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Iron Maiden - The Writing On The Wall - Guitar Lesson

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Key D minor
Iron Maiden - The Writing On The Wall guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Senjutsu album cover
Senjutsu
2021 6:14
Listen on Spotify
Iron Maiden Heavy Metal 2021 D minor
Capo Advisor 0 D minor · Original key

About The Writing On The Wall

From the 2021 album Senjutsu, "The Writing On The Wall" shows a side of Iron Maiden that leans into blues-tinged, mid-paced Heavy Metal rather than the band's more frantic gallop. In D minor at 120 BPM, the tempo is comfortable enough that the focus shifts entirely to tone, feel, and phrasing. The song opens with a clean, atmospheric guitar passage that demands careful attention to note clarity and dynamic control, two things that get sloppy if you rush. When the track moves into its heavier sections, the riff work sits in a groove that rewards playing slightly behind the beat rather than sitting right on top of it. The lead work has a classic rock feel with bends and vibrato at the heart of it, so if your vibrato is inconsistent, this is a good song to expose that. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop those lead phrases slowed down and focus on making each bend land in tune before bringing it back up to speed.

  • The song opens with a clean guitar passage, making tone control and pick dynamics just as important as the heavier riff sections that follow.
  • At 120 BPM in D minor, the mid-paced groove rewards a relaxed, behind-the-beat feel rather than aggressive, on-top-of-the-beat picking.
  • The lead guitar phrases rely heavily on expressive bends and vibrato, so isolating those moments with the Practice Toolbar at reduced speed pays off.

How to Play The Writing On The Wall

The song moves through: Intro, Intro (Drop D), Intro 2nd half, Main riff, Main riff harmony, Descending scale riff, Scale riff ending, 1st verse, Pre-chorus, Chorus, 2nd verse, Solo rhythm, and more.

Tuning: E Standard · Key: D minor · Tempo: 120 BPM

The arrangement runs through 12 distinct sections, and the solo is the steepest jump, so isolate it on its own.

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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