Black Dog - Led Zeppelin | Guitar Lesson

More ways to support the channel:
Super Thanks (see below the video screen)

Learn how to play Black Dog, as performed by Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page on guitar) released as the opening track on their 4th studio album.

The lesson covers the rhythm and lead guitar parts.

00:00 Black Dog panting
00:10 Introduction/What to expect
01:42 Getting your tone
02:47 Lesson - Primary Riff (Part A)
04:16 Lesson - Primary Riff (Part B)
07:00 Lesson - "Oh Yeah" chords
08:20 Lesson - "Hey Baby" chords
09:30 Lesson - Harmony Riff & how to fake it on one guitar
11:44 Guitar solo approach
13:25 Lesson - Guitar Solo
19:53 Demo - Guitar Solo
21:26 Final thoughts

Gear used in this video (if you purchase via these links I will earn a small commission):

pedals

For lead guitar added on:

Freyette Power Station attenuator

Also...

WIN FREE GEAR:

DEALS ON MUSIC GEAR:

USED GEAR:

[bimwopbarn]

ok so according to andy johns, who engineered the album, the guitar was triple tracked! and he did something with compressors that I don't understand too well, but it sounds interesting - maybe you will have a point of view ..

A is Andy Johns ...

A:
Would you like the “Black Dog” guitar tone story?

Q:
Absolutely! Which Led Zeppelin album was that?

A:
That is the fourth one, the really, really big one. “Stairway To Heaven, ” “When The Levee Breaks, ” and “Black Dog.” It sold about 18 million — something bloody ridiculous. Who would have known, you know? I had been trying to get this sound from Buffalo Springfield for a long time and I met Bill House. He said, “I just put two of them in series.” He didn’t really want to let me know what “they” were.

It was a direct sound and I thought that I knew what to do. There were three guitars on “Black Dog” so I triple tracked it. When I mixed it, these three guitars were down here and the rest of the tracks were up here. Since the sound was so loud, it gave me much more room for the other stuff. Anyways, he meant two 1176s in series, one of which has the compression buttons punched out, so it is like an amp. You hit the front of the next compressor really hard and make the mic amp distort a bit with the EQ —a bit of bottom to make it sing. So “Black Dog” has a direct Gibson Les Paul Sunburst 52 or something, going right into the mic amps on the mixer, which is going through two 1176s, and it sounds like some guy in the Albert Hall with a bunch of Marshalls. I couldn’t have done it without the 1176s. There is not another compressor that will do that, because you can take out the compression stuff.

[Dan-zqwt]

I love that solo. Page just played with so much attitude and personality. That solo is speaking.

[tonytigertwenty]

Keep the Zep coming!!!❤❤❤ you rock !!thank you thank you, thank you.

[lucasvonbraun]

Great lesson and explanation of "that part" .. What adds so much to these classic songs are the subtleties - Black Dog, Sweet Home Alabama, Walk This Way - these songs have the fingerprints of the guitarists all over them, and each are unique .. Thanks for rolling up you sleeves !!

[hughbetcha]

I have been playing this song since it was first released on vinyl (yeah, I'm old). The challenge to covering this song in a band is getting everyone to step on the same foot at the same time. I believe Bonham would tap out a beat on the hi-hat to keep them together on stage.

[jeffscott]

We didn’t have internet, lap tops, iPhones, and all that jazz but yes indeed we did most certainly have one of the absolutely best Rock & Roll bands ever to record music and tour this planet! Oh yeah Baby!!! We had The Lords of Rock, The Leviathan of Rock & Roll Bands, we had The Mighty LED ZEPPELIN!!!
Thanks so much for featuring them my man!!!

[daveharveys]

Yes, the 'part'. Probably the most difficult riff of all riffs to play correctly. Great job.

[ryanmillar]

Have been trying to play this forever. Great breakdown and demo. Jimmy Page doesn’t get enough love for his musicality IMHO and this song is outstanding. Not to mention that his playing style makes him impossible to duplicate.

[ianmorris]

Brilliant as usual! Love it! Many thanks. All the best from Ian, UK🎸

[cgrovespsyd]

Thank you! I couldn’t figure out some key pieces that I was getting wrong and you explained and demonstrated them beautifully! Best instructional video of the many that I’ve heard!

[kennethshort]

Have always wondered how that riff was played. One of the most bad ass riffs of all time. You make it look easy and not as difficult as i imagined. Now crank it up to 10 and let's hear it again.

[jimhenderson]

On the tele solo in the beginning he's basically playing the solo in the relative minor position to A. Gives it a country feel.
Great job. Sounds like he's got another layered guitar doing a slide part.
One of my favorite zep solos

[GoofyJackson-scuy]

This is one of my favorite zeppelin tracks! Great job as well as providing an excellent tone for the solo because I can’t get one😂

[Richard_Lush]

Awesome thanks for this. Got it. Leads were definitely done on a tele. I agree with you. I think he used the tele for recording even after 1 and 2. Not on stage but definitely in the studio. You can hear the twang.

[jimwalshonline]

So intracate Jimmy and the boys themselves had a hell of a time doing it live. Good job.

[marcaustin]

tks for clarifying that lick in part B. Ive been struggling with that for awihle. Great vid. Great tone

[kerryfromaj]

I learned a lot today here and have much more to learn from this lesson.
I can see a looper project for me to study this further with your extra Patreon material.
Closing in on 100, 000 👍🏻

[hkguitar]

Get close to 100K Subscribers!
Rock On Sir, Great Content.

[McAmeronIII]

I enjoyed this video like a large dog. Amazing piece of music that is just as kickin great today as when it first came out. Those were heady days.

I don't even play electric guitar. 

But if I did I would try to sound like this.

Thank you, 12 foot chain!

[patriottothecore]

Another great lesson thanks. Need to dial up the bombast to 11 though!😊