Riff Tone
The Red and the Black
Iron Maiden
Guitarmetal2010s+
Original Gear
GuitarFender Dave Murray Signature Stratocaster
AmpMarshall JCM800 Lead Series 50-watt head with 4x12 Marshall cabinet (Celestion speakers)
PickupsSeymour Duncan Hot Rails (bridge), JB Jr. (neck/middle)
Amp Settings
gain7
bass5.5
mid7
treble7
reverb0.5
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 2015 (The Book of Souls album). Gear based on known studio setups for this era and cross-referenced with live and studio rig rundowns. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the riff section; Iron Maiden typically use minimal effects for rhythm/riff parts.
Tone Character(10)
tight and percussivemid-forward aggressionarticulate and punchydry, minimal ambiencecrunchy British high-gainclear note separationlayered harmoniespowerful palm-mutingno audible modulationfocused low-end
Difficulty
The riff requires fast, consistent alternate picking and palm muting at high speed, with tight timing and articulation, making it challenging for most players.
Sources
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Original Gear
GuitarFender Dave Murray Signature Stratocaster
AmpMarshall JCM800 Lead Series 50-watt head with 4x12 Marshall cabinet (Celestion speakers)
PickupsSeymour Duncan Hot Rails (bridge), JB Jr. (neck/middle)
Amp Settings
gain7
bass5.5
mid7
treble7
reverb0.5
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 2015 (The Book of Souls album). Gear based on known studio setups for this era and cross-referenced with live and studio rig rundowns. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the riff section; Iron Maiden typically use minimal effects for rhythm/riff parts.
Tone Character(10)
tight and percussivemid-forward aggressionarticulate and punchydry, minimal ambiencecrunchy British high-gainclear note separationlayered harmoniespowerful palm-mutingno audible modulationfocused low-end
Difficulty
The riff requires fast, consistent alternate picking and palm muting at high speed, with tight timing and articulation, making it challenging for most players.
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