10ThingsYou've

GottaDotoPlay
LikeTonyIommi
BYJESSEGRESS

January30,2014

WHENEDWARDVANHALENCALLEDTony
Iommithemasterofriffs,hewasntjust
whistlingDixie.MasterriffmeisterIommis
backstory,risetolegendarystatus,andhis
influenceontheNewWaveofHeavyMetalhave
beenwelldocumentedintheannalsofmodern
guitarlore(mostrecentlyinthecoverstoryof
theJanuary,2010issueofGP),buteverything
mighthaveturnedoutdifferentlyifIommihad
notbeensodriventoplay.
Afterlosingthetipsofhisrighthandmiddleandringfingersinametal
shopaccidentat17,whichwasespeciallydevastatingconsideringitwas
hisfrettinghand,Iommisstrongwillanddevotiontohiscraftledhimto

developthethimblelikeprostheticshestillwearstoday.Philosophically
inspiredtocontinueplayingbyDjangoReinhardt,andmusicallysmitten
byBluesBreakerseraEricClapton,Iommirecontextualizedthesame
bluesbasedlicksandriffseveryoneelsewasplayingatthetimeintoa
muchdarkerandheavieroeuvrethatsoonbecameSabbathscallingcard.
Likeakeeperoftheflame,Iommihasdefinedtheheartandsoulofthe
band,fromtheoriginal70sOzzyOsbournefrontedlineup,toitslater
reincarnationswiththelate,greatRonnieJamesDioasbothBlack
SabbathandHeavenandHell(aswellashonorablementionsforIan
GillanandGlennHughes),withkillerriffsandalargerthanlifesound.
EssentiallisteningincludesatleastthefirstfiveSabbathalbums(Black
SabbathandParanoid[both1970],MasterofReality[1971],Black
SabbathVol.4[1972],andSabbathBloodySabbath[1973]),aselection
of80sand90ssides,includingHeavenandHell(1980)andBlack
Sabbath:TheDioYears(1998),Iommistwosoloalbums(Iommi[2000]
andFused[2005]),andofcourseHeavenandHellsmostrecent
releaseTheDevilYouKnow(2009).
WanttofollowinthefretprintsoftheGodfatherofHeavyMetal?First,youve
gotta...

1.BREAKAWAYFROMTHEPACK

Whilemanyofhisearlycontemporariesroutinelypluggedtheir
StratocastersandLesPaulsintoMarshallstacksandFendercombos,
TonyIommihasalwaysbeensomewhatofarenegadewhenitcomesto
gear.(Ofcourse,asalefthandedplayer,Iommisguitaroptionswere
understandablyfewer.)HeenteredBlackSabbathwithagoodStrat
gonebad,promptingaswitchtoanowiconic1965GibsonSGSpecialjust

intimetorecordthebandsentirefirstalbum,exceptforWicked
World,whichfeaturestheStrat.Withfewexceptions,thisguitarpaired
withaLaney100wattstack(chosenforthecompanysaffiliationwith
IommishometownofBirmingham),wasthemaininstrumentalvoiceof
earlySabbath,bolsteredonlybytwoequallyoffthebeatenpath
outboardeffects:aDallasRangeMasterTrebleBoosterandaTycobrahe
Parapedalwah.(Fact:IommisoldestgotoacousticwasaGibsonJ45.)
In1975,Iommiaddedtheguitarwithwhichhehasbecomemost
associatedtohisarsenal.CustombuiltbyJohnDiggensand
affectionatelyknownasJaydee,Number1,andTheOldBoy,this
battlescarredSGstyleaxsportsamahoganybodyand24fretneck(plus
azerofret),crossfretmarkers,aJaydeespecialbridgepickup,anda
JohnBirchstyleMagnumXPpickup(alsomadebyDiggens)intheneck
position,andencapsulatedeverythingIommiwaslookingforinaguitar.
SimilarfeatureseventuallyappearedonIommissignatureinstruments,
beginningin1997withGibsonslimitededitionTonyIommiSpecialSG
(Fact:Iommistillplaysthefirsttwoprototypes.),andcontinuingin2002
tothepresentwithbothEpiphoneandGibsonTonyIommiSignature
SGs.TheEpimodelsportsGibsonP94pickups,whiletheGibsonsare
fittedwithTonyIommiSignatureHumbuckers.
In2009withHeavenandHell,IommiusedanEnglPowerballheadin
additiontohisGH100TILaneyTonyIommiSignatureampalongwith
bothampsrespective4x12cabs(loadedwithCelestionVintage30
speakers),replacedhisTycobraheParapedalwithaChicagoIron
Parachutewah,andexperimentedwithseveraladditionaleffects,
includinganIbanezTubeScreamerandaBossOC3SuperOctave.(See
GP1/10forthefulllowdownonIommisH&Hstagerig.)Throughthe

years,Iommihasalwaysfavoredlightgaugestrings.008.032forhalf
stepdroppedtuning,and.009.042fortuningsbelowthatandblack
Dunloppicksofunspecifiedthickness.Hey,youvegottakeepsome
secrets!
2.MAKESINISTERSOUNDS

Arguablythefirstbandtoembracelosdiablosenmusica,
orthedreaded,churchbannedb5interval(Itsjustthree
wholestepsandthecenterpointofthe12tonechromaticscale,folks.
Honest.),BlackSabbathwastednotimeputtingthisdissonantdevils
intervaltowork.BlackSabbath,theopeningcutfromthebands1970
selftitleddebutcommenceswithathunderstormthatlullsusintothe
ultimateb5riffgloriouslynotatedinEx.1a.FollowtheG5powerchords
withanoctaveG,andthenaddthetrillbetweentheb5(enharmonically
notatedasC#)andthe5(D)forthebulkofbar2.Substitutealone,
vibratedC#forthetrillduringeveryotherrepeatandyouvegotmostof
thesongunderyourfingers.Ex.1b,ab5basedriffsimilartoonefound
inElectricFuneral(Paranoid),featuresaroot5b54b3motif
essentiallyadescendingEbluesscaleminusitsb7lacedwithIommis
signaturevibrato.Fortotalauthenticity,playthefirstbeatasfourpalm
mutedsixteenthnotesandchangetherhythmonbeatfourtoasixteenth
anddottedeighthpairing.Iommicansoundequallyscarywithoutthe
b5.TheominousriffinEx.1c(alsoredolentofE.F.)reliesonlyon
notesderivedfromtheEminor(Aeolian)scale.Addwaharticulationsto
eachnote,playbeatoneastwoeighthnotes,movebeatthreeaheadtoits
upbeateighthnote,andyoureinlikeFlint.(Tip:Tryapplyingbendsand
releasestobeatstwoandfour.)

3.GET(ALITTLE)JAZZY

ThefirsttimeIheardSabbathsmusicwaswhenalocal
bandcalledRockhousecoveredWickedWorld
(fromBlackSabbath)ca.197071,leadingmetobelievethatBlack
SabbathwasmoreofabluesyBritishjazzrockoutfitintheveinofJohn
MayallsBluesBreakers,BlodwynPig,andtheKeefHartleyBandrather
thantheforefathersofheavymetal!WickedWorldopenswithaBuddy
Richstylehihatintro(thethirdtohitTenThingsthisyear!),followed
byEx.2asswingingcallandresponseriffinthekeyofE.Iommis
signaturetrillsoccurbetweentheb3(G)andthe3(G#),acommonblues
movethatsoftenappliedtoshufflerhythmsandpacksextraweightin
thiscontext.
Ex.2bdepictsIommisIVchordfigure,whichutilizesan
AbluesscalelineforanotherroundofmelodicQ&A.
Playtheexampletwiceaswritten,addthreeroundsofA5C5D5power
chordsusingthefirstthreehitsofEx.2csrhythm,breakonaseventh
positionE5,andyourereadytopairthefullrhythmshowninEx.2cwith
thedescendingEbluesscaleinEx.2dtocompletethesongsnextriffon
yourown.(Tip:PlayitthreetimesandlandonanopenE5.)Youllfind
thislicktransposedfirstupawholesteptoF#,andthenanotherwhole
steptoG#laterinthesong.
4.GET(ALITTLE)MELLOW

ManySabbathtunes,includingSleepingVillageand
SpiralArchitectareprefacedwithIommismoody
acousticintros.LearnthearpeggiatedEmpickingpattern
showninEx.3a,andthenshiftyourfrettinghandto

theEmadd9voicingdiagramedinEx.3btoapproximatetheformer.

AnddothesamewiththeDmchord
andDmadd9,Em/D,Dm7,Aadd9,andG/Agrids
inExamples3cand3dtosimulatethelatter.(Tip:PlayDmadd9,
Em/D,andDm7forafullmeasureeach,andthenshiftthepicking
patterntothenextloweststringsetandalternateonebeateach
ofAadd9,andG/Aoverthecourseoftwobars.Rinseandrepeat!)
5.FLOATLIKEABUTTERFLY,STINGLIKEABEE
Renownedforhislightningfastsinglenotesoloing,
Iommioftenaccomplishesthedeedwithaslewof
strategicallyplacedhammeronsandpulloffs.Letsexaminefourtypical
phrasesbuiltfroma12thpositionEpentatonicminorscaleand
extrapolateavariationfromeachone.Bar1ofEx.4ashowsacoolrun
withonepulloffperbeat,whilebar2cutsoffthelastnoteineachbeat,
turningitintooneofIommissignaturestartandstopstaccatomotifs.
Similarly,bar2ofEx.4btransformstheruninbar1into
astutteringstaccatolickbycrammingthefirstthreenotes
intoahammeredandpulledsixteenthnotetriplet.

Inbar1ofEx.4c,weaddanothersixteenthnotetothe
previouslick,andthendisplaceanddoubletimethe
tripletinbar2.


Finally,Ex.4dmakestheimportantdistinctionbetween
sixnoteperbeatgroupings.Inbar1,wehavetwo
accentedtripletsperbeat(3x2),whileinbar2wefindeachbeatdivided
intosextuplets(2x3)withaccentsonthefirstandthirdnotes.Try
reversingtherhythmsinbars1and2whilekeepingthenotesthesame.
(Tip:Mixnmatchemasyouplease!)
6.REPEATYOURSELF
Youllfindablizzardofostinatos,orrepetitive,singlenote
linesplayedinunisonwithorcounterpointtotherhythm
section,evidentthroughoutboththeSabbathandHeaven
andHellcatalogs.Ex.5atakesusbacktoBlackSabbath,whereIommi
breaksoutofEx.1asb5riffwiththispalmmuted,lowregisterostinato,
firstoverapedalG,andthenoveradescendingGFEEbbassline.

IommiturnedthecommonsuspendedDlickinEx.
5bintoablazinginterludeduringSweetLeaf(Masterof
Reality)bystartingitonbeatfour.(Savvyreaderswillrecognizethe
notatedrhythmmotifashalftimeversionofbar2inEx.4c.)Sometimes
simpleisbest,asinEx.5csEmbasedsequenceofdescendingthirds.
(Tip:TryitoverotherchordsfromthekeyofEminor,especiallyDand
C.)Ex.5dfallsmoreintothecategoryofhemiola(repetitive3against4
rhythmicpatterns)thanostinato,andincorporatesthreeimportant

Iommitrademarks:3against4rhythmicphrasing,awholestepbend
andreleasefromtheroot(E)tothe2/9(F#),andrapidtrilling.(Tip:
CheckoutWarPigs[Paranoid]forsomesimilaraction.)
7.DOUBLE(ORTRIPLE)YOURPLEASURE

SpeakingofWarPigs,Iommioftencreateddoubletrackingeffectsin
thestudiousingtapedelay,butthissolowastripletracked,sometimesin
unisonandsometimesnot,muchinthespiritofClaptonsPolitician
solo(thestudioversionfromWheelsofFire)andmostofJeffBecks
Beckola.Inspiredbythisthreeguitarsolo,Ex.6simulateshowIommi
unleashesacontrolledchaosofpreCreamClaptonismsfirstwithtwo
guitarsinunison(Gtrs.1and2,bar1),andthenbyaddingathirdinbar
2,whereeachguitardoesitsownthingfortheremainingthreemeasures.
Consideringhowallthreeguitarsareplayinginthesametwelfthposition
Epentatonicbluesbox,theresultisprettyremarkable.
8.MAKEITBIGGER

Thoughhebegantuningdownawholestepmuchearlier
forSabbathsliveshows(theirfirsttwoalbumsarein
standardtuning),Iommilaterdroppedhistuninganadditionalhalfstep
beginningonMasterofReality.WiththisC#,F#,B,E,G#,
C#configuration,songslikeIntotheVoidreachednewdepthsof
heaviness,inspiringthelikesofEdwardVanHalen.Ex.7apresentsthe
songsmainriffinallitsglory.(ExtraCredit:Canyouspotthehemiolain
bar2?)

Forwhateverreason,bythetimeSabbath
recordedHeavenandHellwiththelateRonnieJamesDio,
Iommiandcompanywerebacktotuningdownonlyahalfstep,butwith
heavyashellriffsliketheoneinEx.7b,culledfromthealbumstitle
track,whoevennoticed?

9.BECOMEONEWITHYOURBASSPLAYER

OneofthekeystoIommisheaviosityishistightnesswith
bassistGeezerButler.Whilemanyshyawayfromunison
bassandguitarfiguresforfearofredundancy,bothSabbathandHeaven
andHellembracedtheconceptindozensofsongs.TheintrostoHeaven
andHellsAtomandEvil(Ex.8a)andFear((Ex.8b),bothfromThe
DevilYouKnow,areprimeexamplesofthepowerofoctave
reinforcement.Bothriffscreateasinistervibeviatheinclusionofthe
otherdevilsinterval(Ijustmadethatup),theb2/b9locatedahalf
step,orminorsecond,abovetheroot,withtheformerutilizingroot+5
powerchorddiads,andthelatterrelyingonsinglenotes.(Tip:Repeat
Ex.8aaswritten,butonthesecondroundsubstituteDb5forC5,C5for
B5,G5forF#5,F#5forF5,andF5forthesinglenoteGtocreatethefull,
fourbarrhythmfigure.)Ex.8ctakesusbacktowhereweleftoffinEx.
2d.Prefacethisriff,whichisplayedtwiceintheloweroctave
(downstems)andtwiceintheupperoctave(upstems),withthe
descendingEblueslickyoubuiltbymergingExamples2cand2d.For
totalauthenticity,swaprhythmsonthefirstandthirdbeats,andfor
extracreditseguetotheF#andG#transpositionsdiscussedbackin
Examples2cand2d.

10.DOITWITHDIADS

PerhapsthemostimportantfactorinIommismassive
soundishisuseoftwonotediadsintheformofroot+5
powerchords,andhisinsistenceonplayingthemonthebottomtwo
stringswheneverpossibleformaximumgirth.Letswrapitupwitha
coupleofmustknowSabbathclassicstoillustratethepoint.Thetitle
trackfromParanoidbeginswithatrioofgracehammereddoublestops
appliedtoatraditionalclave/rockandroll,threeplusthreeplustwo
rhythmmotiffollowedbytwobeatsofhammeredEpentatonicminor
sixteenthnotesexactlyasnotatedinEx.9a.(Tip:Feelitindouble
time.)PrecedethebVIIbIIIbVIIIfigureshowninEx.9bwithabarof
palmmutedE5sixteenthstoconstructthefirsthalfoftheverserhythm
figure,followupwithE5heldfortwobeats,C5andD5foronebeateach,
andanothermeasureofE5sixteenths,andyouveprettymuchnailedthe
wholetune.Hotonthetrailofhisapocalyptic,wholestep,behindthe
nutbendandgradualreleaseofthelowopenEstringandOzzysGodzilla
roar,IommismainrhythmfigurefromIronManridesthesixthand
fifthstringsexclusivelywithroot+5powerdiads.
Ex.9crevealssomeminuteandoftenoverlookeddetails
inIommissecondaryintro,includingsixteenthnote
ghostslides(bar1/beatsoneandfour,andbar2/beattwo)thatallow
smoothpositionshifts,andastrategicallyplacedmomentofsilence.
(Yes,thatsarest!)Duringthesongsverses,Iommiplaysasinglenote
versionofthisfigurebyomittingthetopnoteofeachdiad,changingthe
secondsixteenthnoteofbar2/beattwotoanotherF#,andmostlikely
incorporatingboththesixthandfifthstrings.

So,doesplayingeverypowerchordonthebottomtwostringsreally
makeadifference?Checkitoutandyoullhavetoagreethatthisguyhas
definitelybeenontosomethingforthepast40years.Thanksforsharing,
T.!