great videos !

[@ledybledybos340]

The video actually i decided to subscribe is Adrian smith Licks Analyzed ! now im going through your channel

[@ProfeOz]

Hi Niko! I just discovered your videos (Wicker Man Cover) this week while looking for information on the Jackson Adrian Smith SDXQ. Your playing is great and you have the teaching gift as well. What is your opinion on the SDXQ? I am also an Iron Maiden fan and I am considering getting a SDXQ I saw at a store. I already have the Dave Murray Strat and a standard strat, which will be modified to be Janick-ish. Greetings from Mexico City!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you so much!! Hugely appreciate you watching my videos and leaving such an encouraging comment!! So I have both the SDX and SDXQ and they're pretty much the same. The only difference being the neck on the SDXQ is a little thinner and feels a bit more flat. But that's likely just due to the inconsistency of the wood used for guitars at this price point. Both are good quality guitars for the price and with a few little mods I had done, I'm very happy with both!

[@joeverastegui8399]

There's no denying Murray and Gers who are both so very underrated but Adrian has always been my favorite in the band ( I squeezed up to front row on their first tour of America way back in the day "Killers" tour and Adrian was just a few feet in front of me. I yelled what's up Adrian between songs and he nodded to me, favorite ever since ) along with Bruce. So when those two get together and write Those are some of my favorite Maiden songs ever. Since that very first time seeing them I've learned that Adrian is much more likable for his excellent and amazing guitar playing than just a recognized nod to a 16 year old in the front row. Smith Kotzen is such an excellent release too and shows that Adrian is never a One Trick Pony.

[@ElevatedLevetator]

Can i ask you how you record with the amp sim and video at the same time? Is it possible to do with your phone as cam and amp sim ?

[@ElevatedLevetator]

What book is that in the thumbnail?

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That's Adrian's book, Monster of River & Rock. As for the video recording, I film the video on camera and record audio to my DAW. Then the audio is exported and synced to the video in Premiere Pro... There is a fair bit of editing work that goes into these vids!

[@marcograziotin6844]

questo e' veramente quello che aspettavo!!!!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Mi fa davvero tanto piacere!! Grazie mille!

[@marcograziotin6844]

@@LicksOfTheBeast adoro alla follia adrian smith tanto che ho due sue signature... vorrei avere più tempo per studiarlo!!!

[@MK-so2eo]

In Maiden's history, remember the best albums Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Somewhere in Time and 7th son of a 7th Son. And the best line up - Dave, Adrian, Steve, Nico and Bruice. This is my opinion eventhough other albums / line ups are good too.

[@andrewfernandez268]

What string gauge do you use

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Depends... On strats I use 9-46 and on Gibsons 10-46. On the Lado and on the Destroyer I use 9-42

[@biorythmicshifter]

Janick proved his worth as Adrian’s replacement. I find the playing on No Prayer for the Dying very energetic and frenetic in the best way possible. He also wrote The Talisman which is up there with Rime of the Ancient Mariner to me. All this being said I LOVE Adrian’s style as a composer and soloist. One of the greatest moves Steve made as the band leader was keeping Janick when Adrian came back. The 3 guitar attack was a stroke of genius and obviously lends itself well to the Maiden’s approach to harmony. You have done a wonderful job of dissecting some of his shapes and stealing them for your own use. Remember, good musicians borrow. Great musicians steal…

[@MK-so2eo]

Maiden just needed Bruce to return in the 1990s. Good guitar tricks can make good music but not Maiden songs.

[@alejandromarinetti8622]

@@MK-so2eo You are wrong bro. Adrian is by far the best maiden guitarist of the band

[@MK-so2eo]

@@alejandromarinetti8622 I agree Adrian is by far the best compared with Dennis and Janick. Phantom of the Opera, Fear of the Dark, The Clansman, Running Free etc just prove the 2nd guitarist Dennis or Janick was/is not bad either. Most fans including myself go by songs, not by the guitar work. Maiden lost many fans due to Blaze's voice so they needed Bruce to return.

[@alejandromarinetti8622]

@@MK-so2eo Ok if you go by songs, Adrian wrote: 2 minutes to midnight, can I play with madness, flight of icarus, evil that men do, wicker man, wasted years, the prisoner, among many others.

[@roshenphilip2408]

That was really good, I have been a huge fan of adrian style and yes that is mostly true, about 80 percent, thanks for that that, I didn't hate maiden in the albums he wasnt in but I kind of don't like janeks tone so yes I did miss his sound on those albums although I was just a few years old, Dave well you know he is already so good and a very natural kind of player, Dave and Adrian when they play solos back to back even today it sounds amazing and both of them have changed things around, and just so you know adrian never plays the revelations solo anymore which I think is so sad to such a perfect song, janek doesnt fill the gap to it with his version also sounds sometimes out of tune and plays really fast but there is no clarity in it. So obvioisly it was great that him and bruce came back.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Fun fact: Last year in Toronto, the 2nd solo to Revelations was played by Adrian again - which caught me off guard because I had turned to Janick when Dave's solo ended... the version on the new live album has Janick playing it though so maybe they switched back.