Grooving with the Master: John Paul Jones Breaks Down “Black Dog” in New Guitar World Lesson
In the latest installment of Guitar World’s lesson series, legendary Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at one of the band’s most iconic tracks: “Black Dog.” With the precision of a maestro and the clarity of a seasoned educator, Jones dives deep into the off-beat complexities of the song’s driving riff—revealing insights that even longtime fans (and fellow bandmates) might not know.
A Riff That Tripped Up the Best
“Black Dog,” the snarling opener from Led Zeppelin IV, is renowned for its slippery rhythm and heavy groove. Jones, who originally wrote the riff, explains in the lesson how its syncopation deliberately throws off the listener’s sense of timing. In fact, he recalls that even Jimmy Page and the late John Bonham—two of rock’s most gifted musicians—were initially thrown off by the tricky rhythm.
“It’s not in an odd time signature—it just feels like it is,” Jones says with a smile. “That’s the magic of it. It makes you feel like the ground is shifting underneath you.”
Pick in the Studio, Eight-String on Stage
Jones also opens up about the gear choices that shaped the sound of the recording. While he usually preferred fingerstyle bass, he used a pick when tracking “Black Dog” in the studio to bring out a sharper, more aggressive tone.
“It needed that extra bite to cut through the mix,” he explains, noting how the riff’s percussive quality benefited from the pick’s attack.
But on the road, Jones turned to something even more unique: an eight-string bass. This unusual choice gave the live performances an added richness and depth, with the paired strings creating a natural chorus effect that filled concert halls with thunder.
A Lesson in Groove, Not Just Notes
What stands out most in Jones’s lesson isn’t just the technical breakdown—it’s the philosophy behind the groove. He encourages players not to get too caught up in counting or theory but to “feel” where the beat lies.
“If you’re thinking too hard about it,” he warns, “you’re already off.”
This nugget of wisdom reflects the intuitive genius that made Jones not just a brilliant bassist, but the heartbeat of Led Zeppelin’s sound. With his calm demeanor and precise explanations, he invites players of all levels to connect with music on a deeper, more instinctive level.
For fans and musicians alike, Jones’s Guitar World appearance is more than just a lesson—it’s a masterclass in how simplicity, when executed with feel and finesse, can be more powerful than complexity. In revisiting “Black Dog,” John Paul Jones reminds us why his bass lines remain some of the most memorable—and mysterious—in rock history.
