"Heaven and Hell" by Black Sabbath: Guitar Lesson

The Song and Its Impact

"Heaven and Hell" by Black Sabbath is a seminal track that every guitarist—whether a rookie or a seasoned player—should dig into. This song, released in 1980 on the album of the same name, features Ronnie James Dio on vocals and the legendary Tony Iommi on lead guitar. The composition presents a brilliant mix of power chords, pentatonic riffs, and arpeggios, coupled with an evocative solo that serves as a masterclass in phrasing and technique. Danny Gill shows you how to play every note to this classic song.

Chords and Scales

The main chord progression in the song is built around a hard-rocking I-IV-V structure in E minor, primarily employing the power chords of E5, A5, and B5. These are occasionally flavoured with the more tonally rich variations like E minor and A Major, offering a perfect canvas for the lead guitar to paint its melodic hues.

The scale that primarily drives the song is the E Minor Pentatonic, although Iommi frequently adds passing tones and makes occasional visits to the E Dorian scale. For those looking to improve their scale vocabulary, this song provides great material to explore diatonic modes and their applications.

The Solo

Now, let's talk about that soul-stirring guitar solo. Tony Iommi, known for his signature SG and down-tuned strings, crafts a solo that is as much about storytelling as it is about technique. The solo section starts with a series of emotive bends and vibratos, pulling the listener into its ethereal world. Iommi uses the pentatonic framework as the base but sprinkles some Dorian colour tones for added expressiveness. He opts for longer sustains on some notes, creating a sense of tension and release.

In the latter half, Iommi jumps into faster sequences, employing alternate picking and hammer-ons to escalate the intensity. The pentatonic box is shattered by bursts of legato runs and tapped harmonics, showing his adeptness at mixing different techniques for an emotional effect. The solo culminates in a frenetic array of double-stop bends, leaving the listener in awe of the sheer range of expressions that a guitar solo can offer.

Tony Iommi's Influence

Iommi's playing on this song is quintessential, encapsulating the sound that has influenced generations of metal and rock guitarists. He's not just a technician but an artist, someone who understands how to channel raw human emotion through the strings. The clever use of dynamics, from the softer arpeggiated sections to the heavier palm-muted riffs, indicates a player who knows when to hold back and when to unleash.

Even his choice of gear contributes to the tone; Iommi's use of Laney amplifiers and Rotosound strings helps to produce that dark, meaty sound that serves as the backbone of the entire composition.

Techniques Used in This Song

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Legato
• Tapped Harmonics
• Double-Stop Bends
• Chord Progressions
• Arpeggios
• Harmonics
• Hammer-Ons
• Power Chords
• Palm Muting

In summary, "Heaven and Hell" is not just a great song to listen to, but also an excellent song to learn for guitarists at various levels. It offers lessons in chord construction, melody building, and above all, how to craft a guitar solo that is as emotive as it is technically proficient. I highly recommend diving into this classic to enrich your playing and understanding of what the guitar can truly accomplish.