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Iron Maiden - The Trooper Pt.3 - First Solo - Guitar Lesson

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Iron Maiden - The Trooper Pt.3 - First Solo guitar lesson video
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Piece of Mind (Remastered) album cover
Piece of Mind (Remastered)
1983 4:13
Listen on Spotify
Iron Maiden Heavy Metal 1983 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About The Trooper Pt.3 - First Solo

The first solo in "The Trooper" is one of the more approachable lead moments in the Iron Maiden catalogue, but it still demands clean single-note phrasing and a confident feel for E minor before it sits right. The solo sits over a driving, galloping rhythm section, so your picking hand needs to stay in sync with that pulse even as the melody pulls against it. Focus on the bends and vibrato: getting them in tune and controlled is what separates a convincing run from a sloppy one. If the phrase is slipping away from you, use the Practice Toolbar to loop just that passage slowed down until the muscle memory is solid. Because this is a remastered version of the 1983 original, the guitar tone is clear enough to hear every note of the line, which makes it a genuinely good study track. Work the solo in short segments before joining them up.

  • The solo is rooted in E minor, so knowing the E minor pentatonic and natural minor scale positions on the neck is essential preparation.
  • The galloping rhythm underneath the solo means keeping your internal pulse steady while phrasing the lead line is one of the main challenges here.
  • Pay close attention to the bends in the solo: hitting them in tune and adding controlled vibrato is where the character of the part lives.

How to Play The Trooper Pt.3 - First Solo

Key: E minor · Tempo: 160 BPM

Loop the hardest passage and creep the speed up from around 70 percent until it holds at 160 BPM.

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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