How To Play The Clansman By Iron Maiden

Learn how to play the Clansman from the Virtual XI (pronounced: Virtual Eleven) is the eleventh studio album by Iron Maiden.

released on 23 March 1998. It is the band’s second and final album with Blaze Bayley on vocals.

The Clansman is clearly inspired by the 1995 movie Braveheart starring and directed by Mel Gibson. Another film about the History of Scotland was also released the same year, namely Rob Roy, and Steve said it was an inspiration for the song as well. But, whereas William Wallace was a true hero of Scotland and contributed massively in the struggle against the English, Rob Roy although considered a hero too by many was nothing more than a crook, a thief and a double-agent, who never really did anything in the fight for the freedom of his country.

The Clansman started as two separate ideas, then put them together and it worked! It’s got a Celtic flavour to the music which is why I wrote the lyrics about the Scottish clans. They were inspired also by the Braveheart and Rob Roy films.

For the Clansman lesson I have included all the tabs and I have also created a backing track that covers the acoustic guitar sections. Playing this part would be a challenge without the original guitar parts played. For the rock guitar section you can take on the roll of any of the guitars.

Dave Murray Intro Clean Guitar Tablature:

Janick Gers Intro Guitar:

Dave Murray Overdrive Guitar:

Adrian Smith Overdrive Guitar:

Here is the backing track so you can practice playing what you have learned.