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Iron Maiden - The Prisoner Dave Murray - Guitar Solo Tab

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Key E minor
Iron Maiden - The Prisoner Dave Murray guitar tab video
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Iron Maiden Heavy Metal E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About The Prisoner Dave Murray

Few tracks in the Heavy Metal catalogue demand as much from a rhythm guitarist as this one. The opening bass-led intro eventually gives way to a driving, galloping rhythm guitar figure that underpins the whole track, so locking in with that feel is the first thing to nail. Dave Murray's lead work sits in E minor, and his melodic phrasing across the fretboard rewards players who take the time to learn the scale runs note for note rather than improvising loosely over the top. The twin-guitar interplay between Murray and Adrian Smith is where the song really opens up, and those harmony lines require clean position shifts at pace. If the gallop rhythm is tripping you up, use the Practice Toolbar to slow it right down and loop just that section until the picking hand is completely automatic. Iron Maiden built their sound on tight ensemble playing, and this track will expose any looseness in your technique fast.

  • The galloping rhythm guitar pattern is central to this track, built on aggressive alternate or downpicking that must sit precisely in the pocket.
  • Twin-guitar harmony lines shared between Dave Murray and Adrian Smith require accurate position shifts and consistent intonation at full tempo.
  • Playing in E minor gives you access to open-string power chords, but the lead phrases stretch across multiple positions and demand fretboard familiarity.

How to Play The Prisoner Dave Murray

Key: E minor · Tempo: 142 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 142 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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