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Iron Maiden - Fortunes Of War Janick Gers's - Guitar Solo Tab

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Iron Maiden - Fortunes Of War Janick Gers's guitar tab video
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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 Fortunes Of War Janick Gers's

Janick Gers's guitar part in "Fortunes of War" by Iron Maiden sits in E Standard tuning at 128 BPM, a mid-tempo that still demands clean left-hand control throughout its shifting sections. The song is built around melodic lead work and flowing single-note runs rather than relentless chunky riffing, so your pick attack and phrasing need to stay precise without the cover of heavy distortion carrying you through. The Heavy Metal context here leans toward the progressive side of the band's writing, with longer phrases that can trip up players who have not fully mapped the structure. Pay close attention to the transitions between the main theme and the lead passages, as those handoffs are where most players lose their place. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop those transition points slowed down until the movement feels automatic before bringing it back up to tempo.

  • Running at 128 BPM in E Standard, the song rewards players who work on smooth single-note phrasing rather than relying on pure picking speed.
  • The melodic lead lines involve longer phrase shapes, so practising each phrase in isolation with the Practice Toolbar slowed down will help build muscle memory.
  • Tone-wise, a clean-to-crunch gain setting suits the song better than a heavily saturated sound, keeping the melodic runs articulate and clear.

How to Play Fortunes Of War Janick Gers's

Tuning: E Standard · 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.

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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