Poll: How to arrange harmony in "Revelations" w/ 2 guitars in band

[AlexS]

Playing "Revelations" at an upcoming gig. There are two guitarists in the band, and we've been discussing different options for arranging it. Want to get the MaidenFans' opinion to help our decision of how best to present it: specifically, the guitar harmonies between the first verse ("Oh God of earth and altar ...") and the second verse ("Just a babe in a black abyss ...").

We've been following the "Live After Death" arrangement in rehearsals, minus the third (clean, arpeggiated) guitar under the first (slow) harmonies (played by Bruce on the live album). On the live album, Dave and Adrian skipped the next (fast) harmonies that are on the studio version and just played rhythm through that section before the second verse. On Flight 666, Adrian played the rhythm & Dave / Janick harmonized that fast section.

We play the slow harmonies over just bass. For the fast harmonies, we've got four options -- would like your feedback on which would make you happiest to see a band play:

(1) Both guitars play the fast harmony over bass only, no rhythm guitar underneath
(2) Both guitars play rhythm only through the fast section, no harmony
(3) One guitar plays rhythm, other guitar plays one half of the fast harmony section
(4) One guitar plays rhythm, other guitar covers both fast harmony parts with a harmonizer patch (set to harmonize at an interval of 3 degrees on the A minor scale)

 

[Mosh]

Funny you bring this up because I've been listening to a lot of 83 bootlegs and I've paid extra attention to the way the arranged the guitars on that song. I would say definitely don't do option 3 or 4. Harmonizers rarely sound good when trying to emulate two guitars imo.

I think option 1 works fine. Since The bass is covering the same notes the only concern is that it might sound a little empty without rhythm guitars, but it's a cool harmony and I'm an advocate for more space through minimal rhythm guitars.

While we're on the topic, I always found Bruce playing guitar on that to be unnecessary. Maybe he was having a moment of self indulgence, but I think just highlighting the interaction between Steve's excellent melodic bass playing with the guitar harmony would've been better.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

Revelations might actually probably be my favourite track off the first 4 albums, but that version on LAD... I don't know, that sped-up first verse with Bruce's "yays" always sounded like parody to me, or at least more Motley Crue than anything Maiden. Sorry.

Anyway, definitely option 1 for me. Keep the harmony at all costs.