Shadowing Practice: Iron Maiden - Senjutsu - Adrian Talks Solos - Learn English Speaking with Video

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23 sentences

If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.

As far as playing solos, when I was recording, when I first joined the band, I used to work my solos out.

I didn't quite have the confidence to just kind of let go.

I'm a bit more spontaneous these days.

We started off doing the solos when I'd be out in the control room

and Kevin and Steve would be sort of producing what I'm doing.

and we did it all like

that i did feel like i was under a bit too much pressure though

and perhaps they'd you know want to go with something

that i wasn't happy with i was too close to it

so i said to them like i'm going to go off

and do them on my own so i went upstairs

and there's another studio upstairs and i i know how to work the recording gear

so i just did my solos again

and i think we ended up mostly with using what i did the first time around

because it's amazing how your perspective is a great thing

and it's very difficult to retain your perspective when you're that close to recording.

But writing on the wall, yeah, a few people have commented on that.

I think that's the first time I've ever done a solo of that length on a Maiden Elm when normally Jan, Dave and I would do 16 bars and that's it.

That's all we've ever done.

At least I'm pretty sure it's all I've ever done.

I thought, well, I'm going to I write myself a nice solo, it must have been my birthday or something, I thought I'd write, you know, like do a 32 bar solo, which was a bit of a challenge.

But, you know, something different.

I like to try and do something different on every album.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Iron Maiden - Senjutsu - Adrian Talks Solos”. This video has 23 sentences and 303 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:30. The speaker talks fast, about 203 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
upstairs adverb	/ˌʌpˈstɛɹz/	Up the stairs; on or to a higher floor or level.
gear noun	/ɡɪɚ/	Equipment or paraphernalia, especially that used for an athletic endeavor.
retain verb	/ɹəˈteɪn/	Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
bind verb	/ˈbaɪ̯nd/	To tie; to confine by any ligature.
spontaneous adjective	/spɑnˈteɪ.ni.əs/	Self-directed; happening or acting without external cause or instigation; proceeding from natural feeling, temperament, or momentary impulse.
solo noun	/ˈsoʊ.loʊ/	A piece of music for one performer.
perspective noun	/pɚˈspɛk.tɪv/	A view, vista or outlook.
studio noun	/ˈstudi.oʊ/	An artist’s or photographer’s workshop or the room in which an artist works.
confidence noun	/ˈkɑn.fɪ.dəns/	Self-assurance.
normally adverb	/ˈnɔː.mə.li/	Under normal conditions or circumstances; usually; most of the time
join verb	/ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/	To connect or combine into one; to put together.
sort noun	/soɹt/	A general type.
bar noun	/bɑɹ/	A solid, more or less rigid object of metal or wood with a uniform cross-section smaller than its length.
challenge noun	/ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪnd͡ʒ/	An antagonization or instigation intended to convince a person to perform an action they otherwise would not.
comment noun	/ˈkɑmɛnt/	A spoken or written remark.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
end up verb	To bring to a conclusion.
go off verb	To explode.
start off verb	To begin.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 14 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I'd, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: length /leɪŋ(k)θ/, birthday /ˈbɜːθ.deɪ/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like upstairs, gear, retain.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: Iron Maiden - Senjutsu - Adrian Talks Solos - Learn English Speaking with Video

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