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Ozzy Osbourne - Killer of Giants - Guitar Tab

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Key E minor
Ozzy Osbourne - Killer of Giants guitar tab video
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The Ultimate Sin album cover
The Ultimate Sin
1986 5:42
Listen on Spotify
Ozzy Osbourne Heavy Metal 1986 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Killer of Giants

Few ballads in heavy metal ask for the kind of controlled, deliberate picking that "Killer of Giants" demands. Written for the 1986 Ozzy Osbourne album "The Ultimate Sin", the song lives in E minor and leans heavily on clean, arpeggiated chord work before the arrangement opens up. The right-hand technique is the real challenge here: keeping arpeggios even and unhurried, with no excess pick noise, takes more discipline than most beginners expect from a slow song. When the electric tone kicks in, focus on sustaining notes cleanly and matching the measured, deliberate phrasing rather than rushing toward the heavier sections. The transitions between the gentle intro feel and the fuller, driven passages are easy to fumble, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop those joins slowed down until the shift feels natural. Getting the dynamics right, soft to full without losing your picking accuracy, is what separates a decent run-through from a convincing one.

  • The song sits in E minor, making it a good vehicle for practising smooth chord voice-leading and single-note lines within that natural minor tonality.
  • Controlled, even arpeggio picking during the clean intro section is the primary technique to develop before attempting the full song at pace.
  • Practise the dynamic shift from the clean, quiet opening to the fuller electric passages in isolation, using looping slowed down, to lock in clean transitions.

How to Play Killer of Giants

The song moves through: Intro, Verse 1, Chorus 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Solo, Bridge, Chorus 3, Outro.

Key: E minor · Tempo: 80 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

The arrangement runs through 9 distinct sections, and the solo is the steepest jump, so isolate it on its own. At 80 bpm the slow tempo leaves every note exposed, so timing, vibrato, and dynamics matter more than raw speed.

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 80 BPM.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Slash's Les Paul Standard on 'Ordinary Man' delivers Ozzy's signature thick, warm sustain through its mahogany body and set neck. The guitar's natural resonance cuts through a cranked Marshall while maintaining the heavy, blues-rooted tone that defines modern Ozzy records.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde both relied on the Les Paul Custom's thick mahogany construction and PAF-style humbuckers for sustained, focused leads that pierce through Marshall saturation. The Custom's weight and warmth became sonic anchors for Ozzy's most iconic guitar tones across decades.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Zakk Wylde dimed the JCM800 2203 for maximum crunch and tight low-end response, making it the backbone of modern Ozzy heaviness. The amp's aggressive gain structure and natural breakup at volume deliver the roaring, sustained tone perfect for pinch harmonics and heavy riffing.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Randy Rhoads' modified 1959 Super Lead Plexi delivered natural tube saturation with a tight, focused midrange that allowed his fast runs and solos to cut through with clarity. The Plexi's simple, responsive design meant tone came directly from his fingers and Les Paul into the amp.

EMG 81
Pickup

EMG 81

Zakk Wylde's bridge position EMG 81 provides high output and compressed sustain essential for heavy riffing and pinch harmonics that define modern Ozzy songs. The active humbucker's tight low-end response couples perfectly with a dimed Marshall JCM800 for maximum aggression.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde both used the Cry Baby wah to add expressive texture to leads without cluttering their core Marshall-driven tone. The wah's responsive sweep enhanced their solos while remaining secondary to the raw tube amp saturation that defines Ozzy's sound.

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