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Iron Maiden - Sanctuary Dennis Stratton's - Guitar Solo Tab

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Iron Maiden - Sanctuary Dennis Stratton's guitar tab video
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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

About Sanctuary Dennis Stratton's

Few tracks from 1980 British metal capture the twin-guitar energy of "Sanctuary" as directly as this one does. Iron Maiden built the song on interlocking guitar parts that demand clean coordination between rhythm and lead roles, so if you are learning it solo, expect to switch between those feels frequently. The main riff sits in E Standard tuning and moves at 128 BPM, which is brisk but not unreachable once your picking hand is warmed up. The real challenge is keeping the rhythm part tight and aggressive while the melodic lines stay articulate on top. Galloping right-hand patterns, a hallmark of the band's heavy metal approach, appear throughout, and your pick attack needs to stay consistent to avoid the parts sounding muddy. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the gallop sections at a reduced speed until the picking rhythm locks in before you push back up to full tempo.

  • The song is played in E Standard tuning at 128 BPM, making pick-hand stamina a key focus for anyone working through the rhythm parts.
  • Galloping alternate-picking and downstroke patterns drive the riff work, so isolating those figures slowly with the Practice Toolbar is the most efficient way to build accuracy.
  • The twin-guitar arrangement means learning both the rhythm and lead layers will give you the fullest understanding of how the parts fit together.

How to Play Sanctuary Dennis Stratton's

Tuning: E Standard · Tempo: 128 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 128 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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