Led Zeppelin

Black Dog

This massive riff featured on Led Zeppelin’s fourth album (known as Led

Zeppelin IV), which was released in 1971. Guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones play the single-note riff in unison against John Bonham’s heavy backbeat to create one of the archetypal moments in rock history.

The riff has a slightly ambiguous sound, TGR297.ledzeppelin.fig01.musxsitting in-between major and minor tonalities. The line is based File Date: 16:57 08/08/2017 mainly in the A minor pentatonic scale Page 1 of 1 (A C DE G), but there is an extra G# passing Notes: note (a major 7th in this key) giving a brief major vibe. Jimmy Page also bends the minor 3rd note (C) up slightly towards a major 3rd (C#) – a common trait in blues music and another way of briefly blurring the lines between major and minor.

When playing the riff, start with an upstroke and continue alternate picking in a 16th-note fashion so you stay in time with the drum groove, whilst also adding the bends and hammer-ons.

Cheat sheet…

Appears at: 0:12-0:40 Tempo: 82bpm Key/Scale: A minor pentatonic scale Main techniques: Alternate picking / bluesy bends / hammer-ons / pull-offs

Black Dog Words and Music by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones © 1972 (Renewed) Flames of Albion Music, Inc All Rights Administered by WB Music Corp Exclusive Print Rights Administered by Alfred Music All Rights Reserved