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Iron Maiden - 22 Acacia Avenue - Guitar Cover

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Key E minor
Iron Maiden - 22 Acacia Avenue guitar cover video
Licks Of The Beast
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
The Number of the Beast (2015 Remaster) album cover
The Number of the Beast (2015 Remaster)
1982 6:37
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Iron Maiden Heavy Metal 1982 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About 22 Acacia Avenue

Few NWOBHM tracks pack in as much guitar work as "22 Acacia Avenue." The song shifts between a brooding mid-paced gallop and faster, more aggressive passages, so your picking hand needs to stay disciplined throughout. Both rhythm and lead parts sit in E minor, which gives the riffs a dark, modal flavour rooted around open-position and low-register power chords. Iron Maiden built their reputation on twin-guitar interplay, and this track is a strong example: the two guitar parts lock together tightly, so learning both is worth your time if you want to understand how the arrangement breathes. The extended lead section in the back half of the song demands smooth legato phrasing and accurate bends, and those transitions between rhythm and lead happen quickly. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop those changeover bars slowed down until the shifts feel automatic. Getting the galloping rhythm pattern locked in early will make the rest of the song fall into place much more easily.

  • The song's rhythm guitar relies heavily on a galloping picking pattern, a defining technique in Iron Maiden's style that demands consistent right-hand control.
  • Both guitar parts are built around E minor, making open-position power chords and low-register riffs central to nailing the correct tone and feel.
  • The extended lead section late in the song combines legato runs and string bends, making it the most technically demanding passage to practise slowly.

How to Play 22 Acacia Avenue

Key: E minor · Tempo: 148 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 148 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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