Black Sabbath - War Pigs - Guitar Tab

About War Pigs

"War Pigs" opens with one of the most recognisable slow, heavy riffs in rock guitar, built around E minor and driven almost entirely by feel rather than speed. Tony Iommi's approach here rewards close attention: the riff relies on precise picking attack and deliberate note placement, so rushing it kills the weight entirely. Pay special attention to the mid-song transition where the tempo shifts and the riffing becomes more aggressive, because those gear-changes are easy to fumble. Black Sabbath tuned down to get that thick, dark tone, so match your tuning before you start or nothing will sit right against a reference track. The outro solo section also demands smooth phrasing in E minor pentatonic with controlled vibrato, which is harder to nail than it sounds at this tempo. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main riff slowed down until your picking hand is locking in the same pocket every single time.

• The main riff is built around E minor and depends heavily on picking attack and timing rather than technical speed or complexity.
• Iommi's downtuned guitar is central to the song's tone, so matching that tuning before practising is essential for the correct feel and string tension.
• The mid-song tempo shift is a common stumbling point, so isolating that transition and looping it slowed down is a practical way to build consistency.