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Iron Maiden - The Trooper Pt.4 - 2nd Solo - Guitar Lesson

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Key E minor
Iron Maiden - The Trooper Pt.4 - 2nd Solo guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Bass6
Mid7
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Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
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.4 - 2nd Solo

The second solo in "The Trooper" is one of the moments where Iron Maiden's twin-guitar approach really shows its character. Rooted in E minor, the lead lines lean heavily on the minor pentatonic and natural minor scales, so getting your scale positions locked in around the open position and up the neck is the foundation here. The phrasing is fast and melodic at the same time, which means your picking clarity matters as much as your speed. Bends and vibrato need to be confident and in tune, because sloppy pitch control will stand out immediately against the driving rhythm section underneath. If the runs feel like they're getting away from you, use the Practice Toolbar to loop just a few bars slowed right down and build the muscle memory before bringing it back up to tempo. The goal is to make it sing, not just to survive the notes.

  • The solo sits in E minor, so knowing your natural minor and minor pentatonic positions across the neck is essential preparation.
  • Melodic phrasing with clean bends and controlled vibrato is a central demand of this lead, not just picking speed.
  • Using the Practice Toolbar to slow down the fastest runs will help you lock in the note groupings before playing at full tempo.

How to Play The Trooper Pt.4 - 2nd 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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