Iron Maiden - 2 minutes to midnight

2 Minutes to Midnight by Iron Maiden From the album Powerslave (1984) Written by Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson All rights belong to their respective owners Tabbed by Jaakko Karppinen I have based this tab on the bass track you can find in Youtube, so it should be pretty much 100% correct. Only parts that I'm a bit uncertain of are those Verse A sections, because they sound a bit blurry. Also, I haven't tabbed that one galloping part during Guitar Solo 2 exactly as Steve plays it on the studio track, because he sounds a bit "lost" in there, if you know what I mean. Those quick hammer-on's here and there are REALLY quick, so keep that in mind. This is not an easy song, especially if you want to play it exactly as Steve does on the original studio version. But feel free to improvise a lot, because this song has many spots for bass licks with endless possibilities (like all those pre-verse and verse sections). One of those those rare songs where even Steve seems to improvise when played live. Enjoy! Bass Track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdp_sHlo2QA Intro |------------------| |------------------| |-------------.----| |-5---5---5---5----| |----------------------------------| |-----7-------5--------------------| |-7-------7-------7---5---7---.----| |-----------------------------5----| |-------------.----| |-------------7----| |-----5---7--------| |-5----------------| |----------------------------------| |-7---5----------------------------| |---------7---5---7---5------------| |-------------------------7---5----| ||--------------------------------------------------------------------| ||-o------------------------------------------------------------------| ||-o------------------------------------------------------------------| ||---5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5---5---5----| |--------------------------------------------------------------------|| |------------------------------------------------------------------o-|| |-------------------------------------------------3----------------o-|| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---0---3---0-------0---0---3------|| Verse 1A ||--------------------------------------------------------------------| ||-o------------------------------------------------------------------| ||-o------------------------------------------------------------------| ||---5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5---5---5----| |--------------------------------------------------------------------|| |------------------------------------------------------------------o-|| |-------------------------------------------------3---5------------o-|| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---0---3---0-----------0---3------|| Verse 1B |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------3---4----| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------3-------5---3--------------------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5-----------5---3---5---3----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------3---4----| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------3-------3-------3----------------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5-------5-------5---3--------| |-------------------------------------------------------------0----| Pre-Chorus |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.---------------.----------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.--------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------0---0----| |-----------------------------------------.------------------------| |-----------------3-------3---3---7-------7-------12------12--12---| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-1-------1---1----------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-10------10--10--10------10--10--9---10--12--10--9----------------| |-----------------------------------------------------12--10--\----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------.---------------.---------------.----------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.--------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---0----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------3-------3---3---7-------7---7---5-------5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-1-------1--------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------9-------7--------------------| |-------------------------9-------------------9---7------------| |-7---------------------------------------------------9---7----| |--------------------------------------------------------------| Chorus |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---3-------5---5---5---5---5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-3-------3---3---3---3---2----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------5---3-------3---3---3---3---3---3----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---7-------8-------8---8---8---8---7---7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------7------------| |-------------------------5---7---5-------5---5---7-------7---5----| |-8-------8---8---8---8--------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---3-------5---5---5---5---5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-3-------3---3---3---5---3---2------------------------------------| |---------------------------------3-------3---3---3---3---5--------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------.----------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---7-------8-------8---8---8---8---7---7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------5---7---5-------5---5---5---5---5---0----| |-8-------8---8---8---8--------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| Pre-Verse |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------5---7----| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---0------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------| |-7---7---7---7---7---7---5-------5---7---5---5----------------| |-----------------------------7-------------------7---6---5----| |--------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------5---7----| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---0------------| |--------------------------------------------------------------| |-7-------5-------5--------------------------------------------| |-----7-------7-------7---6---5---3---5---3---3---3------------| |-----------------------------------------------------0---3----| Verse 2A |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------0---0---0----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------3---5------------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---0---3---0-----------0---3----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---0---3---0----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------3---5------------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---0---3---0-----------0---3----| Verse 2B |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------3---4----| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------3-------5-------5---3------------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5-------5-----------5---3----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------3---4----| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------3-------5-------5----------------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5-------5-------5---3--------| |-------------------------------------------------------------0----| Pre-Chorus 2 |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.---------------.----------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.--------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---0----| |-----------------------------------------.------------------------| |-----------------3-------3---3---7-------7-------12------12--12---| |---------.--------------------------------------------------------| |-1-------1--------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-10------10--10--10------10--10--9---10--12--10--9-------9--------| |-----------------------------------------------------12------10---| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------.---------------.---------------.----------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.--------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---0----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------3-------3---3---7-------7---7---5-------5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-1-------1---1----------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------9-------7--------------------| |-------------------------9-------------------9---7------------| |-7---------------------------------------------------9---7----| |--------------------------------------------------------------| Chorus 2 |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---3-------5---5---5---5---5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-3-------3---3---3---3---2----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------5---3-------3---3---3---3---0--------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------.----------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---7-------8-------8---8---8---8---7---7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------7----------------| |-------------------------5---7---5-------5---7-------7---5--------| |-8-------8---8---8---8---------------------------------------7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---3-------5---5---5---5---5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-3-------3---3---3---5---3---2------------------------------------| |---------------------------------3-------3---3---3---3---0--------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------.----------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---7-------8-------8---8---8---8---7---7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------5---7---5-------5---5---5---7---5------------| |-8-------8---8---8---8---------------------------------------7---5----| |----------------------------------------------------------------------| Guitar Solo 1 (make those hammer-on's really quick) |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------7---7---7--5h7--7---7---7---7---7---7---5------------| |---------------------------------------------------------7---5----| |-5---5---5--------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| 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||-o-----------------7---------------7---------------7----------------| ||---0-------0---0-----------0---0-----------0---0-----------0---0----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.---------------------------7----| |-7---------------7---------------7---------------7---9---10-------| |---------0---0-----------0---0-----------0---0--------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------.---------------.---------------.----------------| |-7---------------7---------------7---------------7----------------| |---------0---0-----------0---0-----------0---0-----------0---0----| |--------------------------------------------------------------------|| |-.---------------.---------------.--------------------------------o-|| |-7---------------7---------------7---------------5----------------o-|| |---------0---0-----------0---0-----------5---7-------7---5---3------|| 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|---------------------------------------------------------9---7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------7--------------------| |-------------------------------------5---7-------7---5------------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-----------------------7---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| Pre-Verse |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5---5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------7-------5-------5----------------| |-------------------------5---7-------7-------7-------7---6---5----| |-5---5---5---5---5---5--------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------5---7----| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----7---7---7---7---5-------7---5--------------------------------| |-7-----------------------7-----------7---6---5---3---5---3--------| |-------------------------------------------------------------0----| Verse 3A ||--------------------------------------------------------------------| ||-o------------------------------------------------------------------| ||-o------------------------------------------------------------------| ||---5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5----| |--------------------------------------------------------------------|| |------------------------------------------------------------------o-|| |-------------------------------------------------3---5------------o-|| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---0---3---0-----------0---3------|| Verse 3B |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------3---4----| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------3-------5-------5-------3--------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5-------5-------5------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------3---4----| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------3-------3-------3----------------| |-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5-------5-------5---3--------| |-------------------------------------------------------------0----| Pre-Chorus 2 |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.---------------.----------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.--------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---0----| |-----------------------------------------.------------------------| |-----------------3-------3---3---7-------7-------12------12--12---| |---------.--------------------------------------------------------| |-1-------1--------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-10------10--10--10------10--10--9---10--12--10--9-------9-\------| |-----------------------------------------------------12-----------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------.---------------.---------------.----------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-.---------------.---------------.--------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---5---5-------5---0----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------3-------3---3---7-------7---7---5-------5---5----| |---------.--------------------------------------------------------| |-1-------1--------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------9----------------------------| |-------------------------9-----------9---7-------7------------| |-7-------------------------------------------9-------9---7----| |--------------------------------------------------------------| Chorus 3 |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5---5---5---5---5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------.--------| |-3-------3---3---3---3---2-------------------------------3--------| |-----------------------------5---3-------3---3---3---3------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---7-------8-------8---8---8---8---7---7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------7----------------| |-------------------------5---7---5-------5---7-------7---5--------| |-8-------8---8---8---8---------------------------------------7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---5---5---5-------5---5---5---5---5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------------------.--------| |-3-------3---3---3---5---3---2---------------------------3--------| |---------------------------------3-------3---3---3---3------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------.----------------------------------------| |-5-------5---5---5---5---7-------8-------8---8---8---8---7---7----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------5---7---5-------5---5---5---7---5---.--------| 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|---------------------------------------------5---7---7---5---3----| |-7---5---5--------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-3---3---3--------------------------------------------------------| |-------------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------7---7---7-------7---7---7---7---7---7---5------------| |---------------------------------------------------------7---5----| |-5---5---5---------------5----------------------------------------| |-------------------------7-------5--------------------------------| |-------------7---7---7-------7-------7---5-------7---5------------| |---------------------------------------------7-----------7---5----| |-5---5---5--------------------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------5--------------------------------| |-------------7---7---7--5h7--7-------7---5------------------------| |---------------------------------------------7---6---5---5---3----| |-5---5---5--------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-3---3---3--------------------------------------------------------| |-------------5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---0----| |------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------7---7---7---5---7---7---7---5---4--------------------| |-------------------------------------------------6---5---7---5----| |-5---5---5--------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------5------------------------| |-------------7---7---7---5---7---7---7-------5---5---7---7--------| 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