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Iron Maiden - The Book Of Souls Janick Gers - Guitar Solo Tab

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Key A minor
Iron Maiden - The Book Of Souls Janick Gers guitar tab video
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Iron Maiden Heavy Metal A minor
Capo Advisor 0 A minor · Original key

About The Book Of Souls Janick Gers

At 95 BPM in A minor and standard E tuning, this Janick Gers composition from Iron Maiden's 2015 double album sits in a mid-tempo pocket that rewards feel over raw speed. The challenge is not sheer velocity but control: Gers weaves melodic lead lines around a rhythmic chug that demands clean left-hand muting to keep the low end tight and articulate. The song's longer, progressive structure means you need to track multiple sections and transitions, so knowing exactly where each riff resolves is as important as nailing the notes themselves. Lead passages lean on the kind of expressive string bending and vibrato that define the Heavy Metal style, and getting that sustain to sing convincingly takes patience. Isolate any lead run or transition that trips you up, loop it slowed down with the Practice Toolbar, and build the tempo gradually until each phrase locks in cleanly before moving on.

  • The song is in A minor at 95 BPM in standard E tuning, making clean left-hand muting across a mid-tempo chug the core technical challenge.
  • Melodic lead lines require confident string bending and vibrato control, so practise each phrase in isolation before joining them to the rhythm parts.
  • The progressive, multi-section structure means memorising the order of riffs and transitions is just as important as mastering individual passages.

How to Play The Book Of Souls Janick Gers

Tuning: E Standard · Key: A minor · Tempo: 95 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 95 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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