Black Sabbath – Iron Man

Iron Man drum sheet music – a note-for-note transcription of Bill Ward’s drum part on Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man”, from the album Paranoid (1970). Every groove, fill and cymbal hit is written out from the original recording in a clean, print-ready PDF.

About the drum part

“Iron Man” from Black Sabbath’s Paranoid is one of the foundation stones of heavy metal. Bill Ward’s drumming is slower and heavier than most metal that came after it, but it is full of character: busy, jazzy fills that answer the riff instead of just keeping time.

The song opens with a slow quarter-note bass drum pulse and a short 2/4 bar repeated seven times, before a grace-note fill brings in the riff. The verses and choruses use steady grooves (the chorus is played on the ride), broken up by fast sixteenth- and thirty-second-note fills around the snare and toms.

What’s in the Iron Man drum sheet music

This Iron Man drum sheet music includes bar numbers on every system, labelled sections (intro, verses and choruses), first, second and third-time endings, and “1st only / 2nd only” notes for the small changes between passes. Every one of Bill Ward’s fills is written out exactly.

Looking for Iron Man drum tabs? This is full drum notation on a five-line staff, so it shows the exact rhythm of every note – something tabs can’t do.

Song facts

• Artist: Black Sabbath
• Album: Paranoid (1970)
• Drummer: Bill Ward
• Tempo: ♩ ≈ 65
• Time signature: 4/4 with a repeated 2/4 bar in the intro
• Style: Heavy metal / hard rock
• Level: Intermediate

What you get

• The full song, transcribed note-for-note from the original recording
• Clearly labelled song sections
• Professionally engraved, print-ready PDF
• Instant download after purchase

How to practise Iron Man on drums

Once you have the Iron Man drum sheet music, here is a good way to learn it:

1. Feel the slow tempo. At about 65 bpm the space between notes is large. Practise with a metronome on eighth notes to keep it steady.
2. Isolate the fills. Loop each fill with the bar before it until the fast notes stay even.
3. Switch to the ride for the chorus. The chart marks where the ride cymbal takes over. Practise the switch so the groove does not change.
4. Watch the endings. Follow the first, second and third-time endings carefully – each pass is slightly different.

Reading tips for this chart

• Open and closed hi-hat are marked with a small “o” (open) and “+” (closed) above the note. The timing of the openings is part of the groove, so follow them closely.
• First- and second-time endings show which bars to play on each pass of a repeat. Play the bracket marked “1.” the first time and skip to “2.” the next time.
• Repeat bars (the slash signs) mean “play the previous bar or bars again”. The small numbers above them count the bars so you do not lose your place.
• Time-signature changes are written exactly where they happen. When a new one appears, count the smallest note value (eighths or sixteenths) until it feels natural.
• Grace notes and flams are the small notes just before the main note. Play them softly and slightly ahead of the beat.

Who is it for?

This Iron Man drum sheet music suits intermediate drummers who want to play classic heavy metal and learn Bill Ward’s fill vocabulary. It is also a good song for practising time and feel at a slow tempo.

More Black Sabbath drum sheet music

You might also like War Pigs, and the rest of the Black Sabbath drum sheet music collection.

Frequently asked questions

Is this Iron Man drum sheet music the full song?

Yes. It is the complete drum part, transcribed note-for-note from the original recording on Paranoid. Nothing is simplified.

Is it a drum tab or real notation?

It is real drum notation, the standard way drum parts are written. If you are used to tabs, it is worth the switch – notation shows rhythm exactly, which tabs can’t.

How do I get the PDF after I buy?

The download link appears straight after checkout and is also sent to your email. You can print the PDF or read it on a tablet.

Listen to the song on YouTube · Got any questions? Get in touch · Need another song? Custom drum transcriptions