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Radiohead - My Iron Lung - Guitar Tab

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100%

Tools

BPM
Key C minor
Radiohead - My Iron Lung 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.
Radiohead Alternative Rock C minor
Capo Advisor 0 C minor · Original key

About My Iron Lung

Few tracks from 1994 demand this kind of tightly controlled aggression from a guitarist. Radiohead built "My Iron Lung" around a central riff that sits in C minor and alternates between near-silence and a crushing, full-band roar. Getting that contrast right is the real challenge: the quiet sections require a very clean, restrained touch, while the loud sections need a sudden, committed attack without losing the pocket at 92 BPM. In E Standard tuning, the riff itself is not technically complex to finger, but keeping it locked in rhythmically while managing your dynamics is where most players come unstuck. The song also features a frantic, abrasive guitar solo that rewards careful attention. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop that solo section slowed down until your pick hand can keep up with the intensity without tensing up. The whole arrangement belongs firmly in the Alternative Rock tradition of using texture and volume as musical tools, so think about tone and feel as much as notes.

  • The central riff runs in C minor in E Standard tuning, making it accessible to finger but demanding in terms of pick attack and rhythmic precision.
  • Dynamic control is the core challenge: the song shifts abruptly between hushed, clean playing and heavily driven power chords, requiring disciplined volume management.
  • The guitar solo is fast and abrasive, so looping it slowed down with the Practice Toolbar is the most efficient way to build accuracy before playing it up to 92 BPM.

How to Play My Iron Lung

Tuning: E Standard · Key: C minor · Tempo: 104 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 104 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Ed O'Brien's Eric Clapton Signature Strat with active mid-boost circuitry gives him the jangly, shimmering foundation for Radiohead's layered textures. The Gold Lace Sensors push cleaner signals hotter into his sprawling effects chain, essential for the band's evolving experimental sound.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Jonny Greenwood's 1975 Telecaster Plus with Lace Sensor pickups delivers the focused, noiseless midrange that cuts through dense mixes without hum. Its slightly compressed character became Radiohead's workhorse tone from 'Pablo Honey' through 'OK Computer,' defining the band's early guitar voice.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

Greenwood's Twin Reverb provides the crystalline clean headroom that lets intricate arpeggios shine on tracks like 'Paranoid Android.' Its natural sag and headroom allow him to run effects-driven signals without breaking up the clarity essential to Radiohead's complex arrangements.

Vox AC30
Amp

Vox AC30

Both Greenwood and O'Brien rely on the AC30's warm compression and rich harmonic response for its chimey, breaking-up British crunch across 'The Bends' and 'OK Computer.' The amp's natural breakup character makes it ideal for layering with pedals while maintaining tonal coherence.

DigiTech Whammy
Pedal

DigiTech Whammy

The Whammy is central to Radiohead's compositional approach, creating the iconic pitch-shifting octave effects on 'Paranoid Android' and countless other tracks. Greenwood uses it as a core songwriting tool rather than simple embellishment, transforming the guitar's harmonic possibilities.

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