I do suspect they might have been a different band, but perhaps there might have an eventual metamorphosis towards the sound, they are best known for?
It’s an amusing thought, to entertain, no pun intended, that they could of had, more of a commercial sound, but then who knows if they would have been as influential and iconic?
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I am not a musician (but I did stay at a Holiday Inn) but could imagine the sound be different with a fully formed finger.
How much of a difference I am not sure.
Will let the guitar heroes on here to provide insight.
Yes and no. Iommi’s accident and the fingertip prosthetics he wore definitely contributed to their dark sound, as it necessitated tuning down the guitars. However, I think it’s way more significant that they were the first (or at least one of the first) bands to play around extensively with tritones (“the devil’s interval”) to create those dissonant, creepy, horror movie riffs. Geezer Butler’s lyrics also contributed greatly to their overall sound.
(Guitar Nerd Note: This gets incorrectly reported a lot, but Iommi lowering the action on his guitar did not contribute to Sabbath’s sound. The guitar’s action [room between strings and fretboard] is a personal preference, and while it may have made it easier for him to play, it didn’t change the sound of their music.)
RTunes,
I know I am guilty of writing that about the guitar action, as well. I was incorrect, and my apologies. While I don’t play, I had a boyfriend who did, and my fiancee does, so I should have know a little better, but it had been erroneously reported, by many outlets, for decades.
However, I bet those homemade fingertip prosthetics, did contribute to their sound, as his playing style had to change. 🙂 I am fairly certain, I thought that I read, that once Iommi had made money, he had proper medical prosthetics made. The irony was, once he used them, it changed his sound, or the way he played, so he went back to his old, handmade ones-LOL!
Ah, no worries, Dana. Like I said, it’s a total guitar nerd note.
Ha! I had no idea he had proper prosthetics made and then went back to his homemade ones. I always wondered if he still played with them, and how do they stay on?!?
No, I do not think Black Sabbath’s sound would have sounded much different if Iommi didn’t have his accident. Without the accident, Iommi may have used a less ‘slinky’ guitar string gauge and kept his guitar in standard tuning, but……Sabbath’s plan was always to write scary, doomy music knowing that people enjoyed being scared. So, the music writing style of Iommi would have remained unchanged without the accident, still creating those riffs. But perhaps those songs would have sounded a tad brighter cuz of using less ‘slinky’ guitar strings and remaining in standard guitar tunings, so the sound difference, IMO, would not be much.
Without any recordings of Tony playing before the accident, we can’t compare. Speculatively, I will say as someone who played guitar off and on for years, I think he would’ve sounded the same or very very close. There definitely wouldn’t have been a noticeable difference such as when a guitar player uses a slide for example.
Media is reporting that Ozzy Osbourne died today.
Story is up now.