Throughout human history, a solar eclipse was a harbinger of terror. Early civilizations believed the gods were angry, and the world would soon end after a solar eclipse.
For today’s guitar lesson, we’re going to capture the horror and terror solar eclipses wrought on early civilizations in sound.
The Minor Second Interval
If you’ve ever seen the movie Jaws, you get the heck out of the water the moment you hear this interval being played! Just one fret apart on the guitar, the minor second ruined ocean swimming for an entire generation of moviegoers.
The Tritone
Otherwise known as Diabolus in Musica, the tritone was believed to summon Satan from the gates of hell. In fact, playing the tritone was enough to get a person excommunicated from the church during the 18th century. The legendary heavy metal band Black Sabbath are masters of the tritone. Check out Black Sabbath and Symphony of the Universe for tritone examples.
Milo’s Creepy Fun House
Featuring both the minor second and the tritone, Milo’s Creepy Fun House is easy to play on the guitar and downright horrifying! Download the full score and jam along!
