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Iron Maiden - Chains Of Misery Dave Murray's - Guitar Solo Tab

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Iron Maiden - Chains Of Misery Dave Murray's guitar tab video
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Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
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Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Iron Maiden Heavy Metal

About Chains Of Misery Dave Murray's

Dave Murray's lead work sits at the heart of "Chains Of Misery" from Iron Maiden, and getting his melodic phrasing right is where most guitarists will spend their time. The song sits in E Standard tuning at 120 BPM, which is a comfortable mid-tempo feel for Heavy Metal, but do not let that fool you. Murray's lines demand clean picking articulation and smooth legato transitions, and sloppy technique gets exposed quickly at this pace. The rhythm guitar parts also carry real weight here, so locking your right hand into a consistent, tight palm mute on the chugging sections is just as important as the lead passages. If Murray's solo phrases are giving you trouble, pull them into the Practice Toolbar, slow them down without losing pitch, and loop them until the muscle memory is solid. The interplay between rhythm and lead across the track is worth studying closely, since that balance is central to how this song breathes.

  • The song runs at 120 BPM in E Standard tuning, giving the rhythm guitar chugging sections a driving mid-tempo feel that rewards tight palm muting.
  • Dave Murray's lead guitar lines combine melodic phrasing with smooth legato runs, making clean left-hand finger placement a priority when learning the solo.
  • Practise the transitions between rhythm and lead sections slowly before bringing them up to tempo, as switching roles cleanly is one of the trickier demands of the track.

How to Play Chains Of Misery Dave Murray's

Tuning: E Standard · Tempo: 120 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Iron Maiden's signature choice for heavy metal, the Strat's bright single-coils in neck and middle positions deliver the glassy, articulate tone that defines their melodic passages. Dave Murray and Adrian Smith pair bridge humbuckers with this platform to preserve pick dynamics and note definition rather than drowning in compressed gain.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The backbone of Maiden's iconic sound, the JCM800's moderate gain structure lets the power tubes sing without preamp saturation, preserving the punch and harmonic clarity that makes their riffs cut through a mix. Murray and Smith set gain moderately to maintain definition while pushing the amp into natural tube breakup.

Seymour Duncan JB
Pickup

Seymour Duncan JB

Adrian Smith's weapon of choice, the JB's balanced output drives Marshall amps into singing sustain without over-compressing dynamics, allowing his lead lines to breathe with clarity and snap. This moderate-output humbucker maintains the attack and articulation essential to Maiden's punchy, defined metal tone.

DiMarzio Super Distortion
Pickup

DiMarzio Super Distortion

Dave Murray's bridge pickup at 13k output strikes the perfect balance, hitting the Marshall hard enough for thick sustain yet retaining enough dynamics for expressive bending and harmonic control. It's hot enough to sing but not so overwound that it flattens the natural Strat character underneath.

Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
Pedal

Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive

Murray and Smith use this clean boost to push their Marshalls harder during solos, adding aggression without relying on pedal distortion, keeping the tube amp saturation as the true tone source. The SD-1 preserves their natural playing dynamics while giving leads extra presence and cut.

ISP Decimator Noise Gate
Pedal

ISP Decimator Noise Gate

Smith occasionally employs this noise gate to manage feedback and hum from his high-output rig without sacrificing sustain, staying true to Maiden's philosophy of minimal pedal intervention. It's a practical tool for live performance that doesn't color the natural tube amp tone.

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