Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Led Zeppelin - Black Dog - Guitar Tab

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

SECTIONS

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key A minor
Led Zeppelin - Black Dog guitar tab video
Mr. Tabs
Mr. Tabs Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.1Msubs 1.6Mviews
Creator Page →
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Led Zeppelin IV (Deluxe Edition) album cover
Led Zeppelin IV (Deluxe Edition)
1971 4:55
Listen on Spotify
Led Zeppelin Hard Rock 1971 A minor
Capo Advisor 0 A minor · Original key

About Black Dog

Few rock riffs demand as much rhythmic precision as the central figure in "Black Dog." The signature guitar part, played by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, is deliberately out of phase with the drum groove, creating a lurching, asymmetrical feel that catches most players off guard. The riff cycles through an irregular pattern that does not land squarely on the beat, so counting along is almost essential at first. Rooted in A minor, it leans heavily on pentatonic vocabulary but with chromatic passing notes that give it a bluesy, unpredictable edge. Getting the right hand to lock in with those odd groupings is the real challenge here, more so than any single left-hand stretch. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the riff slowed down until your strumming hand internalises the accents before you bring it back up to tempo. Once the rhythm clicks, the rest of the song falls into place quickly.

  • The signature riff is built in A minor and uses an irregular rhythmic cycle that deliberately does not align with the 4/4 drum pattern, making rhythmic accuracy the top priority.
  • The main guitar figure relies on pentatonic shapes with added chromatic tones, so knowing your A minor pentatonic box positions is a solid starting point.
  • Page's tone on the original recording is a relatively dry, mid-forward electric sound, so a slightly overdriven amp setting without heavy reverb will get you closest to that feel.

How to Play Black Dog

The song moves through: Intro, Verse 1, Chorus, Verse 2, Bridge, Verse 3, Verse 4, Outro Solo.

Key: A minor · Tempo: 82 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

The central challenge of Black Dog is Jimmy Page's main riff in A minor, which deliberately does not line up symmetrically with the drum groove, so your picking hand will feel pulled off balance until the phrase length becomes internalized. Learn the riff in isolation first, counting through its full length before adding any rhythmic context. The call-and-response structure means the guitar drops out completely during the vocal phrases, and players consistently rush back in at the wrong moment, so use the section loop on those transitions to lock in the exact re-entry point. The outro solo demands confident blues phrasing rather than technical speed, but the rhythmic instability of the backing continues there, so a slow metronome pass through that section is genuinely necessary.

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 82 BPM.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Jimmy Page's 1958 Telecaster (gifted by Jeff Beck) delivered the bright, spanky single-coil attack that defined Led Zeppelin I's raw, bluesy edge. Its snappy treble cut through the mix on early tracks before Page switched to the warmer Les Paul for the band's heavier sound.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Page's 1959 Les Paul Standard with PAF humbuckers became the sonic backbone of Led Zeppelin from 1969 onward, its warm mahogany body and dynamic unpotted pickups creating the sustain-rich, touch-sensitive tone heard on 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'Black Dog.'

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While Page primarily used the Les Paul Standard, a Custom's thicker body and tonal characteristics would complement his dynamic playing style, offering similar warmth with potentially enhanced bottom-end punch for Zeppelin's heavier arrangements.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

The Marshall 1959 Super Lead Plexi was Page's primary amplifier from Led Zeppelin II onward, cranked past 7 for natural power-tube saturation and natural breakup that responded dynamically to his pick attack and volume knob control.

Vox AC30
Amp

Vox AC30

Page deployed the Vox AC30 in the studio for cleaner, chiming tones and layering textures that added dimension to Led Zeppelin's arrangements, offering a vintage British tone that complemented the Marshall's aggression.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Page's Vox Cry Baby wah became iconic on 'Dazed and Confused,' its expressive sweep adding vocal-like character to his lead work throughout Led Zeppelin's catalog, integral to the band's psychedelic and blues-rock textures.

Recommended for You

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)