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Iron Maiden - Hell On Earth Dave Murray and Adrian Smith solos - Guitar Solo Tab

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Key E minor
Iron Maiden - Hell On Earth Dave Murray and Adrian Smith solos guitar tab video
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Iron Maiden Heavy Metal E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Hell On Earth Dave Murray and Adrian Smith solos

The twin lead solos in "Hell On Earth" give you a clear window into how Iron Maiden split guitar duties between Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. Murray's side tends to lean on fluid, pentatonic-flavored runs with a vibrato-heavy delivery, while Smith brings a slightly more structured, melodic phrasing to his sections. In E minor at 120 BPM, the tempo is firm but not brutal, which means there is nowhere to hide if your bends or vibrato are sloppy. That is actually where most players struggle: matching the confident, sustained character of each guitarist's individual voice rather than just hitting the right notes. Work through each solo separately before combining them, and use the Practice Toolbar to loop the trickier phrases slowed down until the pick attack and vibrato feel natural. E Standard tuning means no retuning is needed, so you can focus entirely on the phrasing and tone. Heavy Metal soloing like this rewards patience over speed.

  • The song sits in E minor at 120 BPM in E Standard tuning, giving both solos a natural, open feel without any retuning required.
  • Murray and Smith each take distinct solo sections, so practising each guitarist's part separately is the most efficient way to learn the full sequence.
  • Vibrato control and expressive string bending are the core techniques to nail here, since the phrasing relies on sustain and feel more than raw speed.

How to Play Hell On Earth Dave Murray and Adrian Smith solos

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.

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