Iron Maiden › Still Life Guitar Tab

Piece Of Mind Tabs:

Send "Still Life" Ringtone to your Cell Phone

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: caladan@maths.tcd.ie (Edmund Breslin)

Still Life
by Iron Maiden(Harris/Murray)
Transcribed by Eddie Breslin(caladan@maths.tcd.ie)

INTRO:

Gtr II (Adrian)
I'll show the picking pattern for the three chords used in
the backing to the solo. I'll show the chord changes with the
solo.
Played with a 3/4 time feel.
A(m)
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------14------14--------------14------14---------------------|
|------14------14------14------14------14------14---etc-----------|
|--12----------------------12-------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

F
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------10------10-------------10------10-----------------------|
|-----10------10------10-----10------10------10---etc-------------|
|--8----------------------8---------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

G
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------12-------12--------------12------12--------------------|
|------12------12-------12------12------12------12---etc----------|
|--10-----------------------10------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


Gtr I (Dave): with Phaser and Delay
A(m)                                             F
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--7-s/-9-hold------9b(10)r9-hold---7h9p7--7s\5--4s/5s\4-hold-----|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

A(m)
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----5p4--(s\)2-hold--------------4h5--7s/9-hold--9b(10)r9-hold---|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

G
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------12--13--15-15b(17)---r15-----15p13h15~------|
|--7s/9--10--12-s/14----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

A(m)                                    F
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--13h15p13--12s\10-s/12-s\10----8h10p8---5h8p5-------------------|
|------------------------------------------------7b(9)r7p5-7------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

A(m)
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-(8)---------------------15b(17)-r15-b(17)~----15b(16.5)-r15-----|
|--7b(9)r7p5------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------7~--------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

G                                   A(m)
|-------------------------------------------------------15b(17)~--|
|--15--13--15b(17)--15~------------13h15p13--12-------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


"Quiet" bit with "Take a Look..."
I'll try and show the basic idea. Finger the open Am and try to
follow the melody by lifting your finger on 2nd string. Then pick
the Fmaj7 chord anyway you want.
Am
|-------------------------------------------------|
|----------------0--------1--------0--------------|
|-------2-----------2--------2--------2-----2-----|
|----2-----2-----------------------------------2--|
|-0-----------0--------0--------0--------0--------|
|-------------------------------------------------|

Fmaj7                                     G    A   A     G
|--------0-------0------------------------------------------------|
|----------1-------1------1------------------8-s/-10--10-s\-8-----|
|-------------2------2-------2-----2---------7-s/-9---9--s\-7-----|
|----3-----------------3--------3---------------------------------|
|--3--------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

Oh! They drain my strength away...:
C/G
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--5--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--5--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--3--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--3--------------------------------------------------------------|


Main Verse Riff:
Similar idea to the previous part except you follow the melody
on the 3rd string. When muting the strings and strumming between
the parts shown lift your 3rd or 4th finger off the 3rd string,
i.e. don't hold the melody notes down,just keep the A power chord
fingered. Play the extended notes with upstrokes to emphasise the
melody.
A(m)
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--2---------4-(2)---5-(2)---4-(2)---2-----2----------------------|
|--2---------2-------2-------2-------2-----2----------------------|
|--0--x-x-x--0--x-x--0--x-x--0--x-x--0--x--0----------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

F                                    G    A         G
|--1--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--1---------------------Gtr II plays---8-s/-10--10-s\-8----------|
|--2------------------------------------7-s/-9---9--s\-7----------|
|--3--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--3--------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------7--/--9---9--\--7---------|
|---------------------------------------5--/--7---7--\--5---------|
|------------------------Gtr I plays----5--/--7---7--\--5---------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

Sometimes Gtr II plays:

|----------------------------------------1------------------------|
|---------5-------6-----8-----10---------1------8-s/-10--10-s\-8--|
|--2------4--xxx--5-xxx-7-xxx-9----------2------7-s/-9---9--s\-7--|
|--2-------------------------------------3------------------------|
|--0--xxx--------------------------------3------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

C/G
Oh! They drain my strength away...


CHORUS:
Both Guitars.
A  (G) A    F    C
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--2--p0--2----5--------------------------------------------------|
|--2--p0--2----3----5-----------------5---4-----------------------|
|--0------0----3----3--------0----3-----------5----3----(0)-------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Night     - mare-res

A  (G) A    F    C
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--2--p0--2----5--------------------------------------------------|
|--2--p0--2----3----5------------------5----4~--------------------|
|--0------0----3----3--------0----3-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Spirits     call me
-ing

|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--2--p0--2----5--------------------------------------------------|
|--2--p0--2----3----5------------------5----4---------------------|
|--0------0----3----3--------0----3--------------5----3----0------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Night       mare-ares

|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--2--p0--2----5--------------------------------------------------|
|--2--p0--2----3----5---------------------5-----4~----------------|
|--0------0----3----3---------0-----3-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
They won't leave be
-me


BREAK:
Gtr I:
D  C  D    E  F
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------3--5--3h5p3---------------------|
|-------------4--5-----------------------------5--4---------------|
|--7--5--7----2--3------------------------------------------------|
|--5--3--5----2--3------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

Play with upstroke
|       |
A  G  A    G  A
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--2--0--2----0--2------------------------------------------------|
|--2--0--2----0--2--------------5----4----------------------------|
|--0-----0-------0----0----3--------------5----3----0-------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

Gtr II:
D  C  D    E  F          A   G   A   G   A
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------10--8---10--8---10--------------------|
|---------------------------9---7---9---7---9---------------------|
|--7--5--7----9--10---------7---5---7---5---7----------5--4-------|
|--5--3--5----7--9-------------------------------0--3-------5-3-0-|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

THE HARMONY:
I'll just show the notes, move between notes with hammers
and pulls wherever it feels natural.
The approximate bassline is shown aswell.

Gtr I: (Dave)
A
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------5--6--5-------------------5---------|
|--5--4--5--7-----------7----5--4--5--7------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|

F                                                 G   A  A  G
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--12--13---10--12---8--10---6--8---5--6------5-------------------|
|------------------------------------------7------5--7---5--4-----|
|--------------------------------------------------------------5--|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

Gtr II:
A
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|-----------4--5--7--5--4-----------4--5------|
|--7--5--7-----------------7--5--7------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|

F                                      G  A  A  G
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|--5--6-----5-------------------------------------------|
|--------7-----5--7--4--5-----4-------------------------|
|--------------------------7-----5--7-----5-------------|
|--------------------------------------8-----8--7--3----|
|-------------------------------------------------------|

RHYTHM FOR SOLO'S: Listen for strumming and muting.
Solo 1:
D       E       F       A       G       F
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--7-------9-7-----10-7----14------12------10------|
|--5--xxx--7-5xxx--8--5xx--12--xx--10--xx--8-------|
|--------------------------------------------------|

Solo 2:
E       F#        Ab        B        A       G
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------11-------9-------7--|
|--9-------11-9------13-9------9--------7-------5--|
|--7--xxx--9--7-xxx--11-7-xxx--9--xxx---7--xxx--5--|
|--------------------------------------------------|

ENDING:
Play with upstrokes
|       |
A   G  A    G  A
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--2---0--2----0--2-----------------------------------------------|
|--2---0--2----0--2-----------------------------------------------|
|--0------0----x--0-----------------------------------------------|
|--------------3--------------------------------------------------|
Now we rest in peace.

SOLO'S:
Transcribing solo's is not my strong point but you should the
main ideas from the following. These are the album solo's.
Some of fast licks, especially Dave's are more approximations
than anything else.

Solo 1: (Adrian)D minor

|---------5-----------------------------------|
|-------------5b(7)-r5------------------------|
|--7~--------------------7p5--7---------------|
|--------------------------------5--3---------|
|--------------------------------------5~-----|
|---------------------------------------------|


|-------10---------10--13p10-----15p10-----13p10-----15p10--------|
|--s/10----13----10----------10--------10--------10--------10-----|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


|--13p10-----15p10-----13p10-----15p10-----13p10------------------|
|--------10--------10--------10--------10--------10----13--13~----|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


|------18b(20)--(20)--(20)--(20)--(20)--(20)r(19)--|
|--15----------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|


|--18p17p15------15-----------------------------------------------|
|------------18------18p17p15------15-----------------------------|
|------------------------------17------17p15--17b(19)r17-p15------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

Bend, Tap, release tap, release bend and pull off.
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--12b(14)-T-15-p(14)r12-p10----12b(14)-T-17-p(14)r12-p10---------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--17b(18)-(18)--18p17p15-----15----------------------------------|
|--------------------------17-----17p15p14------14----------------|
|-------------------------------------------17------17p15p14------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|------14--15p14p12----12h14p12--14~------------------------------|
|--17-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

Solo 2: (Dave)E minor

|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|--2b(4)--2b(4)--2b(4)r2-p0-------------------|
|----------------------------2~---------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|


|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--0h2p0h2p0h2p0h2p0h3p0h3p0h3p0h3p0h4p0h4p0h5p0h5p0--7~~---------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--12h15p12h15p12h15p12------12h15p12--12h15p12h15p12h15p12-------|
|------------------------14---------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|------12---------------------14b(15)--slowly release or----------|
|--14------12h14p12h14p12-----14b(16)--drop with T-bar------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


|------15b(17)-------12--15p12p0--15p12p0--15p12p0--15p12p0-------|
|--12-------------12----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


|--15p12h15p12h15--15p12p0--------------------|
|---------------------------15b(17)-----------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|


|------------14h15p14-----14--15p14h15p14h15p14---------|
|--15-s/-17------------17------------------------17p15--|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|


|------------------------------------17b(19)--17b(19)--17b(19)r17-|
|--17b(19)-r17-p15--17~----------15-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


|--14h15p14h15p14h15--------------------15b(17)----|
|---------------------17p15h17~-----12-------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|

Trill and drop with T-bar
|--12h15p12h15p12h15-etc--------------------------12\-------------|
|-------------------------------------------------12\-------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

Still Life Tab

Send "Still Life" Ringtone to your Cell Phone

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/i/iron_maiden/364469.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Rhys Average	#1 by Rhys at Apr 10, 2006 at 5:41 PM EST
	Hmm, I used to know what was said backwards... Something along the lines of "Do not mettle with things you don't understand." It was a half-joke on people decrying "satanic" metal, the joke being that people like this liked to find evil backward messages in music.

No Picture Bryan Average	#2 by Bryan at Jun 16, 2006 at 8:56 PM EST
	The backwards bit is Nicko doing an impression of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (previous poster is correct - something about don't meddle with things etc around backwards messages). Wasn't there a big court case going on around this time around hidden song messages in songs? I seem to remember Judas Priest appearing in court after someone killed themselves listening to one of their records (I may be mis remembering this but I think there was some hysteria at the time). This is what Maiden were referencing I think

No Picture Travis Wanna Be	#3 by Travis Alford at Jun 19, 2006 at 12:01 AM EST
	This song is about the movie The Screaming Skull. :-)

No Picture Mitch Badass	#4 by Mitch Schooler at Oct 12, 2006 at 11:07 PM EST
	it is not about a book...The lyrics are to open a page...After the number of the beast album man rumors came out for iron maiden as being anti-christ so they created the piece of mind 4 backin ot these rumors...(peace leads to serenity to prove that they r not insane)Still life destroysthese rumors by cllaing them nightmares and stuff...get it?

No Picture Adam Average	#5 by Adam Foreman at Feb 15, 2007 at 6:50 AM EST
	Im surprised by how overlooked this song is for Iron Maiden being so popular. I see this as among their best.

No Picture gab Average	#6 by gab gonzalez at Mar 8, 2007 at 12:03 PM EST
	im suprised no one has reversed it to hear the backwards bit at the begining. id do it myself but i havent got anything that can play it backwards. i was suprised that they overlook this song so much, its one of their best.

No Picture Braxton Lead Player	#7 by Braxton Overby at May 27, 2007 at 2:48 PM EST
	yeah about a book, what book?

No Picture Sir Dylan Rhythm Player	#8 by Sir Dylan Deconcini at Sep 30, 2007 at 7:04 AM EST
	This song has nothnig to do with murder, murder/suicide, suicide, or anything like that. It's based on a short story called Genius Loci by Clark Ashton Smith. Either that or drugs, since every piece of music ever written is about drugs. 1

No Picture Justin Average	#9 by Justin Allen at Sep 30, 2007 at 11:09 PM EST
	This song is fuckin great, piece of mind is a quality album

No Picture PW Average	#10 by PW at Oct 1, 2007 at 11:22 AM EST
	my take is that its about a person who thinks differently than everyone else everyone thinks hes " different" so he drowns himslef =]