Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Iron Maiden - Futureal Dave Murray - Guitar Solo Tab

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
Iron Maiden - Futureal Dave Murray guitar tab video
Steph Le Gratteux
Steph Le Gratteux Top Contributor
YouTube: 63Ksubs 12Kviews
Creator Page →
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Iron Maiden Heavy Metal E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Futureal Dave Murray

Dave Murray's guitar part in "Futureal" is a great entry point into the twin-guitar world of Iron Maiden within the Heavy Metal genre. Running at 120 BPM in E minor with standard tuning, the track is fast but not brutally so, making it approachable once you have the picking stamina built up. The signature work here involves tight, aggressive downpicking on power chords alongside quick melodic runs, and keeping that attack consistent across the full tempo is where most players will feel the strain. Your fretting hand needs to be clean and decisive because the arrangement leaves little room for slop. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the busiest chord transitions slowed down until your pick hand stops choking up, then gradually bring the speed back. The interplay between Murray's part and Adrian Smith's guitar line rewards learning both eventually, but getting Murray's rhythm-focused role solid first gives you the backbone of the whole song.

  • Played in E Standard tuning and E minor, the song sits in a comfortable key for guitarists already familiar with open-position and barre chord shapes.
  • At 120 BPM the picking demands are real but manageable, making this a useful exercise for building consistent downpicking endurance.
  • The twin-guitar arrangement means Murray's part focuses on rhythmic drive, so locking in tight chord changes is the core technique to practise here.

How to Play Futureal Dave Murray

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · 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.

Recommended for You

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)