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Iron Maiden - 2 Minutes To Midnight - Guitar Tab

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100%

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BPM
Key E minor
Iron Maiden - 2 Minutes To Midnight guitar tab video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Iron Maiden Heavy Metal E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About 2 Minutes To Midnight

Few Heavy Metal tracks from 1984 pack as much guitarwork into a single song as this one. The opening riff is the first thing to get under your fingers: a driving E minor figure in E Standard tuning that locks in tight with the bass at 124 BPM. The tempo is brisk enough that right-hand picking discipline really matters, so use the Practice Toolbar to slow the main riff down until every note speaks cleanly before bringing it back up to speed. Beyond the riff, the song features melodic lead runs and the kind of twin-guitar harmony lines that Iron Maiden built their sound around, and those harmonised passages are where most players hit a wall. Getting the bends and vibrato to sit in tune at pace takes time. Loop the harmony sections slowed down, focusing on intonation rather than speed. The rhythm playing also rewards attention: the chord stabs in the verse have a specific palm-muted chug that defines the song's aggressive feel, and rushing it flattens the groove.

  • The song runs in E minor at E Standard tuning, so no retuning is needed, but the key puts the main riff right in a range where clean alternate picking is essential.
  • The twin-guitar harmony lines in the song are a core Iron Maiden technique worth isolating: learn each voice separately before attempting them together.
  • At 124 BPM the verse riff relies heavily on palm-muted chugging, and keeping that mute consistent across a five-minute-plus song is a real stamina exercise.

How to Play 2 Minutes To Midnight

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 108 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 108 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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