# Could YOU play Zeppelin's "Black Dog"?



## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

One of those tunes that _*seems*_ to have a rhythm every once in a while and then thinks "Well...maybe not".
I'm curious as to whether any of you in bands have ever successfully attempted it.


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## SteveS (Apr 25, 2006)

I actually do a pretty good job of it on acoustic. Just one guy to worry about though.

When you add drums it gets complicated fast.

My band's attempted it just for fun a few times and it hasn't ended well...


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Not in years, but I handled the bass in the one band that did.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

You have to wonder when would the band insert it into rehearsals. Not the sort of thing you'd want to attempt at the end of the night.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

We tried it in a band context and it was hard. Drummer would give us the "hint" with the snare ring shot but most of the time it was a train wreck.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

The studio recording to me always seemed like it wasn't exactly one take but was spliced or something. Maybe it wasn't but it feels like it to me.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

tomee2 said:


> The studio recording to me always seemed like it wasn't exactly one take but was spliced or something. Maybe it wasn't but it feels like it to me.


If Page was involved, you know it was.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

I can play the guitar part, but like Alex’s experience it was a disaster in a band setting.

This song should be avoided by cover bands like an unpaid bar tab at the end of the night. Its just bizarre. I honestly don’t know what the time signature is…my son, who is a drummer says its (mostly) 4/4 on drums, but the guitar parts are 5/4, 6/8 and 9/8 depending on the spot, its mostly a feel thing I think.


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

^ Yup, same with me. As a guitarist, I want to learn it right - so I did for the most part. But as a band, we never got it good enough for public play.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)




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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Phil just does that stuff easy as breathing.


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## 2112 (Dec 30, 2020)

man, Phil X and Paul Gilbert...two of the greats out there right now


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Playing the right notes--probably
The right rhythm--such as it is?
More difficult.

It is a tricky one for me--been years since I tried it.


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

Pick up the needle and move a groove over to Rock'n Roll. It's been a long time since I tried that one too.


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## Jeff MacKillican (Jan 23, 2021)

Sure, I play it all the time, just not very well! Seems to me the drumming is tougher than the guitar.


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## Dom Polito (Jan 8, 2016)

I remember John Paul Jones saying, that he came up with all the fast stuff lol.
Black Dog was one of them


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