Solo Tone

Fear of the Dark (Live at Rock in Rio) [2015 Remaster]

Iron Maiden

Guitarmetal2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarJackson Adrian Smith SDX (Signature Model)

AmpMarshall JVM410H head into Marshall 1960A 4x12 cabinet

PickupsJackson HSS configuration, bridge humbucker (likely Seymour Duncan TB-4 JB or Jackson-branded equivalent)

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass5.5

mid5.5

treble7

reverb2

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

delayBoss Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

wahDunlop Dunlop Cry Baby Wah (GCB95)

compressionBoss Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer

Notes

Live performance at Rock in Rio 2001, 2015 Remaster. Adrian Smith solo section. Gear confirmed for live era by multiple sources; JVM410H and 1960A are standard Maiden live rig for this period.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivescooped mids for clarityhigh-gain saturationsinging sustainarticulate lead presencecutting mids without fizzpunchy bridge humbucker attacksubtle delay for spacecontrolled reverbno boomy bass

Difficulty

The solo requires advanced picking speed, accurate palm muting, and expressive phrasing with bends and vibrato, making it challenging for most intermediate players.

Sources

Amp Settings for Fear of the Dark by Iron Maiden (guitars and tone) - Guitar Chalk Compare revision #1 with #2 for "Adrian Smith"FM9 - Help/opinions needed with Iron Maiden sound | Fractal Audio Systems Forum

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