Triads and Zappa

Hootsmon

ah,right!

Philly_Q

DrCornelius

Isn’t that the ex burned Hendrix Strat he’s holding there ? I can’t remember the full details but I think Jimi gave him the burned body and after keeping it as a souvenir Zappa eventually semi restored it

Philly_Q

Yeah, it is the ex Hendrix Strat.  There's some debate about its origins, but I found this article:

https://www.groundguitar.com/jimi-hendrix-gear/jimi-hendrixs-1960s-fender-stratocaster-frank-zappa/

(Sorry for the inadvertent thread diversion...)

proggy

There's a programme on Friday night about Frank Zappa, an in-depth look of his private life and musical career.
BBC4 at 9:00. If anyone's interested.

Hootsmon

Imagine taking a Hendrix strat and putting two HB's on it 

blobb

FZ really rated Ruth.

viz

The older I get, the more I realise I need to listen to more Zappa. Check out this amazing live version of St Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast with everyone playing the Rollo Interior solo tutti at 3:17. I now realise why she was actually given the sheet music for this solo - because everyone else had to play it identically too!

Some familiar faces in the lineup

Funkfingers

viz said:

why she was actually given the sheet music for this solo - because everyone else had to play it identically too!

Ruth Underwood was a conservatory-trained musician and, like many Zappa band hirees, a sight reading mofo. (It would be quicker to list the members who could not!) 

On Eighties recordings, Steve Vai is often credited with "Impossible Guitar Parts". It became a running joke, with Zappa writing increasingly complex stuff to hear whether Vai could perform it accurately. Possibly, the daftest examples were The Dangerous Kitchen and The Jazz Discharge Party Hats. In both examples, Vai transcribed FZ's scat meltdown vocal then overdubbed guitar in the studio.

blobb

.. all FZ band members could play all of FZ back catalogue, at the drop of a hat, under direction from Frank. And any excerpt from any piece he pointed them at via hand signals. They were NOT allowed to take sheet music on stage. They were not allowed to make mistakes either, if they did Frank would stop everything, humiliate them and make them start again.

paulcaye

I clearly remember the first time I heard Apostrophe and over-nite sensation. It summer 93 - yes I know late to the zappa game.   But from the opening of Don't eat the yellow snow it was like what the fudge is this, nevermind when you get deeper into the albums.   
It is a stable in our house and I have even caught the children listening to it and before anyone calls social services the youngest is old enough to vote!

viz

Funkfingers said:

viz said:

why she was actually given the sheet music for this solo - because everyone else had to play it identically too!

Ruth Underwood was a conservatory-trained musician and, like many Zappa band hirees, a sight reading mofo. (It would be quicker to list the members who could not!) 

On Eighties recordings, Steve Vai is often credited with "Impossible Guitar Parts". It became a running joke, with Zappa writing increasingly complex stuff to hear whether Vai could perform it accurately. Possibly, the daftest examples were The Dangerous Kitchen and The Jazz Discharge Party Hats. In both examples, Vai transcribed FZ's scat meltdown vocal then overdubbed guitar in the studio.

Funkfingers said:

viz said:

why she was actually given the sheet music for this solo - because everyone else had to play it identically too!

Ruth Underwood was a conservatory-trained musician and, like many Zappa band hirees, a sight reading mofo. (It would be quicker to list the members who could not!) 

On Eighties recordings, Steve Vai is often credited with "Impossible Guitar Parts". It became a running joke, with Zappa writing increasingly complex stuff to hear whether Vai could perform it accurately. Possibly, the daftest examples were The Dangerous Kitchen and The Jazz Discharge Party Hats. In both examples, Vai transcribed FZ's scat meltdown vocal then overdubbed guitar in the studio.

Yeah I know, I meant that it made sense when I saw the live performance and realised that it was basically tutti, that I realised it wasn't a time for improvisation

littlegreenman

Also, whenever you get extended Zappa improvisations the band generally just dwell on first and fifth to allow Frank to imply whatever he wanted with 2nds, 9ths, major or minor thirds and whatever extensions he felt like at the time.

Sounds like an easy thing to do, but it aint.

Funkfingers

littlegreenman said:

… the band generally just dwell on first and fifth …

Variations On The Secret Carlos Santana Chord Progression.

littlegreenman

Hootsmon said:

Imagine taking a Hendrix strat and putting two HB's on it 

And a Floyd and active electronics! It's almost like all he wanted to do was just make some noise

Funkfingers

Don't forget the MicMix DynaFlanger.

Tannin

Hootsmon said:

Imagine taking a Hendrix strat and putting two HB's on it 

Imagine taking a Hendrix Strat and setting fire to it.