[swatguitar85]

So I'm just getting into Iron Maiden, and I'm trying to figure out how to tell who is playing the guitar solos. Are they panned, if so who's on each side?

 

[ZJH]

Well, to be vague, it's either Adrian Smith or Dave Murray playing a given solo. lol

But you might wanna look at some booklets or something to find out who's playing which solo. I can't remember off the top of my head.

 

[Flobanez]

Adrian Smith and Dave Murray are great players.

 

[ZJH]

Wish I could say the same about Janick Gers. lol

 

[JESTER700]

Go get a live video and watch. I have a DVD of "live after death" that rocks.

 

[fyrie]

If the solo sounds "flutey" it's Dave. He almost exclusively plays solos on the neck pickup.

 

[guitarshredder7]

yeah dave solos on neck all the time. im seeing them at ozzfest on the 20th of this month, gunna be sick

 

[jimmyfingersminion]

if its fast, fluid and bluesy-its probably dave

if its slower, more considered sounding, and a bit less bluesly-its probably adrian

if its fast and slightly atonal sounding-its janick

 

[ET Guitars]

Can tell from the guitar sounds as well, especially on their old albums.

Dave used a Fender Strat with humbucker in bridge, and like the other guys said, his solos were mostly played with the neck pickup. Very sweet and flutey. If its a fast widdly pentatonic run, you can bet its Dave.

Adrian used Les Pauls and Ibanez Destroyers, sometimes with MXR distortion to boost the Marshall. His sound was a classic fat humbucker sound. I loved that wicked sound of his.

Janick sounds too much like Dave, but nowhere near as tasteful. Never got into his playing really.

 

[jimmyfingersminion]

i like janick. hes ace live and his playing is actually quite tasteful if you watch him. when they play older stuff he tends to let dave and adrian play most things and sort of just adds a little of his own stuff and the third harmony parts that never used to get played.... i think three guitarists is excactly what maiden should always have had!

 

[ET Guitars]

Fair enough jimmy, its just that i haven't listened to much of their recent stuff, I was really into them like 20 years ago.

For the solos, take Aces High as a good example of their sound and style. Dave does the first one, then Adrian. I think that when it came to the harmony riffs (of most of their songs), it was Dave playing the higher harmony panned left, and Adrian the lower harmony on the right.

 

[Allen Garrow]

Depending what Maiden you are listening to? Old Maiden with Murray and Smith is the best Maiden. I assume you have purchased CD's? The older albums ( actual giant black vinyl things that went on a turntable ) with Dickensen singing starting with number of the beast, all had inner sleeves with notes, credits, words...... I seem to remember these albums also giving in the lyrics "solo breaks" and who was performing solo's. Alot of bands did that back in the day. I seem to remember some of the pre Bruce Dickensen albums having the same but certainly not all of them. But once you are able to put together who is who, you will be able to pick them out by ear. Smith and Murray are the "Dynamic dual",,, Jannick is a charecter for sure, not the best guitarist I have ever heard but he has charisma. If he would just stick playing rhythm guitar and stop even trying to play harmonies it would be cool.

~A

 

[fettouhi]

Good for you Maiden is great "Can I Play with Madness" is one of my favorate Maiden songs .

Regards

André

 

[swatguitar85]

Thanks guys. Yea I'm definitely lovin their stuff. Yea I can definitely hear some of the tonal differences in the solos. So the tips on which gear they were using will really help.

 

[nickcoumbe]

I used to be able to do that with Motorheads various guitar players, but never Maiden.

 

[red5]

Dave sounds a little Zakk Wyldeish but toned down, and Adrian is very melodic. Janick is also melodic, but more straight melodic and less flash.

 

[red5]

Wish I could say the same about Janick Gers. lol

Janick was sloppy as hell on No Prayer for the Dying, but he was much better after that.

 

[AxeManCS]

Glad to hear you appreciate Iron Maiden, they are truly the greatest in metal. If you like maiden, Bruce Dickinson`s solo albums Chemical wedding and Accident of Birth are as good as any Iron Maiden. But when it comes to the solos, dave is always the one with the very smooth treble tone (because of his hotrail pickups), and he uses a lot of trills and hammerons, Adrian is more with bends and a crunchier tone and uses lower notes, and Janick is all about the runs

 

[JJEMMER777]

Can tell from the guitar sounds as well, especially on their old albums.

Dave used a Fender Strat with humbucker in bridge, and like the other guys said, his solos were mostly played with the neck pickup. Very sweet and flutey. If its a fast widdly pentatonic run, you can bet its Dave.

Adrian used Les Pauls and Ibanez Destroyers, sometimes with MXR distortion to boost the Marshall. His sound was a classic fat humbucker sound. I loved that wicked sound of his.

Janick sounds too much like Dave, but nowhere near as tasteful. Never got into his playing really.

Dave IS Mr. Legatto / Adrian IS Mr. Tasteful / Janick just SUCKS - sloppiest leads I have ever heard. To me, Maiden was never the same after Adrian's departure and Janicks arrival. The first 5 albums RULE! This band is THE reason I picked up a guitar all those years ago

 

[red5]

Glad to hear you appreciate Iron Maiden, they are truly the greatest in metal. If you like maiden, Bruce Dickinson`s solo albums Chemical wedding and Accident of Birth are as good as any Iron Maiden. But when it comes to the solos, dave is always the one with the very smooth treble tone (because of his hotrail pickups), and he uses a lot of trills and hammerons, Adrian is more with bends and a crunchier tone and uses lower notes, and Janick is all about the runs

It should be noted: Dave did not start using hot rail pickups until the early 90s. He used Super Distortions back in the day just like Adrian.