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Iron Maiden - Tailgunner - Guitar Solo Tab

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Iron Maiden - Tailgunner 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 Tailgunner

Opening "No Prayer for the Dying" with a burst of engine noise and then an immediate twin-guitar assault, "Tailgunner" sets a demanding tone from the very first bar. At 128 BPM in E Standard tuning, Iron Maiden push both rhythm and lead players hard, and the tight, palm-muted gallop riff that drives the verse is where most guitarists need to put in real work. Getting that gallop to lock in cleanly at full tempo takes precision in both hands, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down until your pick attack and muting are consistent. The song sits firmly in the Heavy Metal tradition of interlocking guitar parts, meaning playing just one of the two guitar lines can feel incomplete. The lead breaks demand confident alternate picking and a feel for the punchy, dry tone that defines this era of the band. Nail the rhythm part first before tackling the solos.

  • The main riff uses a classic Maiden palm-muted gallop pattern in E Standard, requiring tight synchronisation between fretting-hand muting and aggressive down-up picking.
  • Two guitar parts interlock throughout the track, so learning both rhythm and lead lines gives a much fuller picture of how the song is constructed.
  • The verse riff sits around 128 BPM, which is fast enough that even small inconsistencies in palm muting will cause the gallop to sound muddy at full speed.

How to Play Tailgunner

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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