Artist : Frank Zappa
Track : BeeBop Tango
Album : Roxy & Elsewhere
Joined by : George Duke, Tom Fowler, Ruth Underwood, Jeff Simmons
Don Preston, Bruce Fowler, Walt Fowler, Napolean
Murphy Brock, Ralph Humphrey, Chester Thompson
Transcribed By : David A Dean (davidadean@bellsouth.net)
Guitar(s) : Electric (Probably his Gibson SG)
Effects : Compression, Distortion, WAH Pedal, Reverb or Delay
Tuning : Standard
Time Signature : 12/8
Song Notes : This outlines the guitar solo Frank goes into at
the end of the song. The 1st 14 minutes of the
track is a satirical thing involving audience
participation, and then he wraps everything up with
this. The 1st 18 bars start with a standard blues
intro and progression (B/E/Gb) and sounds like he's
using compression and a clean amp, and some reverb
or delay. He then he goes into a relatively long
solo adding the WAH and probably a little distortion.
Rhythm Notes : 12/8 is a compound time. 4 triplets per measure.
This is like 4/4 time where each beat is divided
into a triplet. "1 and 1", "2 and 2" etc. and I'm
using e's and a's when further subdivision is needed
like "1 e and a 1 e". I've further explained the
rhythm bar at the bottom of the file.
Mechanics : I'm using the standard set of mechanics with a few
of my own thrown in. Please see the mechanics
examples at the bottom of the page.
h - hammer on
p - pull off
b - bend string up
r - release bend
/ - slide up
\ - slide down
v - vibrato (sometimes written as ~)
t - right hand tap
T - left hand tab
x - play note with heavy damping
- play note short
bbbbb - slow bend up 2bbbb4 - strike the 2 then slowly bend to
the 4 over the time on rhythm bar.
rrrrr - slow release down 4rrrr2 - strike the 4 (bent 2) then slowly
release to 2 over the time on rhythm bar.
''''' - Sustained Note 4''''' - Strike and sustain the 4 over the
time on the rhythm bar.
''''b - Sustained/bend up 2'''b4 - strike and hold the note at 2
waiting to bend the note at the time
indicated on the rhythm bar.
''''r - Sustained/release down
4'''r2 - strike and hold the bent note at 4
waiting to release the note at the time
indicated on the rhythm bar.
# This file is all the transcriber's own work.
# If you find corrections are needed, please notify me.
- BeeBop Tango -
Frank Zappa
(14:20 into the track)
E----------------------------|---11----11----11----11-------10----|
B----------------------------|------------------------------------|
G--------------------------9//11----11----11----11----11--10---10-|
D----------------------------|------------------------------------|
A----------------------------|------------------------------------|
E----------------------------|------------------------------------|
|-1-&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4---1--&--1--2--&--2--3--&--3--4--&--4-|
E---9----9---9----8------7---|---7---------------------------|
B--------------------------7-|-7--10--7----------------------|
G-9---9----9----8---8--7-----|----------9b11-9--7---7--7-----|
D----------------------------|--------------------9------9-7-|
A----------------------------|-------------------------------|
E----------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-1-&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4---1-&-1--2--&---2--3-&-3--4-&-4-|
B
E--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
B--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
G--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D------7-------------------------|-9---9--11---9--12---9--11---9-|
A-/9-7----9\7-5--7--5-6----------|-9---9--11---9--12---9--11---9-|
E-----------------------7--5-7-7-|-7---7--7----7--7----7--7----7-|
|--1-&-1--2-e-&--2--3-&-3--4-&-4---1-&-1--2--&-2--3--&-3--4--&-4-|
"A-ny Thing"
E-------------------------------|------------------------------|
B-------------------------------|------------------------------|
G-------------------------------|------------------------------|
D-12--9--11---9--12---9--11---9-|-9---9--11---9--12---12-9---9-|
A-12--9--11---9--12---9--11---9-|-9---9--11---9--12---12-9---9-|
E-7---7--7----7--7----7--7----7-|-7---7--7----7--7----7--7h9-7-|
|-1-&-1--2--&-2--3--&-3--4--&-4-|-1-&-1--2--&-2--3--&-3--4-&-4-|
E
E-------------------------------|----------------------------|
B-------------------------------|----------------------------|
G-------------------------------|----------------------------|
D-9---9--11---9--9----9--11\----|---------------2---2--2h4-2-|
A-9---9--11---9--9----9--11\----|------------2---------------|
E-7---7--7----7--7----7--7-\--0-|-0---0--3h4-----------------|
|-1-&-1--2--&-2--3--&-3--4--&-4-|-1-&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4-|
B B7
E----------------------------|-----------------------------|
B----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G----------------------------|----------------8------8---8-|
D----------------------------|----------------7------9---7-|
A------------2//5~~~~--------|-9---9--11---9--9---9--9---9-|
E-0---0--3h4-----------------|-7---7--7----7--7---7------7-|
|-1-&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4---1-&-1--2--&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4-|
Gb Gb7
E------------------------------|------------------------------|
B------------------------------|------------------------------|
G-----8--------8---------------|------3--3---3--3---3--3------|
D-----7--7h11--7---------------|------2--2---2--2---2--2------|
A-----9--9-----9---------------|------4--4---4--4---4--4------|
E-----7--7-----7---------7\\\0-|-/2---2--2---2--2---2--2---2\-|
|-1-&-1--2--&--2--3-&-3--4-&-4----1-&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4--|
E-----------------------------|----------------------------|
B-----------------------------|----------------------------|
G-----------------------------|--------7-------------------|
D---------------2-------------|------------9--7---7--7p4---|
A------------2------2-4b5-5r0-|-2------------------------7-|
E-0---0--3h4------------------|----------------------------|
|-1-&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4--&-4---1-&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4-|
Gb7 Solo - add WAH & Distortion
E------------2--2------------|-----------------------7--------|
B------------5--5------------|------------------------T10p7---|
G------------3--3------9bb11-|-7b8---------------7----------7-|
D-4---4------2--2------------|------9~~~~~~~-/9---------------|
A------------4--4------------|--------------------------------|
E------------2--2------------|--------------------------------|
|-1-&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4----1-&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4--e-&-4-|
E--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
B--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
G-9b11r7-----------------------9-|--9b11''''10--10-10~~~~~10--10-|
D------------7-------------7-9---|-------------------------------|
A---------9----7----5-7b9--------|-------------------------------|
E--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|--1-e-&--1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4-----1--&-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4-|
E-------------------------------|------------0-7-10----------------|
B-------------------------------|---------------------7-7----------|
G-7b8---------------------------|-----7----7--------0-----9b11r7-7-|
D-----9-7-----------------------|-7-9----9-------------------------|
A---------7b9r7\5---------5-7/9-|----------------------------------|
E------------------7-5-7--------|----------------------------------|
|--1--&-1--2--&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4---1-&-1--2-&-2-e--3-&-3-e--4-e-&-4-|
E-----------------------10-12b14r12-10--12b13''-|
B-----10----10-12-12-12-------------------------|
G-7/11---11-------------------------------------|
D-----------------------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------|
|---1--&--1--2--&--a--2--3---&----a--3--4--&--4-|
E-b14~~~~~~~~---------------------------|
B-------------12--9---------------------|
G------------------9b11r9----7----------|
D-------------------------------9--7--9-|
A---------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------|
|--1--&--1--2--&--2--3--e-&--3--4--&--4-|
E------------------------------10-12-12-10-|
B----------------7-10--7-10-12-------------|
G-7----7-9--7--9---------------------------|
D----9-------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------|
|-1--&-a-1--2--&-a--2--3--&--a--3--4--&--4-|
E-10\-----------------------------------|-----------------------------|
B---10-7--------------------------------|-----------------------------|
G----------11r9-9p7\4-------------------|-----------------------------|
D------------------------7p4\2'''p0---0-|-2-0-2/3-2-0-----------------|
A-----------------------------------2---|-------------2--0-0-0--0-2-2-|
E---------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-1--e-&-1--2---&-a-2--3-e-&-a-3--4-&-4---1-&--1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4-&-4-|
E--------------------------------|--------------------------7------|
B-----------7-----7-----7----7---|-7-10-7--7-7--10-7-----7----10-7-|
G-----7-9/10---10----10---10---9-|------------------9b10-----------|
D--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A-2------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-1-&-1--2--&--2--3--&--3--4-&-4---1-&--1--2-&--2--3--&--3--4--&-4-|
E-12-----------12--------7-12------|----10-7-------7-----7------------|
B----12--------12------7-----12-10-|-12----------7---10---9b10--9-7---|
G-----9b10--11-----9b10------------|--------9b10--------------------7-|
D----------------9-----------------|----------------------------------|
A----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-1--&--1---2--&-2--3--&-3--4-&--4---1--&--1--2--&-2--3--&--3---4-&-4-|
E-----------------------------------------|
B----------------------12-10-----12-12/15-|
G-8--------7--8--9-9/11-------11----------|
D----9--7---------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------|
|-1--&--1--2--&--2---3--&--3--4---&--a--4-|
E-12-0-12-b13---b14-12b14r12-10--0-12----|
B----------------------------------------|
G--------------------------------------9/|
D----------------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------|
|-1--&--1--2--&--2-----3--&---3--4--&--4-|
E-----/12-12-10----12b14r12\---------|-------------------------------|
B---------------12-------------------|-------------------------------|
G/13--------------------------9b11r9bbb11''''''''r9p7\5--------------|
D------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A------------------------------------|------------------5-5-2--5-7/9-|
E------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|--1-&-1---2--&--2--3--&--3-4--&---4---1-&-1--2-&-a-2-e-3-&-3--4-&-4-|
E--------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------|
G----7--------7--10\9p7-9--------10\9p7-9''''|
D-7-----7--9---------------------------------|
A--------------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------|
|-1--&--1--2--&--2------3--&--3--4------&--4-|
E--------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------|
G-------10\9p7-/10-10----9-----7-------------|
D---------------------------------9--7--9--7-|
A--------------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------|
|-1--&--a--1-e--2--&--2--3--&--a--3--4--&--4-|
E-----------------------------------------------------|
B-----------------------------------------------------|
G-----------------------------------------------------|
D-----7-7---------------------------------7-7-7-7---7/|
A-/9--------9\7--5-5/7---9p7\5-7--7-7---9-------------|
E-----------------------------------------------------|
|--1--&-a-1-e-2--&--a--2---e---3--&-a-3-e-4-e-&-a-4-e-|
E-------------------------------7-|------------7--------------------|
B---------------------------------|-------10------------------------|
G------------------7---7--9bb11---|--------------9b11--9b11-11r9--7-|
D/9----9-9----9-9----9----------9-|-9---9---------------------------|
A---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-1--&-a-1--2-&-2--3-&-3--4--&--4---1-&-1--2-&-2--3--&--3---4--&--4-|
E------------------------------------| E
B------------------------------------|
G-9--7-------------------------------| N
D-------9--7-------------------------|
A-------------9--8--8//9vvvvv9\\\\\\-| D
E------------------------------------|
|-1--&--1--2--&--2--3--&--3--4--&--4-|
Mechanics examples:
Bends
--2bbb4------ It takes half a beat to bend consistently up to 4
-----9b11---- 9 is bent up quickly to 11 on the beat
--2''b4------ 2 is struck & held, then bent up sharply to 4 on &
-------------
--1---&---2---3---&---4---&---
Releases
--9rrr7------ It takes half a beat to gradually release down to 7
--9''r7------ Bent 9 struck & held, released down sharply to 7
on the &
--9'''9rrr8'''8rrr7'''7rrr6--- The Bent 9 is slowly released
while the string is struck at the
points indicated on the rhythm bar.
--1---&---2---&---3---&---4---
Slides
--3/--5------ 3 is struck, then slides up, & is struck again at 5
--3///5------ 3 is struck once only, then slides up to create 5
-/9---------- The 9 is slid into very fast from 1 or 2 frets lower
-\7---------- The 7 is slid into very fast from 1 or 2 frets higher
-------------
--1---&---2---&---3---&---4---
Hammer ons
--3h5-------- 3 is struck, then hammers onto 5 1/16 note away
--3hhh5------ 3 is struck then hammers onto 5 1/8 note away
--1-e-&---2---&---3---&---4
Rhythm Bar --1--&--2--&--3--&--4-- :
The rhythm bar that appears below the tab lines shows where and
how long to play notes, like standard musical notation, to show
more accurately what's being played. 9b11 could be a fast bend
for only a sixteenth note, or it could take an entire beat.
The Rhythm bar should help to give an indication of timing.
The physical length of a measure will vary to accomodate mechanics,
2 digit fret numbers, etc. but the note should appear directly
under the point on the rhythm bar where it should be played. for
example 10b12r10p8 looks like it takes a long time, but may only
take 3/16s to play. 10b12r10p8
1--e--&
1--e--&--a--2-- - Sixteenth notes (4/4 time)
1--&--1--2--&--2 - A compound time like 12/8. Each beat a triplet.
1----e----a-2-- - Triplet over the beat (4/4 time)
|____3____|
An example in 4/4 time:
|--1---&---2---&---3---&---4---&--a---1---e---a--2---&---
|___3___|
/ | | \ \ \
There's a Knock at the door
https://primanota.net/frank-zappa/beebop-tango-chords.htm