When Eddie Van Halen, a guitar innovator himself, lauded Tony Iommi as the “master of riffs,” it wasn’t hyperbole. Tony Iommi, the pioneering guitarist of Black Sabbath, sculpted the very landscape of heavy metal with his distinctive sound and groundbreaking riffs. His journey, rise to iconic status, and profound influence, especially on the New Wave of Heavy Metal, are etched deeply in guitar history. But his path to becoming a legend was far from straightforward, marked by adversity and an unwavering dedication to his craft.
The pivotal moment that could have derailed Iommi’s musical aspirations was a severe industrial accident at the young age of 17. Losing the tips of his middle and ring fingers on his right hand, his fretting hand, seemed like a career-ending blow for any aspiring guitarist. However, Iommi’s resilience and passion for music propelled him to overcome this obstacle. He ingeniously crafted thimble-like prosthetics, which he still uses today, allowing him to continue playing and ultimately shaping his unique playing style.
Inspired philosophically by the legendary Django Reinhardt, who also overcame physical limitations to become a guitar virtuoso, and musically captivated by Eric Clapton’s raw blues sound during his Blues Breakers era, Iommi took the blues foundation prevalent at the time and twisted it into something darker, heavier, and altogether revolutionary. He recontextualized blues licks and riffs, injecting them with a sinister edge that became the signature sound of Black Sabbath.
Iommi has been the unwavering core of Black Sabbath, the architect of their sound across various incarnations. From the original, groundbreaking lineup fronted by Ozzy Osbourne in the 70s, through later formations with the powerful vocals of Ronnie James Dio in both Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell, and even periods with Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes, Iommi’s killer riffs and larger-than-life sonic vision have remained constant.
For anyone looking to delve into the essence of heavy metal guitar playing, immersing yourself in Iommi’s work is essential. Key albums to listen to include the first five Black Sabbath masterpieces – Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid (1970), Master of Reality (1971), Black Sabbath Vol. 4 (1972), and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973). Exploring later albums like Heaven and Hell (1980) and Black Sabbath: The Dio Years (1998), as well as his solo albums Iommi (2000) and Fused (2005), and Heaven and Hell’s The Devil You Know (2009) will further solidify your understanding of his vast influence.
Want to capture some of the magic of the Godfather of Heavy Metal’s guitar playing? Here are some crucial elements to consider:
1. Forge Your Own Gear Path: Beyond the Usual Suspects
While many guitarists in the late 60s and early 70s were reaching for Stratocasters and Les Pauls plugged into Marshall stacks and Fender combos, Tony Iommi charted a different course when it came to gear. Being a left-handed player naturally narrowed his guitar choices, but his equipment choices were also driven by a desire for a unique sound.
He initially used a modified Stratocaster in Black Sabbath, but quickly transitioned to a 1965 Gibson SG Special. This SG, paired with a Laney 100-watt stack – chosen because Laney was based in Birmingham, Iommi’s hometown – became the foundational sound of early Sabbath. This setup was further enhanced by two crucial, somewhat unconventional effects pedals for the time: a Dallas Range Master Treble Booster, which helped push his amp into saturated overdrive, and a Tycobrahe Parapedal wah, adding expressive dynamics to his solos and riffs. Interestingly, Iommi’s favored acoustic guitar for songwriting was a Gibson J-45, a classic choice known for its warm, balanced tone.
Later in his career, around 1975, Iommi incorporated the guitar most synonymous with his image: a custom-built SG-style guitar crafted by John Diggens. Affectionately nicknamed “Jaydee,” “Number 1,” or “The Old Boy,” this guitar was built to Iommi’s exact specifications. It featured a mahogany body, a 24-fret neck with a zero fret, distinctive cross inlays, a custom Jaydee bridge pickup, and a John Birch-style Magnum XP pickup in the neck position. This instrument embodied everything Iommi sought in a guitar, contributing significantly to his evolving sound.
2. Embrace the Sinister: The Devil’s Interval and Dissonance
Black Sabbath was arguably the first band to prominently feature the diabolus in musica, or the tritone, often referred to as the “devil’s interval.” This dissonant interval, a flattened fifth (b5), was historically banned by the church due to its unsettling sound. However, Black Sabbath fearlessly integrated this interval into their music, giving it a dark, ominous quality.
“Black Sabbath,” the opening track from their self-titled debut album, perfectly exemplifies this. The song begins with the sound of a thunderstorm, creating a foreboding atmosphere that sets the stage for the iconic, tritone-laden main riff. This masterful use of dissonance was groundbreaking and became a hallmark of their sound, influencing countless bands in the heavy metal genre and beyond.
3. Inject Blues and Jazz Sensibilities
While known for their heavy and dark sound, Black Sabbath’s music also subtly incorporates elements of blues and even jazz harmony. As the original article mentions, early listeners might have perceived Black Sabbath as a bluesy British jazz-rock band, akin to John Mayall’s Blues Breakers or Blodwyn Pig, especially when hearing covers of tracks like “Wicked World.”
Iommi’s playing, while heavy, is rooted in blues phrasing and incorporates jazz-influenced chord voicings and progressions in some of Sabbath’s less overtly heavy tracks. This blend of influences adds depth and complexity to their music, moving beyond simple power chord progressions and contributing to their unique sonic identity.
4. Tune Down for Immense Weight
While Black Sabbath’s first two albums were recorded in standard tuning, Iommi began experimenting with lower tunings early on for live performances. Starting with Master of Reality, Sabbath officially adopted down-tuning in the studio, initially dropping down a whole step and then settling on C#, F#, B, E, G#, C# tuning (a step and a half down from standard).
This lower tuning significantly contributed to the heaviness and depth of their sound. Songs like “Into the Void” from Master of Reality exemplify the crushing weight achieved through down-tuning, a technique that deeply inspired Eddie Van Halen and countless other guitarists seeking a heavier sound. While they briefly returned to a half-step down tuning during the Dio era, the impact of their deeper tunings on the evolution of heavy metal is undeniable.
5. Become Synced with Your Bassist: The Power of the Rhythm Section
A key element of Iommi’s sonic heaviness is his musical partnership with bassist Geezer Butler. Unlike some bands that avoid unison bass and guitar lines, fearing redundancy, Black Sabbath and Heaven and Hell actively embraced this technique, using it to create incredibly powerful and monolithic riffs in numerous songs.
The intros to Heaven and Hell’s “Atom and Evil” and “Fear” from The Devil You Know are prime examples of the immense power achieved through octave reinforcement between guitar and bass. These riffs, often utilizing the “other devil’s interval” (a made-up term for the minor second or flattened ninth), create a truly sinister and overwhelming sonic landscape. This tight interplay between Iommi and Butler is crucial to the signature Sabbath sound.
6. Dominate with Diads: The Might of Power Chords
Perhaps the most fundamental aspect of Iommi’s massive guitar sound is his masterful use of two-note diads, specifically root+5 power chords. Furthermore, he often favored playing these power chords on the lowest two strings whenever possible, maximizing the low-end frequencies and creating a thicker, more impactful sound.
Playing power chords on the lower strings indeed makes a significant difference in terms of sonic weight and impact. Iommi’s consistent application of this technique, combined with his other stylistic choices, has been a cornerstone of his sound for over five decades. His innovative approach to guitar playing has solidified his place as not just a guitar player, but as the quintessential Black Sabbath Guitar Player and a true legend of heavy metal.
