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Judas Priest - Living After Midnight - Guitar Lesson

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Key E minor
Judas Priest - Living After Midnight guitar lesson video
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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.
British Steel album cover
British Steel
1980 3:30
Listen on Spotify
Judas Priest Heavy Metal 1980 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Living After Midnight

Few Heavy Metal tracks are as immediately approachable on guitar as this one, and that accessibility is exactly what makes it a great learning vehicle. Running at 128 BPM in E minor and standard tuning, "Living After Midnight" centres on a driving, mid-tempo riff built from power chords and straight eighth-note picking. The feel is locked in and relentless, so your picking hand discipline matters as much as your fretting hand accuracy. Keep your downstrokes tight and consistent rather than letting them get sloppy at full speed. The chorus progression is clean enough that you can nail the chord shapes early, but the transitions need to be smooth under pressure. Use the Practice Toolbar to isolate the main riff and slow it down until each pick attack feels controlled, then gradually work back up to 128 BPM. Judas Priest wrote this as a straightforward rocker, and that no-nonsense structure rewards guitarists who focus on precision and tone over flash.

  • The main riff sits in E minor and uses power chords driven by tight downstroke picking, making right-hand consistency the key technical focus.
  • Standard E tuning means no retuning is needed, so you can jump straight in and compare your tone directly against the recording.
  • The 128 BPM tempo is moderate enough to learn cleanly at speed, but the straight eighth-note drive punishes any tension in your picking arm.

How to Play Living After Midnight

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · 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.

Gibson Flying V
Guitar

Gibson Flying V

Richie Faulkner's weapon of choice, the Flying V's aggressive body shape matches Judas Priest's metal aesthetic while its mahogany construction and fast neck enable his lead-heavy playing style. The V's natural sustain and tonal balance cut through stadium mixes with the same clarity that defines modern Priest.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Glenn Tipton's signature tone comes from cranking the JCM800's preamp to 7-8 for tight, aggressive crunch that retains note clarity even at extreme volumes. The JCM800's midrange-forward character is essential to Priest's riffs cutting through, unlike thrash bands that scoop mids.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Both Tipton and Downing added Dual Rectifiers to their rigs for added low-end thickness on rhythm parts, complementing the Marshall's midrange presence. The Rectifier's thick saturation anchors Priest's heavier sections without sacrificing articulation.

EMG 81
Pickup

EMG 81

Glenn Tipton's bridge pickup of choice since the mid-1980s, the EMG 81 delivers razor-sharp metal tone with controlled low-end and noise-free operation at high gain. Its tight, compressed attack is crucial for Priest's precise riffing and solos that demand clarity.

Seymour Duncan JB
Pickup

Seymour Duncan JB

A key component of Judas Priest's pre-1984 'British Steel' and 'Screaming for Vengeance' era tone, the JB's medium-hot output provides vintage aggression without the compressed attack of active pickups. This humbucker captures the raw, organic sustain that defined early Priest lead work.

DiMarzio Super Distortion
Pickup

DiMarzio Super Distortion

The Super Distortion bridges the gap between vintage and modern Priest sounds, offering hot output for aggressive leads while maintaining the midrange clarity that makes Priest's twin-guitar harmonies cut through live. It's the ideal passive alternative for recreating classic Priest tones.

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