4 Black Sabbath Riffs That Inspired These Guitarists

The Enduring Influence of Black Sabbath

• 💡 Black Sabbath's music was uniquely heavy and inspiring for many guitarists, shaping their musical journeys.
• 🎯 Their riffs served as a foundational element for aspiring musicians, converting them to the instrument.

Marty Friedman on "Into the Void" and Down-Tuning

• 🧠 Marty Friedman found Black Sabbath's sound unapproachable in its heaviness as a kid, despite playing the notes correctly.
• 🔑 He later discovered the band's secret was down-tuning guitars by a step and a half, a technique unknown to his peers that created their colossal sound.

Jared James Nichols' "Electric Funeral" Revelation

• 🎸 Jared James Nichols was drawn to guitar after his parents disallowed drums, finding his passion ignited by Black Sabbath's "Electric Funeral".
• ⚡ His world changed upon discovering the distortion button on his first electric guitar, allowing him to achieve the heavy sound he sought.
• 🎶 He obsessively learned the "Electric Funeral" riff by ear, crediting Tony Iommi for shaping him as a guitarist.

Steve Reis on the Iconic "Black Sabbath" Riff

• 🤘 Steve Reis, initially a punk and metal fan, was profoundly impacted by the dissonant tritone interval in the song "Black Sabbath".
• 🎼 He notes how the song's intro, dynamics, and Tony Iommi's downpicking technique set the template for doom metal.
• ✨ Iommi's playing, including his unison bends and unique trills, remains his biggest guitar influence.

Nate Garrett's Return with "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"

• 🔄 Nate Garrett had lost interest in guitar until a VH1 pop-up video of "Paranoid" reignited his spark.
• 🔥 The production, guitar tone, and layering of the riff in "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" profoundly impressed him, bringing him back to playing guitar for good.