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Iron Maiden - Darkest Hour Dave Murray's - Guitar Solo Tab

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Iron Maiden - Darkest Hour Dave Murray's guitar tab video
Steph Le Gratteux
Steph Le Gratteux Top Contributor
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Amp Settings

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.
Iron Maiden Heavy Metal

About Darkest Hour Dave Murray's

Dave Murray's lead work sits at the heart of this track, and getting it right means paying close attention to his characteristically fluid, melodic phrasing. Murray has always favoured smooth legato runs and expressive vibrato over sheer aggression, and this song gives those qualities plenty of room to breathe. The rhythmic foundation is a solid Heavy Metal chug, so your picking hand needs to stay tight and controlled while the lead lines float above it. Iron Maiden arrangements often layer guitars in ways that can sound deceptively simple until you try to replicate the precise bends and vibrato width at tempo. If the lead phrasing feels slippery at speed, use the Practice Toolbar to isolate the trickiest bar or two and slow it down until every note speaks cleanly. Focus on matching Murray's vibrato style, which tends to be wide and even, before pushing back up to full tempo.

  • Dave Murray typically relies on a fluid legato technique with wide, controlled vibrato, so prioritise smooth hammer-ons and pull-offs over hard picking.
  • Iron Maiden's twin-guitar arrangements mean even rhythm parts carry melodic weight, so both hands need equal attention during practice.
  • Looping the lead sections slowed down is especially useful here, as the phrasing details are easy to miss at full speed.
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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